Signum was first introduced as a concept car in 1997 at an exhibition in Geneva. Then the representatives of Opel said that it was not planned to start the mass production of Opel Signum I. The car was created exclusively for running new technical solutions. Unusually looked interior and exterior of the car.
For example, the instrument panel consists of one flat huge screen with four displays, and huge 19-inch wheels were offered as a “shoe”. The second generation of the Signum prototype was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2001. Signum II was the same concept as the previous one. The car was the embodiment of creative ideas and directions of the company Opel.
This concept was also not launched into mass production. On cars passed technical tests, the demand of the public was studied, as well as run in the new Epsilon platform developed by GM. The stylistic decisions of this concept partly embodied in the third-generation Opel Vectra. After examining the needs of the automotive market, analyzing the wishes of potential buyers, in 2003, Opel decided on its assumptions about the production car. The world public was presented to the front-wheel drive business class car - Opel Signum. Unusual for a business class car can be called a body, which received Opel Signum. It is a cross between a wagon and a five-door hatchback.
However, it was precisely this form of the body that allowed the car to achieve a substantial reserve of free space for rear passengers, the comfort of which can be envied even by higher-class cars. The distinctive features of the new model are trapezoidal lower air intakes and a false radiator grille, which is crossed by a wide band painted in body color. Round front fog lamps are framed by elegant chrome rims, and the “gills” on the sides of the bumper emphasize the dynamic character of the Signum.
The impressive dimensions of the car, as a pledge of a spacious, roomy and comfortable cabin. Opel specialists paid great attention to the possibilities of transformation and individual adjustment of space for each of the passengers. The front seats can comfortably and comfortably accommodate people of the most varied configuration. The design of the rear seats used a unique development engineers Opel - the system FlexSpace. It creates comfort provides a huge foot space for two or three passengers and provides a wide choice of cabin transformation. In place of the usual rear sofas, the Signum has two full seats with a lot of adjustments.
Between them - a small middle seat, which easily turns into a comfortable table. Well, under the order, the middle seat can be replaced with the Travel Assistant multifunctional console. The volume of the luggage compartment varies from 455 to 1410 liters, depending on the configuration of the rear seats. The range of power units was supplemented by gasoline engines of 1.8 liters, 2.0 l turbo, 2.2 liters with direct fuel injection into cylinders, 3.2 V6, and diesel - 2.0 turbo, 2.2 turbo and 3, 0 with direct fuel injection into the cylinders.
The engine can be aggregated with a 5-speed automatic gearbox “ActiveSelect” with manual gear shift mode or a 5-five-speed manual gearbox. Only two petrol versions of the Opel Signum are supplied to Russia. This is a modification with a 2.2-liter engine producing 155 horsepower, as well as a version with a 3.2-liter V6. Opel Signum has received a new Adaptive Forward Lighting system.
The system will consist of bi-xenon headlights with a turning radius of 15 degrees and additional lights that can be rotated 90 degrees. Adaptive Forward Lighting is designed to illuminate the "blind" turns and is activated only at speeds below 50 km / h. The car has an impressive security package. In addition to the improved IDS interactive driving system, which provides a high level of active safety and ride comfort, all versions of the Signum as standard equipment are equipped with full-size front and side airbags, as well as full-size window curtains for front and rear passengers on both sides.
The Signum main restraint system consists of three-point active seat belts for all seats with pretensioners, tension force limiters and height adjustment for the front and rear seats. Also available for the Opel Signum are active head restraints for the rear seats and a Pedal Release System (PRS) system. Opel Signum has an impressive array of standard equipment: air conditioning, central locking with remote control, power windows front and rear doors, full-size front and side airbags, full-size window curtains for both rows of seats and active head restraints for all outer seats.
