Up and Adam as Vauxhall targets image change with MINI rival

Vauxhall has revealed details of its Adam, a new image-led city car which will be in showrooms in January.

The car will be firmly targeted at young, style-conscious buyers who would currently buy the MINI or Fiat’s 500.

It will be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, and is predicted to sell for around £11,000.

The Adam is charged with improving Vauxhall’s image. Last Autumn speaking exclusively to CarandVanNews GM Europe Design head Mark Adams said that the car, at that time dubbed the Junior, would be hugely important for changing the perception of the Vauxhall brand.

“We want a car of premium quality in a very small package, a good value proposition – and the Junior is well executed with bags of character and personality,” Adams said, adding, intriguingly, that; “We will have our own, unique take on how you do personalization.”

According to Vauxhall that unique take encompasses more than one million different combinations. Even the three base trim levels will be talking points, dubbed ‘Jam’ (apparently meaning fashionable/colourful), ‘Glam’ (elegant/sophisticated) and ‘Slam’ (racy/sporty).

To these buyers will be able to add a wide variety of exterior colours – including two different roof hues – interior colours, equipment and materials. There will even be different headlining choices, including what Vauxhall says is; “an LED-lit starlight roof trim”.

The two-tone roof will appear to float, looking disconnected from the rest of the body. Vauxhall also says that the cabin materials will be of a quality normally only found in premium cars.

Adams says that no other car in this segment can be individualised as much as the Adam; “because we are offering virtually unlimited exterior/interior colour, fabric and kit combination choices – it’s very unlikely that you’ll find two identical Adams out there.”

The Adam is a three-door four seater, and will be sold with a three-way engine choice, all petrol. All will be ecoFlex four-cylinder units – a 1.2-litre of 69bhp and 1.4-litre versions in 86 and 99bhp sizings.

Start/Stop technology will be an option and all three power units will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed gearbox will join the range later when the Adam debuts Vauxhall’s new generation direct-injection small petrol engine.

The car’s creators have not stated where the name came from – whether from Adams or the full Adam Opel GMBh name of Vauxhall’s German sister brand. They merely say that the name will result in people talking about the car.

Words by: Andrew Charman