OPEL Vectra Sedan 2002-2005 Photos, engines & full specs

Opel introduced the third generation of its mid-size contender, Vectra, on the European market at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, and it was a big departure from its predecessors.

GM developed the Vectra on the Epsilon platform shared with the Saab 9-3, and it was available in three body shapes: sedan, hatchback, and station wagon. The four-door version was considered a middle-management vehicle aimed at Volkswagen's Passat and Ford's Mondeo customers.

The exterior featured a new design trend for its headlights, with a rectangular, swept-back look and a pair of headlamps inside. Its grille sported a horizontal slat and the round badge on it. The flat trunk lid amplified its three-box shape, and surprisingly, it lost the small glass area behind the rear doors. Both its predecessors, the Vectra A and the B, featured that small window, but the C version received a wider C-pillar instead. At the back, it sported corner-mounted taillights and a wide, flat panel adorned by a chromed slat.

Inside, the German carmaker designed the car with the middle-manager in mind and suitable for a family. It installed comfortable bucket seats at the front and a bench for three adults in the back. The dashboard featured, as an option, a navigation system mounted between the center air vents. Opel's only problem was that it offered the vehicle a bland interior that sported different shades of gray, and that made.

Under the hood, Opel installed a choice of gasoline and turbo-diesel engines paired as standard with a five-speed manual transmission. Later on, the carmaker added a more powerful version tuned by the Opel Performance Center (OPC).