New Calibra shapes up

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The Calibra is back. The famous badge is set to be dusted off for a pair of stylish new models in 2013: a coupé and a cabriolet. This glamorous duo is being tasked with pushing the brand upmarket – and it’s just the beginning of a stunning product avalanche from the Luton firm.

Both cars will be based on a stretched version of the Astra’s platform. This means plenty of room for four, despite the coupé’s swooping roofline and the need for space to stow the fabric hood on the convertible.

Our exclusive illustrations show how the stunning fixed- roof model will look, while the first sketch of the convertible has been released by Vauxhall bosses in the same week that our spies spotted a prototype testing in Germany.

The tin-top Calibra will take on premium coupés such as the VW Scirocco and Audi TT, with the emphasis on luxury, space and sporty handling. As a result, it’s expected to start from around £22,000.Prices for the cabrio will be similar. It’s effectively a more upmarket replacement for the Astra TwinTop, but with a fabric hood. This is lighter and less expensive to produce than the TwinTop’s metal folding roof, and doesn’t compromise the styling.

The Calibra provides a taste of the exciting new products Vauxhall is planning over the next two years. We were given an exclusive look at the brand’s top-secret new wave of models by styling chief Mark Adams – the man who has masterminded the bold new design language.

The first to hit dealers will be the sensational Astra GTC three-door. Order books open this week, with prices starting from £18,495, for delivery in September. It will be followed at the end of the year by the Zafira Tourer – a much more stylish and upmarket version of the current people carrier.

But the biggest surprise will come in 2012, when an upmarket new small car will be launched to take the fight to the Fiat 500 and MINI. Codenamed Junior, it’s only 3.7 metres long – and having seen it in the metal, we can tell you it’s a little gem. It’s bold inside, with personalisation way beyond that seen on the 500 and MINI.

There is a mind-boggling array of vivid new interior colours and groundbreaking new materials and seat trims. And although it’s smaller than the Corsa, the car is set to be priced higher, at around £12,000. Another major arrival early next year will be the pioneering Ampera. This mates an electric motor – giving zero emissions running around town – with a small-capacity petrol engine to offer a range of more than 300 miles. Bosses aim to sell 2,500 models in the first year, with prices from £28,995, including the £5,000 Government electric car grant.

The third radical Vauxhall will be a new Nissan Juke-rivalling small SUV. It’s another model with attitude, featuring a chunky design in a package that’s only 4.3 metres long. Prices are expected to be competitive with the Juke, starting at just over £13,000.

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