The calibra is back

[VauxBlog]

Vauxhall Calibra Mk2

Calling all Calibra fans. Vauxhall’s legendary coupé is back! When it first arrived in 1990, the original Calibra was the world’s most aerodynamic production coupé – and these pictures show how an equally slippery modern-day version is set to take the nation by storm!
The family car is set to take such a significant step forward that it will get an all-new name. Insignia is a contender, but several other potential tags are still in the running
The sloping roofline is the new model’s most striking feature. So important is the rakish shape that, when viewed from the side, it is clear that Vauxhall is aiming to create a car that will slice through the air – just like the original Calibra.

Taking much of its design from Vauxhall’s GTC Concept – produced to highlight the sweeping lines that would form the next-generation Vectra – the new Calibra aims to prove just how sporty the family-
car-sized coupé could look. When revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March – as seen in Issue 951 – it was one of the stars of the event.

Our pictures reveal how easily the concept’s shape could be converted for the showroom. The long front end and deep airdam give the 21st century car a look that’s just as distinctive as its top-selling predecessor.

And drivers shouldn’t have to wait too long. When the replacement for the Vectra goes on sale in the UK late next summer, it will initially be available in four and five-door guises, and provide the perfect basis for the new coupé. Keen to stress that the new family car will be a genuinely desirable alternative to the likes of Ford’s new Mondeo, design quality has been a priority throughout development.

This styling will enable a coupé variant to be added easily, by simply fitting larger doors and without too many major structural alterations.

Beyond the estate variant, due in 2009, plans for the new family car range are still top-secret, but the success of the GTC Concept sent a clear message to Vauxhall bosses.

A spokesman for the firm told us: “The response to the GTC Concept at Geneva was incredibly positive and showed how well such a car could be received.” And he went on to explain where a coupé could lie in the firm’s plans. “As with all car man-ufacturers, we will always keep our options open and keep a close eye on what the market demands.” With the Monaro now replaced by the four-door VXR8, there is certainly a gap in the line-up for a coupé.

Bringing back the Calibra name would resurrect one of Vauxhall’s most popular Nineties badges – but it won’t sit in showrooms alongside a Vectra. The family car is set to take such a significant step forward that it will get an all-new name. Insignia is a contender, but several other potential tags are still in the running. Whatever it’s called, the new family car will have a range of engines perfectly suited to a Calibra.

With the emphasis on efficiency, petrol models will get three versions of the 1.6-litre turbo from the Corsa VXR, with a choice of 148bhp, 178bhp or 189bhp. Vauxhall’s variable-valve-timing 1.8-litre unit will also be available, as will the flagship 2.8-litre V6.

The diesel line-up will include a new entry-level engine along with
a high-performance twin-turbo unit. Green ecoFLEX variants will also feature to help Vauxhall’s coupé comply with future emissions regulations.

Adopting all of the technology destined for the Vectra replacement, the Calibra will have equipment that would put rivals from the class above to shame. With everything from automated self-drive systems to the latest Bluetooth connectivity, the coupé will be at home on both motorways and twisty country roads.

Inside, it will adopt the dashboard of its five-door sibling, while the cabin will feature a roomy 2+2 layout.

The GTC Concept revealed Vauxhall’s Flex4 arrangement, which allows the two chairs in the back to slide up to the front seats, maximising boot space. In the Calibra, this layout would provide valuable flexibility.

Fitting in with Vauxhall’s typical model life cycles, the hot all-wheel-drive VXR version of the Vectra replacement will go on sale in 2009. Only after that is the Calibra likely to surface – when it’s sure to become an instant favourite with Vauxhall fans.

[Harty]

ffs no v8

[Gaz]

feck the v8......


2.8 v6 turbo.. Yes please just hope its either RWD or a good 4x4

[coolboy4000]

I'd sell my right nut for one of these!

You heard me... my right nut!

[Eddy]

mmmmm gimme!

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Gaz

feck the v8......


2.8 v6 turbo.. Yes please just hope its either RWD or a good 4x4

Can't see it chances are it will be built on the veccy floorpan.

[tommychimp]

Hopefully VXR will get their grubby mits on it and turn it into a RWD evo killer. Looks funking sexy!

[Harty]

Looks like its now going to be a vectra quattro 280bhp then...

[Harty]

Vectra VXR goes quattro
All-new four-wheel-drive Vauxhall super-saloon is gunning for Audi

Calling all performance car fans – Vauxhall is building a quattro!





The firm is replacing its top-selling Vectra next year with an all-new family model called the Insignia, and this is the stunning flagship VXR version. What’s more, the performance variant is being tipped to give the Audi S4 a serious run for its money.

It will usher in a raft of firsts for Vauxhall, with a choice of turbocharged V6 petrol or diesel engines, mated to a new four-wheel-drive system.

Costing £25,000 and available in saloon, hatch and estate bodystyles, the Insignia VXR line-up will offer similar performance to Audi’s sporty A4 variants, but with more practicality – and at a fraction of the price.

The new range makes its world debut at the British Motor Show in July, but top-spec VXR versions are still 18 months away. However, General Motors’ engineers are well advanced with the new cars’ development.

One thing is for sure: they will be even more aggressive to look at than the current models. Our pictures, which are based on exclusive inside information (Ffoeg - AKA photoshop), show what buyers can expect from the saloon.

Taking the striking look of the Insignia – which was previewed by the GTC concept at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year – the VXR version adds a meaty bodykit. At the front, the jutting nose gets a body-coloured V-shaped grille, complete with sporty mesh air intakes. The streamlined headlamps get black surrounds, while the ground-hugging front bumper has integral spotlights.

The sporty feel continues in profile, with low side skirts, 19-inch alloy wheels and a sharply curved roof that flows down to a rakish tailgate.

At the rear, a subtle bootlid spoiler and twin chrome exhausts finish the look. Inside, the cabin will draw its inspiration from the GTC, with deep-set dials backlit in red, a chunky three-spoke steering wheel and figure-
hugging sports seats. As with the rest of the range, material quality will rival that of prestige marques.

The Insignia is based on GM’s new Epsilon 2 platform, and it will be larger than the Vectra it replaces. As well as more space, the new chassis will bring other benefits, most notably improved driving dynamics. And each model will get a revised version of the current Vectra VXR’s electronic adaptive dampers, allowing a choice of Comfort or Sport settings.

The big change, however, will be the introduction of an electronically controlled four-wheel-drive transmission. Debuted on the GTC, the new drivetrain can vary torque front to rear, and vice versa, according to which wheels have the most grip. It also incorporates a limited-slip differential to ensure maximum traction.

And that’s just as well, because a 2.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine will power the flagship Insignia VXR. Eclipsing the current model’s 276bhp output, the newcomer will boast in excess of 300bhp – resulting in a 0-60mph time of only 5.5 seconds and a 165mph top speed. With the benefit of revised active suspension and all-wheel drive, it will be at home on twisty roads in a way that its unruly front-wheel-drive pre*decessor never was.

As a significant amount of sales will go to company drivers, Vauxhall will also launch a 247bhp 2.9-litre V6 turbodiesel variant. Both models get a new six-speed manual box as stan*dard. Equipment will be impressive, with integrated sat-nav, hands-free telephone and audio technology.

The Insignia also promises to be the first Vauxhall to get the new Traffic Assist System. This uses radar and video to scan the road ahead, and slows the car automatically if it senses that a collision is likely.

[Harty]