Car Design Traits
Discussion
I've got a Vauxhall Insignia demonstrator on extended loan at the moment and while it's all very efficient and clever, there's a few points that give cause for concern.
Firstly, the initial impression is that you're sitting in an armoured car with slots for windows. The blind spots are horrendous. This seems to be an increasing problem as car designers strive for ever higher secondary safety standards, simultaneously increasing the risk of an accident in the first place through poor visibility. Plus, the whole car makes you feel isolated from the outside world, which can't be a good thing in my view.
Secondly, this car is a manual yet it has an electronic parking brake that can only be released if you have the brake pedal depressed. So how exactly are you supposed to make a hill start with one foot on the clutch and the other on the brake when you release the parking brake? Heel and toeing to apply throttle while pressing the brake is presumably not what Vauxhall has in mind! (In fact the electronic brain won't allow it.)
The other observation is that this car has Vauxhall's all singing and dancing headlight system. They alter their beam pattern according to driving conditions, inluding self dipping when it detects oncoming traffic (but only after a second while it thinks about it). The light they give out is superb but I want to dip when I see oncoming lights over the brow or around the turn, not when we're actually face to face. So I dip manually, but many won't. Also, it has lights that come on when a lot of steering angle is applied to shine at almost 90 degrees, thus illuminating the road you're turning into. The idea is that you pick up, e.g. pedestrians crossing the road when you're turning at a junction. They work very well but do they comply with the the Construction and Use regulations? I assume that if a major company like Vauxhall is doing it then they must do but it's an interesting thought come MOT time!
All in name of progress, of course, but I think I prefer the 1991 MX5 I've just acquired for the summer (and beyond). Back to basics!
Firstly, the initial impression is that you're sitting in an armoured car with slots for windows. The blind spots are horrendous. This seems to be an increasing problem as car designers strive for ever higher secondary safety standards, simultaneously increasing the risk of an accident in the first place through poor visibility. Plus, the whole car makes you feel isolated from the outside world, which can't be a good thing in my view.
Secondly, this car is a manual yet it has an electronic parking brake that can only be released if you have the brake pedal depressed. So how exactly are you supposed to make a hill start with one foot on the clutch and the other on the brake when you release the parking brake? Heel and toeing to apply throttle while pressing the brake is presumably not what Vauxhall has in mind! (In fact the electronic brain won't allow it.)
The other observation is that this car has Vauxhall's all singing and dancing headlight system. They alter their beam pattern according to driving conditions, inluding self dipping when it detects oncoming traffic (but only after a second while it thinks about it). The light they give out is superb but I want to dip when I see oncoming lights over the brow or around the turn, not when we're actually face to face. So I dip manually, but many won't. Also, it has lights that come on when a lot of steering angle is applied to shine at almost 90 degrees, thus illuminating the road you're turning into. The idea is that you pick up, e.g. pedestrians crossing the road when you're turning at a junction. They work very well but do they comply with the the Construction and Use regulations? I assume that if a major company like Vauxhall is doing it then they must do but it's an interesting thought come MOT time!
All in name of progress, of course, but I think I prefer the 1991 MX5 I've just acquired for the summer (and beyond). Back to basics!
Edited by gdaybruce on Friday 1st May 23:10
I just bought an Insignia Desiesel Sport Touring as a daily hack. Its good but I`d say like most modern cars, a little too clever and detaches the driver a little. The auto lights are a real pain!!!!
6 speed auto box which is constantly changing, which I also don`t like.
But its the way modern cars are going....
6 speed auto box which is constantly changing, which I also don`t like.
But its the way modern cars are going....
gdaybruce said:
crisisjez said:
I just bought an Insignia Desiesel Sport Touring as a daily hack.
Good grief - Mental Betty AND a diesel Insignia. Now that's what I call pushing the automotive limits! I've been following the V-Max thread
Had to take her, the Monaro`s not finished yet. Had a great day with her, soooo many people wanted a ride in her.re the insignia, I just wanted something to get to work in, and for the dog (we don`t have a dog!) I realise now that as I have 3 V8`s and ama little spoiled by the wonderful power delivery they give I should have got another and converted it to LPG (The budget could easily have stretched to another good Yank classic in daily driver condition)
gdaybruce said:
Firstly, the initial impression is that you're sitting in an armoured car with slots for windows. The blind spots are horrendous. This seems to be an increasing problem as car designers strive for ever higher secondary safety standards, simultaneously increasing the risk of an accident in the first place through poor visibility. Plus, the whole car makes you feel isolated from the outside world, which can't be a good thing in my view.
This is a massive problem with the Vectra. I literally lost a Toyota Corolla in the A-pillar during a motorway lane change, only reason I spotted him was my Vectra's tendency to slow a little before accelerating.Thnakfully the Lancer I just got has considerably thinner A-pillars, yet has a better NCAP rating.
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