The Australian-built GL and CD sedan and the GL wagon are powered by a new 2.2 litre, 4-cylinder engine produced by Holden’s Engine Operations. Vectra GL and CD hatchbacks, which continue to be fully imported, are powered by a higher-revving 2.0 litre, 4-cylinder engine and a 2.5 litre V6 respectively.


Vectra GL Wagon
The Vectra GL wagon is described as the perfect lifestyle choice for people who don’t require a full-sized wagon, but who like the additional flexibility a wagon provides.

It shares the striking styling - surfaces highlighted by a trapezoidal grille and exterior mirrors - that characterises Vectra sedan and hatchback models. Similarly, it offers high standard feature levels, including a retractable cargo blind, integrated roof rails and underfloor storage compartments. Vectra wagon’s sedan-like ride quality is further enhanced by a 12 mm thick roof liner, specially developed to reduce interior noise levels.

A true medium sized wagon, Vectra GL has a fully carpeted load area of 460 litres, which can be increased to 1,490 litres by folding down the 60:40 split rear seats. A low boot sill makes for easy access and loading.


Engine and Transmission
The new 2.2 litre twin cam 16 valve DOHC engine developed by Holden’s Engine Operations for Vectra sedan and wagon develops 104kW of power at 5,200 rpm (up 4kW over the 2.0 litre engine) and torque of 200Nm at 4,000 rpm, a significant increase in pulling power of 8 per cent. With the introduction of balance shafts, the new engine offers improved levels of refinement over the full rpm range.

Complementing the low end torque character of the new 2.2 litre engine, the automatic transmission has been refined to provide a smoother shifting quality and to reduce the need for downshifts when hill climbing.

Manual transmission ratios of the 2.2 litre engine are also revised. A long fifth gear improves highway fuel consumption while providing improved acceleration response.


Suspension
Without compromising Vectra’s crisp European handling, Holden chassis engineers have further developed the sedan and wagon suspension to suit Australia’s unique driving conditions.

Improved ride comfort over uneven surfaces has been achieved through subtle changes to the rear spring rate, and the valving of front struts and rear shock absorbers has been revised to improve rebound control and soften impact harshness. Locally developed Bridgestone tyres complement the new suspension package.


Sound System
All Vectra models gain improved AM and FM radio performance in rural and metro areas, courtesy of a new Blaupunkt stereo electronic tune radio/cassette system, which also features larger buttons and graphics. CD models receive a single CD player with steering wheel-mounted remote controls.


Safety
Vectra’s class-leading safety system is further improved with the availability of a new generation Bosch 5.3 anti-lock braking system (ABS), which provides faster response times. Holden engineers have recalibrated the ABS-integrated traction control feature to achieve optimum performance on all types of surfaces, including gravel roads.