Segment: Medium
It was one of the most important premieres from that year.
GM placed its bets on the Vectra. After a not very successful first generation, the design department burned the midnight oil to came up with a better-shaped vehicle, and the result was the 1995 Vectra, also known as Vectra B. It was a world car since it was sold under different names and badges. GM used the same platform for the Saturn L-Series, which was not that successful.
The 1995 Vectra was a significant improvement over its predecessor with more rounded areas and fluid shapes. It looked like GM partly agreed with the biodesign trend. A particular form was for the door-mirrors connected to the bodywork via an aerodynamic pillar that followed the hood's V-shaped lines. Its curved lines were extended over the greenhouse and formed an arched shape ended with a third window behind the rear doors.
Inside, the bucket-seats at the front were mounted low on the floor to create the impression of a sporty family sedan. The concept worked well for the front passengers but left little legroom for the rear ones. GM installed a refreshed dashboard with curved lines that looked appealing to its customers. Depending on the trim level, the instrument cluster featured an additional LCD for the on-board computer installed next to the dials.
Under the hood, Opel offered the Vectra B with a choice of five gasoline and a turbodiesel engine. Later on, in 1997, it introduced a new generation of direct-injected diesel versions fitted with four valves per cylinder. The carmaker paired all of them to a five-speed manual gearbox. For selected versions, the Vectra was available with a four-speed automatic transmission.