Opel Insignia

With Holden's long-term game plan to utilise more Korean-sourced product for its Australian model lineup, these pictures from happy snappers Carparazzi of the Opel Vectra-replacing Insignia may have absolutely no relevance to our future.

Then again, GM's vision of practical complimentarity in its world-wide design and manufacturing facilities means there are few possibilities that should be discounted.

Shot in northern Scandinavia, the pics of the forthcoming Insignia (which is expected to appear at the Geneva motor show in March) show a wider, taller car built off GM's Epsilon 2 platform and aimed at equalling the quality levels of formidable opponents such as VW's Passat.

The photos give the clearest indication yet of what the Vectra replacement will look like, including the ultra-bold front end and the drooping tail that almost brings to mind the current Hyundai Elantra.

Inside, Opel is said to have focussed a lot of effort upgrading perceived quality to meet head-on new-generation cars like the latest Passat.

It is expected the Insignia will feature GM's Traffic Assist technology in which the road ahead is scanned by lasers and video cameras to spot warning signs, lane marking and other traffic allowing, for example, the car to brake automatically if necessary -- a step towards the long dreamed-of driverless car.

The normally front-drive Insignia is also expected to offer an AWD option, along with an engine range that will include a 2.7-litre 149kW turbodiesel V6 and a revised version of the 2.8-litre V6 seen in the current Vectra.

Holden ditched most of its German connections when it replaced the slow-selling Opel-based Vectra with the Korean-built (and quite old in terms of design) six-cylinder Epica last year.

So, if you're contemplating the chances of an Opel revival in Australia, the answer is -- even with the promise of a segment-busting challenger in the new Insignia -- it's still pretty unlikely.