Vauxhall has shown the first glimpse of a design concept that will preview the design of its future models, centring around the Insignia.
The concept, which could be fully revealed at this year's Paris motor show but has been shown only in images so far, features the familiar, scythe-shaped daytime running lights that feature on the brand’s current models. This is the only design detail to have been revealed so far.
The car takes the form of a low-slung model, with a long bonnet that features a more pronounced central crease than the Insignia's and a shallow glass area that harks back to Opel sports cars of old. However, the concept is depicted under a sheet, so it’s not yet clear whether it's a two or four-door model.
A lesser focus on the grille in what design details can be seen suggests that the brand’s design will focus more upon EVs - confirmed by Vauxhall’s plan for the eCorsa in 2020. The Corsa is currently the UK's fifth-best-selling car, making it Vauxhall's and the PSA Group's best-seller.
The lights stretch almost the full width of the new concept's front, too, suggesting that Vauxhall will abandon the tall, central grille it currently uses and revert back to a wider grille - a hallmark of Vauxhall's earlier models – for its conventionally powered cars.
Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller revealed that Vauxhall and its sister brand will still share designs in the future and that they are still “finding a new face right now”.
Despite the concept having the appearance of a sports car, Opel-Vauxhall does not have any immediate plans to launch a halo model, said Lohscheller. “They might become a little easier for us as part of a bigger group, but we would have to find intelligent solutions,” he said.
What the concept doesn't preview is a production version of the 2016 GT concept - a 144bhp, 1.0-litre-engined rival to the Mazda MX-5.
The PSA Group aims to return Opel-Vauxhall to profit by 2020, with an operating margin of 2%, and increase that to 6% by 2026.
Read more:
PSA Group reveals plan to make Vauxhall and Opel profitable by 2020
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Said it before Opel future range should be!
Kill the current Viva, GCT, Zafira Tourer and Cascada
Realign the rest of the range too:
VIVA
ADAM
CORSA
ASTRA
INSIGNIA
MONZA
Listen to the naysayers! Vauxhall is on the up!
It amazes me that folk slate Vauxhall (aka Opel) but praise VAG aka VW! VAG designs just seem a variation across the brands and all look pretty generic and just plain dull!!
Vauxhall on the other hand used to do a lot of the graft for GM but were underinvested for decades by their US master, yet somehow managed to produce some decent cars (IMO) the 1st gen Insignia was a good looking car (and from a 10 yrs old design still is) and the 2nd gen car is pretty decent too. Same can be said of the current gen Astra. Problem was Vauxhall developed cars with what money it had so the range was a bit 'bitty' having to steal from elsewhere in the GM empire the Viva a prime example. It's shocking the Corsa is actually just a reskin of the 2006 Corsa (but then so was the Mk1 Corsa a reskin of the Nova.... GM's way of putting out 'new' cars without the proper funding). The list of these things being done to Vauxhall is endless.
It is all starting to look better given that PSA are cutting costs, rationalising platforms/engines/technology and actually giving Opel some real input in the new PSA organisation. BUT there will always be the naysayers, Vauxhall could make the best car in the world but it would still be 'just' a Vauxhall to some.
I think Mark Adams is doing a great job making Vauxhalls look more cohesive that before (across the range) and hopefully by 2024 when all GM tech is gone things will be vastly improved and Vauxhall will gain some traction and respect again.
For all the money (and diesel scandal) VW has there are some pretty dire and ungainly looking designs within the brands it sells and less face it they are brands not makes as some of them are simply the same car rebadged with a few panel differences. Audi used to look amazing now they are just various sizes of the same cars with bigger and bigger grilles - VAG knows they could roll out the worst car ever and it would still sell, and the car media don't do anything to dispel this.
Go group PSA i say, maybe finally Opel can become the global brand GM wouldn't let it be and newer more distinctive (cohesive across the range) designs across the range coming along it can only be a good change. Maybe even the halo models will come once PSA attain the profit per car figures they are aiming for
If it looks like a low slung
If it looks like a low slung concept then it won't be a production model.
This is what they do to preview "design language" then they put the headlights on their next half arsed SUV for the masses.