Opel in Ireland isn't worried that its new Vectra range, going on sale in April, will not have a 1.6 litre entry-level model. Like Ford with the Mondeo, Opel will start off with a 1.8 litre petrol, with 120 bhp.
"We think there's a movement in the segment and buyers are moving to higher engine capacity," says Iede Aukema, the managing director of Opel Ireland.
The new Vectra is much more dynamically fit to compete against Mondeo, principally due to its IDS or Interactive Driving System. It incorporates a totally redesigned and lightened suspension, allied to semi-electronic power assistance for the steering and the latest electronic traction braking and cornering aids.
A stability system called ESP+ counters any tendency for the car to veer off the cornering line. Most stability systems brake one front or rear wheel, depending on where traction is most needed: the Vectra's can slow up to three.
The 1.8 litre petrol car will be the top seller in Ireland. The engine line-up also includes 2.0 and 2.2 litre turbodiesels with 99 and 123 bhp. The 1.8 will cost €23,950, whilst the 1.8 Comfort is €25,900 and the Club 2 litre turbodiesel is €25,550.