13 years ago
THE British Motor Show is under way right now at London’s ExCel.
And one manufacturer has grabbed the lion’s share of headlines – Vauxhall.
The key car, of course, is the new Insignia. Here is a true UK-based world debut: never before has anyone been able to get up close and personal with it. This is a real coup for the show.
Our verdict? The all-new car looks the business, with curvaceous lines and a super-quality interior. Four-wheel-drive will be available, while trim lines mirror today’s range.
Vauxhall also announced prices. It will cost from £15,935 when it goes on sale in December, with engines all meeting Euro V emissions standards.
Parent company GM also roused attention when the PM visited on Tuesday. Apparently, he was offered the carrot of GM’s innovative plug-in hybrid model being built here in the UK – if he puts the right environmental incentives in place. Discussions are underway right now…
Lotus has ensured Vauxhall can’t claim all the headlines, though. See elsewhere in News the new Evora in full detail – but, suffice to say, the Brit sports car has graced many a show report since.
As has, naturally, the stylish new Fiesta. The UK’s best-selling retail car can be seen in many different production-ready forms, with prices starting from £8595. The ECOnetic version was also revealed as the show opened – Ford’s 76mpg, 98g/km mainstream eco starlet.
What else is there? Well, we really like the look of Alfa’s MiTo, a posh, sporty small-car alternative to the MINI – this is a sector SEAT also has desires on, with the radical Ibiza Sportcoupe.
There are lots of electric cars from NICE, Tesla and others, while almost every manufacturer under ExCeL’s roof is billing its eco range in some way or other. You can’t move for ‘planet-saving’ models.
Thankfully, there’s a hefty line-up of BRABUS, 376bhp Subaru Imprezas and hardcore-to-the-max Ford Focus RS to draw green eyes away…
