Opel Signum | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Opel (General Motors) |
Also called | Vauxhall Signum |
Production | 2003–2008 |
Assembly | Germany: Rüsselsheim |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Mid-size car (D) |
Body style | 5-door hatchback |
Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
Platform | Epsilon platform |
Related | Fiat Croma Chevrolet Malibu Opel Vectra Saturn Aura Saab 9-3 |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,830 mm (111.4 in) |
Length | 4,636 mm (182.5 in) |
Width | 1,798 mm (70.8 in) |
Height | 1,466 mm (57.7 in) |
Curb weight | 1,490–1,715 kg (3,285–3,781 lb) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Opel Omega |
Successor | Opel Insignia Sports Tourer |
The Opel Signum is a large front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, mid-size executive hatchback manufactured and marketed by the German car manufacturer Opel from 2003 to 2008, exclusively over a single generation, derived from the Opel Vectra. Marketed almost exclusively in Europe, a rebadged Signum was marketed in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Signum. The Signum used the long wheelbase version of the GM Epsilon platform also used by the Opel Vectra Caravan.
As a very large hatchback with a nearly vertical tailgate, its dimensions placed it between traditional large family cars and executive cars. In most markets, it was also priced accordingly (more expensive than the Opel Vectra, but less than e.g. Audi A6). The Opel Signum, like the Renault Vel Satis, was intended to capture a new market segment.
General Motors, Opel's then parent, executed a similar concept in North America of a large hatchback with the related 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, also derived from the Epsilon platform.
After March 2008, RHD production ended, and both the Opel Signum and the Opel Vectra were replaced with the new Opel Insignia in October of the same year. [1] From the end of 2005, Pierluigi Collina starred in adverts across Europe for the Signum, as well as the Vectra. [2]
Production of the Signum and Vectra C ended in July 2008 for Mainland Europe.
The Opel Signum2 Concept was a luxury hatchback presented by Opel at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany, and the 2001 Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Design elements from the car were later used in the production Signum, which went into production in February 2003. In November 2000, sketches of the Signum2 were present. [3]
The Signum name was also used on a concept car presented at the 1997 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. In August 2001, the name of the car was announced. [4]
The first official pictures of the production Signum were released in August 2002. [5]
The Signum platform is that of the Vectra Estate, meaning that the wheelbase is longer than the hatchback/saloon of the Vectra by 13 cm (5.1 in). This provides for very ample rear legroom. Instead of a traditional three passenger bench seat, the Signum has two separate seats in the rear, offering a range of adjustment capabilities including sliding back and forth (just like the front seats) and reclining backrests.
There is also a very narrow central section, which includes a folding armrest and can also serve as a third seat (the Signum is fitted with three rear headrests and safety belts). The seats can also be folded down individually to increase the cargo space, a system that Opel calls Flexspace.
The Signum shares many body panels (including the complete front part of the body) and interior elements (in particular the complete dashboard and front seats) with the Vectra, but the tailgate and rear fender design is unique to the Signum. The Signum was facelifted along with the Vectra lineup in September 2005, getting a new front fascia design and slight changes elsewhere.
All Signums were made alongside Vectras in Opel's Rüsselsheim plant in Germany.
The Signum was offered with a wide range engines it shared with the Vectra. These include:
Petrol engine | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Model | Engine code | Engine type | Displacement | Power | Torque | Years |
1.8 | Z18XE | I4 16V | 1,796 cc (1.8 L) | 122 PS (90 kW; 120 hp) at 6000 rpm | 167 N⋅m (123 lb⋅ft) at 3800 rpm | 2003–'05 |
1.8 | Z18XER | 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp) at 6300 rpm | 175 N⋅m (129 lb⋅ft) at 3800 rpm | 2006–'08 | ||
2.0 Turbo | Z20NET | Turbo I4 16V | 1,998 cc (2.0 L) | 175 PS (129 kW; 173 hp) at 5500 rpm | 265 N⋅m (195 lb⋅ft) at 2500–3800 rpm | 2003–'08 |
2.2 Direct | Z22YH | I4 16V | 2,198 cc (2.2 L) | 155 PS (114 kW; 153 hp) at 5600 rpm | 220 N⋅m (162 lb⋅ft) at 3800 rpm | |
2.8 V6 Turbo | Z28NEL | Turbo V6 | 2,792 cc (2.8 L) | 230 PS (169 kW; 227 hp) at 5500 rpm | 330 N⋅m (243 lb⋅ft) at 1800–4500 rpm | 2005–'06 |
2.8 V6 Turbo | Z28NET | 250 PS (184 kW; 247 hp) at 5500 rpm | 350 N⋅m (258 lb⋅ft) at 1800–4500 rpm | 2006–'08 | ||
3.2 V6 | Z32SE | V6 | 3,175 cc (3.2 L) | 211 PS (155 kW; 208 hp) at 6200 rpm | 300 N⋅m (221 lb⋅ft) at 4000 rpm | 2003–'05 |
Diesel engine | ||||||
Model | Engine | Displacement | Power | Torque | Years | |
1.9 CDTI | Z19DTL [ broken anchor ] | I4 8V | 1,910 cc (1.9 L) | 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) at 3500 rpm | 260 N⋅m (192 lb⋅ft) at 1700–2500 rpm | 2005–'08 |
Z19DT [ broken anchor ] | 120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp) at 4000 rpm | 280 N⋅m (207 lb⋅ft) at 2000–2750 rpm | 2004–'08 | |||
Z19DTH [ broken anchor ] | I4 16V | 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp) at 4000 rpm | 320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft) at 2000–2750 rpm | 2004–'08 | ||
2.0 DTI | Y20DTH | 1,995 cc (2.0 L) | 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) at 4000 rpm | 230 N⋅m (170 lb⋅ft) at 1500–2500 rpm | 2003–'04 | |
2.2 DTI | Y22DTR | 2,172 cc (2.2 L) | 125 PS (92 kW; 123 hp) at 4000 rpm | 280 N⋅m (207 lb⋅ft) at 1500–2750 rpm | ||
3.0 V6 CDTI | Y30DT | V6 | 2,958 cc (3.0 L) | 177 PS (130 kW; 175 hp) at 4000 rpm | 370 N⋅m (273 lb⋅ft) at 1900–2800 rpm | 2003–'05 |
Z30DT | 184 PS (135 kW; 181 hp) at 4000 rpm | 400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) at 1900–2700 rpm | 2005–'08 |
In July 2008, both the Signum and Vectra C were discontinued. Although no direct replacement was announced, much of the market territory it once occupied was filled by the Insignia (2008).
Opel Automobile GmbH, usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Group prior to its merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to form Stellantis in 2021. Most of the Opel lineup is marketed under the Vauxhall brand in the United Kingdom since the 1980s. Some Opel vehicles were badge-engineered in Australia under the Holden brand until 2020, in North America and China under the Buick, Saturn, and Cadillac brands, and in South America under the Chevrolet brand.
A station wagon or estate car is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door, instead of a trunk/boot lid. The body style transforms a standard three-box design into a two-box design—to include an A, B, and C-pillar, as well as a D-pillar. Station wagons can flexibly reconfigure their interior volume via fold-down rear seats to prioritize either passenger or cargo volume.
Vauxhall Motors Limited is a British car company headquartered in Chalton, Bedfordshire, England. Vauxhall became a subsidiary of Stellantis in January 2021, having previously been owned by General Motors since 1925.
A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume.
The Vauxhall Chevette is a supermini car that was manufactured by Vauxhall in the United Kingdom from 1975 to 1984. It was Vauxhall's version of the "T-Car" small-car family from Vauxhall's parent General Motors (GM), and based primarily on the Opel Kadett C. The family also included the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in Australia, the Chevrolet Chevette in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, and in the U.S. and Canada it was also rebadged as the Pontiac Acadian/Pontiac T1000.
The Vauxhall Astra is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) that has been sold by Vauxhall since 1980. Over its eight generations, it has been made at several GM/Opel/Stellantis plants around Europe - however most versions have been sourced from Vauxhall's plant at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England.
The Opel Astra is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) developed and produced by the German automaker Opel since 1991, currently at its sixth generation. It was first launched in September 1991 as a direct replacement to the Opel Kadett. As of 2021, the car slots between the smaller Corsa supermini and the larger Insignia large family car.
The Opel Vectra is a mid-size car that was engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel from 1988 until 2010. Available in saloon, hatchback and estate body styles, the Vectra was also sold by the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Cavalier from 1988 to 1995 and then as the Vauxhall Vectra from 1995 to 2008, and it was also sold by Holden in Australia as the Holden Vectra, by Chevrolet in Latin America as the Chevrolet Vectra.
The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car that was sold primarily in the United Kingdom by Vauxhall from 1975 to 1995. It was based on a succession of Opel designs throughout its production life, during which it was built in three incarnations. The first generation of Cavalier, launched in 1975 and produced until 1981, was Vauxhall's version of the General Motors 'U-Car' — essentially an Opel Ascona B/ Opel Manta with a few minor visual differences.
The Renault Trafic is a light commercial van produced by the French automaker Renault since 1980. It has also been marketed as the Fiat Talento, the Nissan NV300, the Nissan Primastar and the Mitsubishi Express. Until 2019, it was also sold as the Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro by Opel and its associated company Vauxhall. From early 2022 onwards, the van is also marketed by Renault Trucks as the Renault Trucks Trafic.
The Opel Omega is an executive car engineered and manufactured by German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2003. The first generation, the Omega A (1986–1994), superseded the Opel Rekord. It was voted European Car of the Year for 1987, and was available as a saloon or estate. The second generation, the Omega B, was manufactured from 1994 to 2003.
The Opel Calibra is a coupé, engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel between 1989 and 1997. In the United Kingdom, where it remained on sale until 1999, it was marketed under the Vauxhall brand as the Vauxhall Calibra. It was also marketed as the Chevrolet Calibra in South America by Chevrolet, and the Holden Calibra in Australia and New Zealand by Holden.
Kappa was General Motors' subcompact rear-wheel drive automobile platform for roadster applications. The architecture debuted in the 2006 Pontiac Solstice and 2007 Saturn Sky, and ended production in 2009. These vehicles generally have a "M" in the fourth digit of their VIN.
Epsilon is General Motors' mid-size front-wheel drive automobile platform. The architecture was a multi-division project of GM North America, Opel and Saab, and debuted in the 2002 Opel Vectra and 2003 Saab 9-3. Since this platform falls squarely in the center of the worldwide automobile market, GM plans to produce a great many Epsilon vehicles with over a dozen variations. As of 2005, it was GM's highest volume worldwide platform. Even after the dissolution of the GM/Fiat partnership, both companies retain the rights to continue developing Epsilon-derived models.
The Renault Vel Satis is a five-passenger, five-door executive hatchback, manufactured and marketed by Renault from 2001-2009 over a single generation, sharing its platform with the Laguna II and Espace IV and manufactured on the same assembly line in Sandouville, France and noted for its unorthodox styling approach to the luxury segment.
The DMAX V6 engine is a 3.0 L; 180.5 cu in (2,958 cc) diesel engine.
The Opel Insignia is a large family car developed and produced by the German car manufacturer Opel from 2008 to 2022. Taking its name from a 2003 concept car, the model line serves as the flagship model, slotted above the Astra and Corsa in size. The Insignia serves as the successor to both the Signum and Vectra model lines, replacing both vehicles under a single nameplate. Currently in its second generation, the model line is offered in four-door sedan/saloon body styles, five-door liftback, and as a five-door station wagon/estate.
The Opel Gran Turismo Coupé Concept, abbreviated as Opel GTC Concept, was a concept car that was manufactured by Opel and designed to be a coupé version of the Opel Vectra C. The GTC premiered at the 77th Geneva Motor Show in 2007. The Opel GTC was a grand tourer.
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car manufactured and marketed by Opel since 1982 — as well as other brands, namely Vauxhall, Chevrolet, and Holden.
General Motors reused the T-body designation, beginning in 1979 with the front-wheel drive Opel Kadett D and the Vauxhall Astra Mk I. This was part of a global strategy by GM to introduce a new front-wheel drive architecture for its sub-compact models, and would be further developed into the J-body platform which would cover the compact size segment.