96-739: The Opel Vectra is a mid-size car ( large family car ) that was engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel from 1988 until 2010. Available in saloon , hatchback and estate (from model year 1997 onwards) 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
192-445: A 1.6-litre, 8v engine and a manual transmission, or in CD trim with a 8-valve, 2.0-litre with automatic transmission . Later in 2000, the revised model was produced with three models: 1.6 (8v) GLS with manual transmission , later replaced by the 1.6 16v GLS trim with automatic transmission, 2.0 16v CD with automatic transmission, and a 2.0 CDX trim (also automatic). Only the saloon body style
288-602: A badge engineered Daewoo Tosca early in 2007. Due to stockpiling of Vectras from 2005 for the market in Australasia, there was enough supply of the car for deliveries to last through to 2007. As a result, facelifted Vectra Cs were not sold in those markets. In 2008, the Vectra OPC was available with either six speed manual or six speed automatic transmission (Previous Vectra OPC had manual gearbox only). The 2.8L DOHC V6 turbo engine could generate 206 kW (276 hp). Sales of
384-448: A bow. Horse-drawn carriages and Ford Model T used this system, and it is still used today in larger vehicles, mainly mounted in the rear suspension. Leaf springs were the first modern suspension system, and, along with advances in the construction of roads , heralded the single greatest improvement in road transport until the advent of the automobile . The British steel springs were not well-suited for use on America 's rough roads of
480-463: A high-speed off-road vehicle encounters. Damping is the control of motion or oscillation, as seen with the use of hydraulic gates and valves in a vehicle's shock absorber. This may also vary, intentionally or unintentionally. Like spring rate, the optimal damping for comfort may be less, than for control. Damping controls the travel speed and resistance of the vehicle's suspension. An undamped car will oscillate up and down. With proper damping levels,
576-595: A host of extra upgrades, including to Xenon headlamps, and larger front brakes. In October 2013, Top Gear magazine placed the 1995 Vectra on its list of The 13 Worst Cars Of The Last 20 Years , describing the car as "so mediocre that Jeremy Clarkson refused to drive it." Production of the Vectra B ended in March 2002. In Egypt , the production of the Opel Vectra B commenced during 1996 with two models, initially in GLS trim with
672-557: A new, torquier 2.2-litre 8 valve engine with 123 PS (90 kW) for the GL and GLS, and a 16 valve version of the same with 138 PS (101 kW) and 207 N⋅m (153 lb⋅ft) for the CD version. A facelift was done for the 2000 models, just like the European version. Production ran until 2005, when it was replaced by the new generation Vectra, based on the Opel Astra H Sedan. The Vectra
768-454: A refresh in September 1992. The range received new front grilles and a black plastic strip above the rear taillamps, along with an upgrade to the structure for improved crashworthiness . Airbags became available onwards from 1993. In New Zealand, the Vectra A was offered initially as an Opel between 1989 and 1994, but it wore Holden badges between 1994 and 1996 until the introduction of
864-498: A spring rate close to the upper limit for that vehicle's weight. This allows the vehicle to perform properly under a heavy load, when control is limited by the inertia of the load. Riding in an empty truck meant for carrying loads can be uncomfortable for passengers, because of its high spring rate relative to the weight of the vehicle. A race car could also be described as having heavy springs, and would also be uncomfortably bumpy. However, even though we say they both have heavy springs,
960-400: A suspension system. In 1922, independent front suspension was pioneered on Lancia Lambda , and became more common in mass market cars from 1932. Today, most cars have independent suspension on all four wheels. The part on which pre-1950 springs were supported is called a dumb iron . In 2002, a new passive suspension component, the inerter , was invented by Malcolm C. Smith . This has
1056-514: A variety of body styles, including sedans , coupes , station wagons , hatchbacks , and convertibles . Compact executive cars can also fall under the mid-size category. The automobile that defined this size in the United States was the Rambler Six that was introduced in 1956, although it was called a "compact" car at that time. Much smaller than any standard contemporary full-size cars, it
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#17328555572901152-542: A vehicle with zero sprung weight. They are then put through the same dynamic loads. The weight transfer for cornering in the front would be equal to the total unsprung front weight times the G-force times the front unsprung center of gravity height divided by the front track width. The same is true for the rear. Sprung weight transfer is the weight transferred by only the weight of the vehicle resting on its springs, and not by total vehicle weight. Calculating this requires knowing
1248-416: A vehicle's sprung mass to roll. It is expressed as torque per degree of roll of the vehicle sprung mass. It is influenced by factors including but not limited to vehicle sprung mass, track width, CG height, spring and damper rates, roll centre heights of front and rear, anti-roll bar stiffness and tire pressure/construction. The roll rate of a vehicle can, and usually, does differ front-to-rear, which allows for
1344-606: A view to exporting 60 per cent of output, although this was adversely affected by the Asian economic crisis. Locally designated the ZC series and launched in March 2003, the Vectra C was only available as a sedan and hatchback. Holden did not offer the Vectra C estate due to the presence of the Astra and later Holden Viva (Daewoo Lacetti) estates. The Vectra was dropped and replaced by the Holden Epica,
1440-537: A wheel are less severe, if the wheel lifts when the spring reaches its unloaded shape than they are, if travel is limited by contact of suspension members (See Triumph TR3B .) Many off-road vehicles , such as desert racers, use straps called "limiting straps" to limit the suspensions' downward travel to a point within safe limits for the linkages and shock absorbers. This is necessary, since these trucks are intended to travel over very rough terrain at high speeds, and even become airborne at times. Without something to limit
1536-422: Is a component in setting the vehicle's ride height or its location in the suspension stroke. When a spring is compressed or stretched, the force it exerts, is proportional to its change in length. The spring rate or spring constant of a spring is the change in the force it exerts, divided by the change in deflection of the spring. Vehicles that carry heavy loads, will often have heavier springs to compensate for
1632-419: Is a simplified method of describing lateral load transfer distribution front to rear, and subsequently handling balance. It is the effective wheel rate, in roll, of each axle of the vehicle as a ratio of the vehicle's total roll rate. It is commonly adjusted through the use of anti-roll bars , but can also be changed through the use of different springs. Weight transfer during cornering, acceleration, or braking
1728-413: Is complex, and is determined by many factors; including, but not limited to: roll center height, spring and damper rates, anti-roll bar stiffness, and the kinematic design of suspension links. In most conventional applications, when weight is transferred through intentionally compliant elements, such as springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars, the weight transfer is said to be "elastic", while the weight which
1824-412: Is determined by the instantaneous front view swing arm (FVSA) length of suspension geometry, or in other words, the tendency of the tire to camber inward when compressed in bump. Roll center height is a product of suspension instant center heights and is a useful metric in analyzing weight transfer effects, body roll and front to rear roll stiffness distribution. Conventionally, roll stiffness distribution
1920-441: Is key information used in finding the force-based roll center as well. In this respect, the instant centers are more important to the handling of the vehicle, than the kinematic roll center alone, in that the ratio of geometric-to-elastic weight transfer is determined by the forces at the tires and their directions in relation to the position of their respective instant centers. Anti-dive and anti-squat are percentages that indicate
2016-405: Is squared because it has two effects on the wheel rate: it applies to both the force and the distance traveled. Wheel rate on independent suspension is fairly straightforward. However, special consideration must be taken with some non-independent suspension designs. Take the case of the straight axle. When viewed from the front or rear, the wheel rate can be measured by the means above. Yet, because
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#17328555572902112-410: Is the "bump-stop", which protects the suspension and the vehicle (as well as the occupants) from the violent "bottoming" of the suspension, caused when an obstruction (or a hard landing) causes suspension to run out of upward travel without fully absorbing the energy of the stroke. Without bump-stops, a vehicle that "bottoms out", will experience a very hard shock when the suspension contacts the bottom of
2208-412: Is transferred through more rigid suspension links, such as A-arms and toe links, is said to be "geometric". Unsprung weight transfer is calculated based on weight of the vehicle's components that are not supported by the springs. This includes tires, wheels, brakes, spindles, half the control arm's weight, and other components. These components are then (for calculation purposes) assumed to be connected to
2304-660: Is tuned adjusting antiroll bars rather than roll center height (as both tend to have a similar effect on the sprung mass), but the height of the roll center is significant when considering the amount of jacking forces experienced. Due to the fact that the wheel and tire's motion is constrained by the vehicle's suspension links, the motion of the wheel package in the front view will scribe an imaginary arc in space with an "instantaneous center" of rotation at any given point along its path. The instant center for any wheel package can be found by following imaginary lines drawn through suspension links to their intersection point. A component of
2400-486: Is usually calculated per individual wheel, and compared with the static weights for the same wheels. The total amount of weight transfer is only affected by four factors: the distance between wheel centers (wheelbase in the case of braking, or track width in the case of cornering), the height of the center of gravity, the mass of the vehicle, and the amount of acceleration experienced. The speed at which weight transfer occurs, as well as through which components it transfers,
2496-449: The De Dion tube , which is sometimes called "semi-independent". Like true independent rear suspension, this employs two universal joints , or their equivalent from the centre of the differential to each wheel. But the wheels cannot entirely rise and fall independently of each other; they are tied by a yoke that goes around the differential, below and behind it. This method has had little use in
2592-720: The FlexPower SOHC engine originally introduced in 1982 in the Chevrolet Monza . In Ireland , the Vectra C was produced until February 2010. The Chevrolet Vectra D is the rebadged Opel Insignia available only in the Chilean market. It is a very rare model of Chevrolet in Chile , with not many found. In June 2013, it was renamed the Opel Insignia along with a facelift, as the Chevrolet brand
2688-661: The High Feature V6 engine was increased to 188 kW (252 hp), giving a maximum speed approaching 250 km/h (155 mph). Production of the Vectra C and Signum ended in July 2008. The Vectra C was branded as the Holden Vectra in Australia and New Zealand . Between 1998 and 2001, Holden in Australia assembled the Vectra for export to other RHD markets in the region, with
2784-564: The Landau . By the middle of the 19th century, elliptical springs might additionally start to be used on carriages. Automobiles were initially developed as self-propelled versions of horse-drawn vehicles. However, horse-drawn vehicles had been designed for relatively slow speeds, and their suspension was not well suited to the higher speeds permitted by the internal combustion engine. The first workable spring-suspension required advanced metallurgical knowledge and skill, and only became possible with
2880-444: The United States . Its use around 1900 was probably due to the poor quality of tires, which wore out quickly. By removing a good deal of unsprung weight , as independent rear suspensions do, it made them last longer. Rear-wheel drive vehicles today frequently use a fairly complex fully-independent, multi-link suspension to locate the rear wheels securely, while providing decent ride quality . The spring rate (or suspension rate)
2976-735: The "Vectra" model name - opting instead to continue the use of the Cavalier nameplate - effectively making the Vectra A a third-generation Cavalier when carrying Vauxhall branding. It was not until the introduction of the Vectra B into the United Kingdom in October 1995 that the Cavalier name was retired in favour of Vectra. However, left hand drive Opel Vectras were produced at Vauxhall's Luton plant for export to other European countries. The 1989 Vectra came in Base, LS, GL, GLS, CD, and GT models, its sister model
Opel Vectra - Misplaced Pages Continue
3072-568: The "big cars of the future." By 1978, General Motors made its intermediate models smaller. New "official" size designations in the U.S. were introduced by the EPA , which defined market segments by passenger and cargo space. Formerly mid-sized cars that were built on the same platform, like the AMC Matador sedan, had a combined passenger and cargo volume of 130 cubic feet (3.68 m ), and were now considered "full-size" automobiles. Cars that defined
3168-617: The 1989 model year, as a four-door notchback saloon , replacing the Opel Ascona C. A five-door hatchback version arrived in March 1989, and a coupé based on the Vectra, called the Calibra , was introduced in the end of that year. Both cars were designed by Wayne Cherry , Opel’s design chief at the time. The Vectra name was coined by Manfred Gotta . Vauxhall Motors, the British GM subsidiary that shared most of its models with Opel, did not use
3264-478: The 2,830 millimetres (111 in) wheelbase of the estate , an " executive hatchback " sold under the Opel/Vauxhall Signum nameplate. The Signum, which was based partly on the Vectra C, featured a completely different layout in the rear. The engine range was substantially modified to account for the increased curb weight of the Vectra C. The 90 kW (121 hp) 1.8 litre Family 1 Ecotec engine
3360-566: The Chevrolet Vectra happened at the same time that the IndyCar series in Brazil, GM made a deal to use the Vectra as a Medical and Safety car for the race. The Vectra B came with the already available 2.0 8-valve engine with 110 PS (81 kW) on the GL and GLS versions and a national version of the previously 2.0 16 valve with 136 PS (100 kW) for the CD version. In 1998, GM introduced
3456-583: The GLS and CD versions and the 2.0 16 valve with 150 hp imported from Germany, the later only available for the GSI version. The assembly of the Vectra A goes until 1996, when the Vectra B was launched. Its production was made from CKD. The second model, the Vectra B , was introduced in October 1995 for the 1996 model year, at the Frankfurt Motor Show , and the model range came to include an estate version for
3552-496: The U.S. was generally defined as vehicles with wheelbases between 112 inches (2,845 mm) and 118 inches (2,997 mm). Once again, the cars grew and by 1974 they were "about as large as the full-size cars of a decade or so ago ... best sellers include Ford Torino , Chevrolet Chevelle , AMC Matador , Plymouth Satellite ..." The domestic manufacturers began changing the definition of "medium" as they developed new models for an evolving market place. A turning point occurred in
3648-423: The Vectra B. It was not sold in Australia, where Holden instead offered a rebadged Toyota Camry called Apollo until 1997. In Japan, the Vectra (and Omega ) were the first Opels to be distributed by Isuzu Motors Ltd. rather than long standing importer Toho Motors (東邦モーターズ), beginning in July 1989. In Egypt , the Opel Vectra A was not introduced until 1994 through GM Egypt dealerships, and started production in
3744-529: The Vectra C in the United Kingdom were not as strong as those of its predecessors. For much of its production life, the original Vectra was the fourth best selling car in the country, but the Vectra C never came higher than tenth in the country's car sales charts, though within its own market sector it held on to second place, behind the Ford Mondeo . In 2007, it finally made the Top 10 of Britain's car sales charts, being
3840-477: The Vectra C was due to début with the Saab 9-3 in October 2001, at the Frankfurt Motor Show , but in July 2001, it was announced that delays had forced General Motors to postpone the introduction. The hatchback version premiered in September 2002. The four door notchback saloon version of the Vectra C almost resembled a two-box four door fastback saloon . While the earlier Cavalier and Vectras had been built at
3936-543: The Vectra was updated, receiving a mildly modified body (that can be identified by the single piece headlight units and body coloured bumpers) together with somewhat improved handling and better equipment. Sporting limited edition models included the touring car championship inspired i500, Super Touring and GSi. The first model was developed in Germany by Opel Motorsport, with the V6 engine's power increased to 195 PS (143 kW), and
Opel Vectra - Misplaced Pages Continue
4032-672: The Vectra, as well as the Signum, in the end of 2005. In 2003, a 2.0 litre turbocharged Ecotec engine with 129 kW (173 hp) was also notionally offered. Being a main engine for another GM brand, Saab, it was only ever sold in small numbers in the Vectra. The 2.2 litre was upgraded in 2004, with the 'Direct' name added to the model line, indicating the new high pressure direct injection update that increased power output to 115 kW (154 hp) with improved emissions. Diesel power, which had become important for commercial success in Europe,
4128-496: The ability to increase the effective inertia of wheel suspension using a geared flywheel, but without adding significant mass. It was initially employed in Formula One in secrecy, but has since spread to wider motorsport. For front-wheel drive cars , rear suspension has few constraints, and a variety of beam axles and independent suspensions are used. For rear-wheel drive cars , rear suspension has many constraints, and
4224-414: The actual spring rates for a 2,000 lb (910 kg) racecar and a 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) truck are very different. A luxury car, taxi, or passenger bus would be described as having soft springs, for the comfort of their passengers or driver. Vehicles with worn-out or damaged springs ride lower to the ground, which reduces the overall amount of compression available to the suspension, and increases
4320-483: The additional weight that would otherwise collapse a vehicle to the bottom of its travel (stroke). Heavier springs are also used in performance applications, where the loading conditions experienced are more significant. Springs that are too hard or too soft cause the suspension to become ineffective – mostly because they fail to properly isolate the vehicle from the road. Vehicles that commonly experience suspension loads heavier than normal, have heavy or hard springs, with
4416-522: The advent of industrialisation . Obadiah Elliott registered the first patent for a spring-suspension vehicle; each wheel had two durable steel leaf springs on each side and the body of the carriage was fixed directly to the springs which were attached to the axles . Within a decade, most British horse carriages were equipped with springs; wooden springs in the case of light one-horse vehicles to avoid taxation , and steel springs in larger vehicles. These were often made of low-carbon steel and usually took
4512-436: The amount of body lean. Performance vehicles can sometimes have spring rate requirements other than vehicle weight and load. Wheel rate is the effective spring rate when measured at the wheel, as opposed to simply measuring the spring rate alone. Wheel rate is usually equal to or considerably less than the spring rate. Commonly, springs are mounted on control arms, swing arms or some other pivoting suspension member. Consider
4608-428: The car will settle back to a normal state in a minimal amount of time. Most damping in modern vehicles can be controlled by increasing or decreasing the resistance to fluid flow in the shock absorber. See dependent and independent below. Camber changes due to wheel travel, body roll and suspension system deflection or compliance. In general, a tire wears and brakes best at -1 to -2° of camber from vertical. Depending on
4704-524: The combined passenger and cargo volume, mid-size cars are defined as having an interior volume index of 110–119 cu ft (3.1–3.4 m ). Suspension (vehicle) Suspension is the system of tires , tire air, springs , shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two. Suspension systems must support both road holding/ handling and ride quality , which are at odds with each other. The tuning of suspensions involves finding
4800-402: The compact Falcon in size and performance as well as too close to the full-sized Ford models in price. It was the introduction of General Motors " senior compacts " that grew the mid-size market segment as the line of cars themselves kept increasing in size. By 1965, these GM "A platform" mid-size models matched the size of 1955 full-size cars. During the 1970s, the intermediate class in
4896-539: The company's Luton plant, the second generation Vauxhall Vectra was built at the Ellesmere Port plant from the introduction. Pilot production at Ellesmere Port started in late 2001. The Vectra C was first seen in November 1999, in a copy of Auto Express . At the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003, the estate version premièred, which had a slightly longer wheelbase than the hatchback and saloon versions. Sharing
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#17328555572904992-495: The degree to which the front dives under braking, and the rear squats under acceleration. They can be thought of as the counterparts for braking and acceleration, as jacking forces are to cornering. The main reason for the difference is due to the different design goals between front and rear suspension, whereas suspension is usually symmetrical between the left and the right of the vehicle. The method of determining anti-dive or anti-squat depends on whether suspension linkages react to
5088-415: The development of the superior, but more expensive independent suspension layout has been difficult. Henry Ford 's Model T used a torque tube to restrain this force, for his differential was attached to the chassis by a lateral leaf spring and two narrow rods. The torque tube surrounded the true driveshaft and exerted the force to its ball joint at the extreme rear of the transmission, which
5184-516: The differential of the live axle . These springs transmit torque to the frame. Although scorned by many European car makers of the time, it was accepted by American car makers, because it was inexpensive to manufacture. Also, the dynamic defects of this design were suppressed by the enormous weight of U.S. passenger vehicles before the implementation of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard. Another Frenchman invented
5280-559: The end of 1994 by GM Egypt through the beginning of 1996, with a range of 1.6 GL, 2.0 GL trim and 2.0 GLS trim and only Saloon body style boosting strong sales during this short run. This was similar to the Opel Kadett . In Brazil, the Chevrolet badged Vectra A was not introduced until 1993, when it replaced the top versions of Chevrolet Monza , a restyled version of the Ascona C. The first Brazilian model had two engine options: 2.0 8 valve , for
5376-468: The example above, where the spring rate was calculated to be 500 lbs/inch (87.5 N/mm), if one were to move the wheel 1 in (2.5 cm) (without moving the car), the spring more than likely compresses a smaller amount. If the spring moved 0.75 in (19 mm), the lever arm ratio would be 0.75:1. The wheel rate is calculated by taking the square of the ratio (0.5625) times the spring rate, thus obtaining 281.25 lbs/inch (49.25 N/mm). The ratio
5472-608: The facelift, now mainly as a hatchback. Two four-wheel drive versions were added to the lineup in January 1989, with either of the 2-litre engines, and in September 1992 the car received a limited edition turbocharged version with 204 PS (150 kW). In 1994 , the 4x4 turbo version of the Vectra was used as the Safety Car in Formula One . Most notably, it was deployed at the San Marino Grand Prix . The 1.4-litre engine
5568-512: The first time. This model replaced the Vauxhall Cavalier in the United Kingdom. The five-door estate version premiered in September 1996, with the tagline ‘One step ahead of the Mob’ . The Vauxhall badged Vectra B was the last Vauxhall to be produced at the company's Luton plant, where the end of automobile production was announced in December 2000, taking effect just over a year later. Car production at
5664-414: The form of multiple layer leaf springs. Leaf springs have been around since the early Egyptians . Ancient military engineers used leaf springs in the form of bows to power their siege engines , with little success at first. The use of leaf springs in catapults was later refined and made to work years later. Springs were not only made of metal; a sturdy tree branch could be used as a spring, such as with
5760-457: The four wheel drive GSi, 4x4 and Turbo models, the rear suspension is a subframe mounted fully independent design, with semi trailing arms, double conical coil springs, direct acting gas assisted telescopic shock absorbers, and an anti roll bar. Steering gear is a rack and pinion -type (manual or power assisted, depending on model), mounted on the bulkhead ( firewall ), with a telescopically deformable steering column . The Vectra also received
5856-430: The frame or body, which is transferred to the occupants and every connector and weld on the vehicle. Factory vehicles often come with plain rubber "nubs" to absorb the worst of the forces, and insulate the shock. A desert race vehicle, which must routinely absorb far higher impact forces, might be provided with pneumatic or hydro-pneumatic bump-stops. These are essentially miniature shock absorbers (dampers) that are fixed to
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#17328555572905952-548: The late 1970s, when rising fuel costs and government fuel economy regulations caused all car classes to shrink, and in many cases to blur. Automakers moved previously "full-size" nameplates to smaller platforms such as the Ford LTD II and the Plymouth Fury . A comparison test by Popular Science of four intermediate sedans (the 1976 AMC Matador, Chevrolet Malibu , Ford Torino, and Dodge Coronet ) predicted that these will be
6048-559: The later stages of the Vectra's life, developing 170 PS (125 kW), turning the car into a relaxed motorway cruiser rather than giving it sporty pretensions. There were a choice of two diesel engines ; one was an Isuzu 1.7 L 4EE1 inline-four unit, in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged form (1686 cc), this one capable of achieving 82 PS (60 kW), and an Opel designed 1.7 "low blow" turbodiesel (1699 cc), and naturally aspirated diesel unit, delivering 57 to 60 PS (42 to 44 kW). The front suspension
6144-446: The line was a 2.5 L V6 with 170 PS (125 kW). Diesel power came once again from Isuzu, with 1.7 liters and 82 PS, also a 2.0 L Ecotec with either 82 PS or 101 PS and 2.2 L Ecotec with 125 PS. In 2001, the all new 2.2 L petrol engine, as carried over to the Vectra C, was introduced with the 2.5 L petrol in its last incarnation being upgraded to a 2.6 L to accommodate emissions improvements. In April 1999,
6240-855: The mid-size market in the 1980s and 1990s included the Chrysler K-Cars ( Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant ), the Ford Taurus , and the Toyota Camry , which was upsized into the midsize class in 1991. The Taurus and Camry came to define the mid-size market for decades. Mid-size cars were the most popular category of cars sold in the United States, with 27.4 percent during the first half of 2012, ahead of crossovers at 19 percent. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year (dated July 1996) includes definitions for classes of automobiles. Based on
6336-662: The nation's tenth most popular new car with over 50,000 sales, outselling the Ford Mondeo for the first time since 1999. Also, in January 2007, the estate variant was awarded Estate Car of the Year 2007 , by What Car? magazine. While the Vectra C was sold in Mexico and Chile as the Chevrolet Vectra, it was not marketed in Brazil, where Chevrolet opted to sell the Astra H under the Vectra brand from 2006 to 2011. Both local spec cars were powered by
6432-551: The other two were created in Milton Keynes by Motor Sport Developments. Only 3,900 2.5 GSi models were ever produced, mostly in saloon and hatchback guise. With only 317 estate versions produced during this time, they became one of the rarest production Vauxhalls ever. On the 2001 and 2002 model years, a last of the line 2.6 GSi was made also but these were limited to five hundred cars. These were again mostly saloons and hatchbacks, however 37 estates were made. These models received
6528-449: The platform swing on iron chains attached to the wheeled frame of the carriage. This system remained the basis for most suspension systems until the turn of the 19th century, although the iron chains were replaced with the use of leather straps called thoroughbraces by the 17th century. No modern automobiles have used the thoroughbrace suspension system. By approximately 1750, leaf springs began appearing on certain types of carriage, such as
6624-449: The previous Vectra. The Vectra C received a facelift in September 2005, with the début at the Frankfurt Motor Show , and it retained a similar line of engines. However, the power of the 3.0 diesel was increased to 137 kW (184 hp), and the petrol 3.2 litre V6 engine was replaced by an Australian built turbocharged 2.8 litre High Feature V6 unit. This Saab co-developed motor could produce 170 kW (228 hp). Opel installed
6720-461: The right compromise. It is important for the suspension to keep the road wheel in contact with the road surface as much as possible, because all the road or ground forces acting on the vehicle do so through the contact patches of the tires . The suspension also protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The design of front and rear suspension of a car may be different. An early form of suspension on ox -drawn carts had
6816-408: The site finished in March 2002, although production of commercial vehicles continued. Engines started from the 75 PS (55 kW) 1.6 L, Family 1 but eventually the 8-valve engines were all replaced by 16-valve powerplants. The 2.0 L Family II engine, with 136 PS (100 kW) was developed as a basis for touring car racing (later in Australia, 2.2 L 108 kW), but the top of
6912-457: The spring as close to the wheel as possible. Wheel rates are usually summed and compared with the sprung mass of a vehicle to create a "ride rate" and the corresponding suspension natural frequency in ride (also referred to as "heave"). This can be useful in creating a metric for suspension stiffness and travel requirements for a vehicle. Roll rate is analogous to a vehicle's ride rate, but for actions that include lateral accelerations, causing
7008-467: The sprung center of gravity height is the roll moment arm length. The total sprung weight transfer is equal to the G-force times the sprung weight times the roll moment arm length divided by the effective track width. The front sprung weight transfer is calculated by multiplying the roll couple percentage times the total sprung weight transfer. The rear is the total minus the front transfer. Jacking forces are
7104-419: The sum of the vertical force components experienced by suspension links. The resultant force acts to lift the sprung mass, if the roll center is above ground, or compress it, if underground. Generally, the higher the roll center , the more jacking force is experienced. Travel is the measure of distance from the bottom of the suspension stroke (such as when the vehicle is on a jack, and the wheel hangs freely) to
7200-507: The time, so the Abbot-Downing Company of Concord, New Hampshire re-introduced leather strap suspension, which gave a swinging motion instead of the jolting up-and-down of spring suspension. In 1901, Mors of Paris first fitted an automobile with shock absorbers . With the advantage of a damped suspension system on his 'Mors Machine', Henri Fournier won the prestigious Paris-to-Berlin race on 20 June 1901. Fournier's superior time
7296-476: The tire and the road surface, it may hold the road best at a slightly different angle. Small changes in camber, front and rear, can be used to tune handling. Some racecars are tuned with -2 to -7° camber, depending on the type of handling desired, and tire construction. Often, too much camber will result in the decrease of braking performance due to a reduced contact patch size through excessive camber variation in suspension geometry. The amount of camber change in bump
7392-435: The tire's force vector points from the contact patch of the tire through instant center. The larger this component is, the less suspension motion will occur. Theoretically, if the resultant of the vertical load on the tire and the lateral force generated by it points directly into the instant center, the suspension links will not move. In this case, all weight transfer at that end of the vehicle will be geometric in nature. This
7488-414: The top of the suspension stroke (such as when the vehicle's wheel can no longer travel in an upward direction toward the vehicle). Bottoming or lifting a wheel can cause serious control problems, or directly cause damage. "Bottoming" can be caused by the suspension, tires, fenders, etc. running out of space to move, or the body or other components of the car hitting the road. Control problems caused by lifting
7584-413: The travel, the suspension bushings would take all the force, when suspension reaches "full droop", and it can even cause the coil springs to come out of their "buckets", if they are held in by compression forces only. A limiting strap is a simple strap, often from nylon of a predetermined length, that stops downward movement at a pre-set point before theoretical maximum travel is reached. The opposite of this
7680-579: The tuning ability of a vehicle for transient and steady-state handling. The roll rate of a vehicle does not change the total amount of weight transfer on the vehicle, but shifts the speed and percentage of weight transferred on a particular axle to another axle through the vehicle chassis. Generally, the higher the roll rate on an axle of a vehicle, the faster and higher percentage the weight transfer on that axle . By 2021, some vehicles were offering dynamic roll control with ride-height adjustable air suspension and adaptive dampers. Roll couple percentage
7776-456: The twin scroll turbo engine in its Signum productline with 185 kW (248 hp) output. The 185 kW (248 hp) version was available for the Vectra later in 2006. Opel also introduced – for the first time – an OPC version of the Vectra, using the VXR name in the United Kingdom. These high performance variants were only available as hatchbacks and estates. In the United Kingdom the power of
7872-429: The vehicle in a location, such, that the suspension will contact the end of the piston when it nears the upward travel limit. These absorb the impact far more effectively than a solid rubber bump-stop will, essential, because a rubber bump-stop is considered a "last-ditch" emergency insulator for the occasional accidental bottoming of the suspension; it is entirely insufficient to absorb repeated and heavy bottoming, such as
7968-453: The vehicle's sprung weight (total weight less the unsprung weight), the front and rear roll center heights, and the sprung center of gravity height (used to calculate the roll moment arm length). Calculating the front and rear sprung weight transfer will also require knowing the roll couple percentage. The roll axis is the line through the front and rear roll centers that the vehicle rolls around during cornering. The distance from this axis to
8064-402: The wheels are not independent, when viewed from the side under acceleration or braking, the pivot point is at infinity (because both wheels have moved) and the spring is directly inline with the wheel contact patch. The result is often, that the effective wheel rate under cornering is different from what it is under acceleration and braking. This variation in wheel rate may be minimised by locating
8160-517: Was 11 hours 46 minutes and 10 seconds, while the best competitor was Léonce Girardot in a Panhard with a time of 12 hours, 15 minutes, and 40 seconds. Coil springs first appeared on a production vehicle in 1906 in the Brush Runabout made by the Brush Motor Company. Today, coil springs are used in most cars. In 1920, Leyland Motors used torsion bars in
8256-547: Was also sold by Holden in Australia as the Holden Vectra , by Chevrolet in Latin America as the Chevrolet Vectra . The Vectra was introduced in October 1988 as a replacement for the Opel Ascona , and was itself replaced in November 2008 by the new Opel Insignia , the nameplate spanning three generations and almost twenty one years. The first generation Vectra, known as the Vectra A, was introduced in October 1988 for
8352-477: Was attached to the engine. A similar method like this was used in the late 1930s by Buick and by Hudson 's bathtub car in 1948, which used helical springs that could not take fore-and-aft thrust. The Hotchkiss drive , invented by Albert Hotchkiss, was the most popular rear suspension system used in American cars from the 1930s to the 1970s. The system uses longitudinal leaf springs attached both forward and behind
8448-535: Was being phased out in that market. In February 2017, Opel was sold to the PSA Group . Mid-size car Mid-size —also known as intermediate —is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars . "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. Mid-size cars are manufactured in
8544-473: Was called a compact to distinguish it from the small imported cars that were being introduced into the marketplace. By the early 1960s, the car was renamed the Rambler Classic and while it retained its basic dimensions, it was now competing with an array of new "intermediate" models from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The introduction of the 1962 Ford Fairlane was viewed by consumers as too close to
8640-511: Was fully independent , with MacPherson struts , pressed steel lower control arms, and an anti-roll bar . The front suspension, together with the major mechanicals (engine and transmission) is remotely mounted on a front subframe . On front wheel drive models, the rear suspension is semi independent, consisting of a torsion beam linked to trailing arms, with double conical coil springs and direct acting telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers , with certain models also having an anti roll bar. On
8736-490: Was not available in all markets, and even then, it was generally only available in basic trims (Base/L in United Kingdom, LS/GL in Europe). In markets as Italy, where smaller engines were favored by the taxation system, a better equipped 1.4 GLS was also offered. With the introduction of Euro I emissions regulations, the 1.4 was replaced by a 1.6 L with the same output for most markets. A 2.5 L V6 engine appeared towards
8832-561: Was offered. In 2002, local production of the Opel Vectra ceased in favour of the Corsa saloon and Astra saloon. A related model sold in North America was the Saturn L-Series , introduced in 2000, but dropped from the line up in 2005. It was replaced by the 2007 Saturn Aura , which was built around GM's Epsilon architecture , shared with the Vectra C. The release of the second generation of
8928-518: Was only offered in a 4-door saloon body in both generations (A & B). Built on the new GM Epsilon platform , the Opel Vectra C , released in March 2002 for the 2003 model year was initially available as a four-door notchback saloon and a five-door hatchback , known as the GTS. A five-door estate was added in October 2003. The Vectra C's official debut was at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show . Originally,
9024-411: Was provided by CDTI 1.9, 2.0 and 2.2 engines, with a top of the range Isuzu sourced 3.0 litre DMAX V6 outputting 132 kW (177 hp). In October 2004, the four cylinder diesel engine was replaced with a Fiat designed 1.9 litre Ecotec CDTI engine capable of producing 89 kW (119 hp) in 8v form and 110 kW (148 hp) in 16v form. Handling was reported to be much better than
9120-563: Was reserved for the base model, with the main petrol engine for the Vectra C, making up the vast bulk of production, being the Ecotec 2.2 litre chain driven unit producing 108 kW (145 hp); along with a new range topping 3.2 litre 54-Degree V6 , with 155 kW (208 hp). From June to July 2002, Ed Harris starred in adverts for the Vauxhall Vectra in the United Kingdom. Pierluigi Collina also starred in adverts across Europe for
9216-514: Was the third-generation Cavalier . Engines ranged initially from a 75 PS (55 kW) 1.4 L to a 130 PS (96 kW) 2.0 L Family II . The top-of-the-line Vectra 2000 16V arrived in September 1989. Its sixteen valve version of the 2.0 L engine produces 150 PS (110 kW) and was only available with the sedan bodywork, with available four-wheel drive. The sixteen-valve engine also appeared in GT (GSi in some markets) models after
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