Vauxhall Vectra renamed as Insignia

By Motor Industry 03 December 2007 09:46 Vauxhall has renamed its Vectra replacement, and like we all thought, it's going to be called Insignia. According to Vauxhall the Insignia name represents 'a new name for a new era', and we'll see if Vauxhall is telling the truth when the covers come off the new car at the British Motor Show in July 2008. It's a big claim for Vauxhall, but the teaser shot (above right) shows that at least Vauxhall seems to have gotten the design of the Insignia right.

Saab 1947-2009: GM 'will close Saab'

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 18 December 2009 20:33 It's a sad day for Saabphiles, as GM announced – one week to the day before Christmas – that it has failed to find a buyer for Saab. It will begin winding down the Saab operation immediately. There had been a glimmer hope for Saab earlier this month, as supercar maker Spyker stepped in as a possible suitor after similarly small sports car specialist Koenigsegg walked away from a potential deal in November 2009.But GM admitted it could not viably sell Saab to Spyker – and no other bidders were forthcoming.

Driven: Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Just over 25 years ago, in November 1982, Mercedes Chief Designer Bruno Sacco introduced his new 'baby' 190, codenamed W201. Billed as the new compact Mercedes, it was a successful model that lasted a full ten years until being replaced by the first C-Class (W202). This model – the first with the triangular tail lamps – lasted until 2000 when it was replaced by the W203, a more softly-styled update of the W202 model, with the 'peanut-shaped' linked double headlamps.