The Vauxhall Signum was a large five-door hatchback sold from 2003 to 2008 as the British version of the Opel Signum. It was derived from the Vectra but used the longer-wheelbase platform of the Vectra estate, giving generous rear legroom and two individually adjustable rear seats.
Vauxhall Signum at a glance
| Maker | Vauxhall (Opel Signum on the continent) |
|---|---|
| Production | February 2003 – July 2008 |
| Based on | Opel Vectra, long-wheelbase estate platform |
| Wheelbase | 13 cm longer than the Vectra hatchback and saloon |
| Rear seats | two individual seats, sliding and reclining, plus a narrow centre section |
| Interior system | FlexSpace |
| Bodies | five-door hatchback with a nearly vertical tailgate |
| Built at | Rüsselsheim, Germany |
| Facelift | September 2005 |
| Replaced by | Vauxhall Insignia, 2008 |
Written from the English and German Wikipedia articles on the Opel Signum; the Vauxhall car is the same model with a different badge.
History of the Vauxhall Signum
The Signum was Opel’s attempt to capture a new market segment, a very large hatchback with a nearly vertical tailgate whose dimensions placed it between traditional large family cars and executive cars. In most markets it was priced accordingly: more expensive than the Vectra, but less than an Audi A6. General Motors did something similar in North America with the related 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, also derived from the Epsilon platform.
The name had already been used on a concept car at the 1997 Geneva Motor Show, and the production car was previewed by the Signum2 Concept at the 2001 Frankfurt and Bologna shows; the model’s name was announced in August 2001 and the first official pictures appeared in August 2002. Production began in February 2003.
The Signum used the platform of the Vectra Estate, so its wheelbase was 13 cm longer than the Vectra hatchback’s or saloon’s, providing very ample rear legroom. Instead of a traditional three-passenger bench it had two separate rear seats with a range of adjustment including sliding back and forth like the front seats, and reclining backrests. A very narrow central section with a folding armrest could serve as a third seat, and the car had three rear headrests and seat belts; the seats folded individually to increase cargo space under a system Opel called FlexSpace. The Signum shared many body panels, including the complete front of the body, and the whole dashboard and front seats with the Vectra, but its tailgate and rear fender design were unique.
All Signums were built alongside Vectras at Opel’s Rüsselsheim plant and shared the Vectra’s engines. The Signum was facelifted with the Vectra range in September 2005, gaining a new front fascia and slight changes elsewhere; from the end of 2005 the referee Pierluigi Collina starred in advertisements for the Signum and Vectra across Europe. Right-hand-drive production ended after March 2008, and both the Signum and Vectra C were discontinued in July 2008 for mainland Europe, with the Insignia arriving in October of the same year.
Design and features
- Long wheelbase: 13 cm more than the Vectra hatchback, taken from the estate.
- Two rear seats: individually sliding and reclining, with FlexSpace folding.
- Hatchback practicality: a nearly vertical tailgate and a large load area.
- Vectra sharing: the same front end, dashboard and engines.
Vauxhall Signum versions
- Signum (2003–2005): the original car.
- Signum facelift (2005): new front fascia and interior changes.
- Signum2 Concept (2001): the show car that previewed the production model.
The Signum was based on the Vectra and was replaced by the Insignia; its closest rival in concept was the Meriva’s larger stablemate, the Zafira. More cars are in the Vauxhall collection.
Sources
- Opel Signum, English Wikipedia: concept, platform, seats, facelift, end
- Opel Signum, German Wikipedia: model background
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