Vauxhall SIGNUM
Some Cars Will Instantly Appeal To The Women But June Neary Doesnt Think The Signum Is Likely To Figure In That List.
Can a hunk of metal, plastic and rubber be gender specific? It may seem a strange question but right from the outset we get given Barbie Dolls or Action Man figures so why should we expect cars to be any different? Cars that appeal to women include the
Mini, the
Mazda MX5, the
Peugeot 206, and the
Ford Streetka. Many women prefer small cars but even in the upscale end of the market Audis, Saabs and Jaguars get more play from the fairer sex than their equivalent Mercedes and
BMW models. Notice that the
Vauxhall Signum doesnt figure prominently. The Signum effectively a stretched hatchback Vectra just has something very masculine about it.
Its not the shape, which is rather elegant and nicely detailed, and its not the way it drives which is similarly mannered. Its difficult to put your finger on quite why this car will prove such a turn off to women, but I suspect it may be the fact that here is a mainstream badge encroaching onto premium territory.
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The Signum is a difficult car to pigeonhole. Neither saloon, MPV nor estate, the Signum could conceivably fall between these stools, satisfying few customers and selling in similar numbers to the car that most closely approximates its design ethos- the
Renault Vel Satis. There are certainly styling cues around the truncated back end that are reminiscent of the big Renault and the
Vauxhall even borrows an engine from it in the shape of the range-topping 3.0-litre TDI V6 diesel.
Its no great secret that the Vel Satis has been a disaster for Renault in terms of sales. The Signum had better offer something extra. Based on that stretched Vectra chassis, the Signum may claim to offer something new but in certain respects sticks to a well-worn formula. Vauxhall have twigged that cars that offer additional versatility such as the Zafira and the Meriva are the ones that are cornering increasingly big shares of their respective markets.
Part of the reason for this is because they have offered a level of utility that many rivals in general, and
Ford in particular, have been unable to match. Meanwhile the more mainstream models, whilst maintaining share against the rest, have seen the total market size nibbled away. Therefore it made sense to attempt to offer innovative and versatile cars in as many shapes and forms as possible and the Signum is a new take on this recipe.
No fewer than eight engines are offered. The 120bhp 1.8-litre petrol and the 100bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel are tried and tested powerplants, as is the 211bhp 3.
2-litre V6 petrol unit. Of more interest is a 2.2-litre direct injection petrol engine Vauxhalls very first which cranks out 155bhp and promises real world fuel savings and hefty torque. The other option if you want an even punchier petrol engine isnt quite so sophisticated but nevertheless may well prove the most popular choice, a 2.
0-litre turbo four, good for 175bhp and seen in the
Saab 9-3 line up. Also borrowed from Saab and Renault is the 177bhp 3.0-litre CDTi V6 diesel which marks the top of the Signum tree this common-rail unit has recently been joined by 120 and 150bhp versions of a 1.9-litre CDTi engine which further boost the Signums diesel credentials.
The Vectra platform has actually proved quite a good foundation from which to sprout the Signum. Fundamentally wide, it allows a number of features to be built into the chunky centre console which subsequently means that the buttons dont need to be the size of pinheads, something youll appreciate when trying to adjust the controls. Vauxhall have helped by mounting a number of controls on the steering wheel, itself infinitely adjustable. Although some of the plastics may disappoint those who expect a genuine premium car, its nevertheless on a par with cars like the
Volvo S80 and whisper it modern Mercs.
Priced from £18,645 to £26,650, the well-equipped Signum range tacks between £1,000 and £2,000 onto the prices of broadly equivalent Vectra models, a chunky premium for exactly what? One of the key features that Vauxhall seem very proud of is the Signums so-called FlexSpace seating concept. This allows the outer rear pair of seats to slide back and forth, allowing a trade off between legroom and luggage capacity. Whats more, these seats can also recline to a 30-degree angle. Although it makes a big play of its spaciousness, the Signum works best as a four, rather than five seater.
The central berth in the back is rather hard and Vauxhall dont recommend it for anyone over 510" tall but it does have its uses. The cushion flips through 180-degrees, revealing cup holders and storage boxes. It can also accommodate the Travel Assistant, another Vauxhall invention thats standard on the range-topping Elite but a mere £200 on the Elegance and Design trim levels that constitute the Signum line up.
As long as you dont mind risking some pretty serious depreciation, the Signum makes some sort of sense. Its big, spacious, drives well and as long as you specify one without the rattly Travel Assistant back
seat storage system is pleasantly refined. One thing its not is a car that will appeal to the female of the species. Try again, Vauxhall.
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