Vauxhall-designed Santa's sleigh (2009)

Vauxhall's version of Santa's sleigh – complete with Voltec plug-in hybrid tech

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

14 December 2009 20:11

Here's the Vauxhall take on the design project we've set them this Christmas: to design a Vauxhall-branded Santa's sleigh. The boffins at Vauxhall/Opel design HQ have come up with this – a development of the latest GM Europe form language with hints of new Astra here and Ampera plug-in hybrid there.

Vauxhall officials claim their Christmas sleigh features specially adapted E-REV tech to ensure Santa has no range anxiety as he flies around the world on Christmas Eve. Very zeitgeisty.

'Santa's pleased as punch because he doesn't need to worry about the methane emissions generated by the outgoing reindeers on his 2008 model,' said a spokesman, while munching mince pies and throwing Magna crackers on the log fire. 'Now, when his sleigh's idling above the chimney tops, not only is it guaranteed not to wake children, but it won't pollute their bedrooms either!'

This rendering, smuggled out of Vauxhall/Opel's European design HQ, was commissioned exclusively for CAR.

We think they've done a splendid festive job incorporating the Vauxhall grille, air ducts and scalloped metalwork that nowadays marks out contemporary Vauxhalls. Tell us what you think by clicking 'Add your comment' at the foot of this page.

>> Come back to CAR Online every day this week for new Santa's sleighs commissioned by CAR from leading European car design bases

By Tim Pollard