Unlike many of its competitors, Opel has taken the opportunity of a mid-life facelift to add more than just cosmetic highlights to its latest Vectra. The new Vectra, on sale in October, benefits from a redesigned front end, as well as some neat design tweaks inside. But the most interesting modifications are hidden.
For Irish drivers, the main complaint with the current Vectra is that its handling characteristics suit German autobahns rather than poor quality Irish roads. This complaint was also made by British drivers, who also drive on a combination of both high and poor quality roads.
The British arm of Opel - Vauxhall - convinced its parent company, GM, to allow it for the first time to tune cars to suit its - and our - variable road conditions. The Vectra is the first of this new breed of cars from Opel to have its steering and suspension modified for these islands.
On poor quality back roads around England's Millbrook Proving Ground, an enthusiastic Simon Johnson, Opel's UK-based vehicle dynamics manager, was keen to prove that the Vectra modifications are worth the wait. Customer feedback, he said, pointed to a car that provided relaxed motorway driving but was "too blancmangey" on back roads.
Thanks to adjustments to the damping controls and front anti-roll bar, as well as a new smaller steering wheel, adapted bushes and modified power steering, there's now an improved feeling of confidence when driving the new Vectra.
Steering is weightier, while handling is more taut and mid-corner corrections more precise, especially on poor surfaces. This became more evident when we tested the car on Millbrook's renowned hill drive - a series of blind bends, steep gradients, adverse cambers and fast downhill twists - and for several laps at 195km/h on the proving ground's high speed bowl.
The car's handling is improved to a degree that it will now tempt some enthusiastic Vectra drivers off the motorway and onto more testing and enjoyable back roads - something they have traditionally been forced to avoid.
With a price increase of €500 on the base models and €600 higher up the range, the new-look Vectra still remains competitive. With its improved driving dynamics, it is now a far more exciting proposition, especially the €31,100 1.9-litre 150bhp option.