Monday 17th March 2008

Insignia Given A Good Hiding

Vauxhall reveals camoflaging tricks used on new Insignia

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The sticky tape bill was huge

Vauxhall has taken the unusual step of revealing the camouflaging tricks used to confuse the paparazzi while testing the new mid-size Insignia.

The company has also released some pictures of the car being disguised and tested on public roads.

The Insignia will debut at the British Motor Show on July 22 and Vauxhall has been fine tuning it on British roads.

Firstly the company said it applied a ‘facelift’ to the car to make it ‘as ugly as possible’.

One of the variants had a flowing rear section so a pronounced spoiler was designed to mask it.

A wooden model was built as a cast to form the plastic camouflage parts needed for around 200 test cars that have to be disguised in the run-up to series production.

Engineers also used special adhesive and foil that was shimmed with foam to change the car’s contours.

The car is given a pattern called ‘Fishies’ - rounded, fish-shaped diamonds designed to confuse camera lenses and spying eyes.

At the rear of the car camouflage experts have fitted simple, round lights from an accessories shop to the rear of the car, and make special components for the headlamps.

[kitbags]

I'm hoping these will all be available as options in case I'm stuck with one as my company car.

[don logan]

Cos we wouldn`t want to spoil the suprise would we!

[Baffled Spoon]

I like the alloys in that last pic.

[barney123]

They will let us know when they take off the camouflage which is making the car ‘as ugly as possible’.... Still waiting for the Vectra ..... :-|

[ar0u2211]

Why bother camouflaging it?
I could not give less of a fk!

[Fastra]

When camouflager's go bad:

[VladD]

You Sir, are a genius.

[sprinter885]

There's always one !...

[Mr Whippy]

Why bother?

It's going to look dull and bland either way. Yay, another MPV stbox!

Dave

[swaterall98]

Looks a bit like the latest Toyota Avensis from the front don't you think?
Love the re-arranged tape though, ACE!

[Snoggledog]

Are Vauxhall / Opel really expecting us to be bowled over by its beauty when they finally unveil it? If so they are severley deluded.

[Moose1978]

....if they only spent this much effort on the actual car itself!!

[Davey_Speedstar]

Bad spoiler, bad paintjob, cheapo rear lights...I can see this making an appearance on barryboys.co.uk

[snotrag]

Davey_Speedstar said:

Bad spoiler, bad paintjob, cheapo rear lights...I can see this making an appearance on barryboys.co.uk

Did you even read the text....?

[GarC]

Looks like they're auditioning for pimp my ride

[flattotheboards]

You cant polish a turd so they are trying to disguise it.

[Fume Troll]

What's next, the Vauxhall Hi-Karate? Opel Old Spice?

Insignia's got everything,
Shampoo to shower gel,
Deodorant and aftershave
In one all-over smell,
Now it's new Insignia —
And it's all over now!

Cheers,

FT.

[bencollins]

gotta love those tubby german technicians and their pride in wearing dungarees, first time i worked there i thought id wandered onto the set of the telly tubbies.

[Agoogy]

Mr Whippy said:

Why bother?

It's going to look dull and bland either way. Yay, another MPV stbox!

Dave

bland in Mondeo/Mazda 6 way I think.... as in not bland, just eventually ubiquitous .... like the A4 and 3 series... in isolation neat, fresh, new, refined, challenging.... on the road.... common.

I'm still wondering who told Ford that the their new D segment car should rival an S class in size though... its massive! why? have drivers/passengers really gotten that big?

[toohuge]

But its only a middle of the range vauxhall, honestly who cares and why go through so much effort to cover it up? Most people who own them will want to do the same!