First details have emerged of the new Vauxhall Antara 4x4 due to be revealed in public at the Paris Motor Show this September. As you can see from the pictures, the styling of the new Antara owes little to that of the Opel Antara GTC concept seen at the Frankfurt Show in 2005.

Sharing its underpinnings with the Chevrolet Captiva, the Vauxhall Antara's footprint is not much bigger than an Astra estate, at 4570mm long and 1850mm wide, but the new car should offer more versatility and of course a higher driving position. Initial details suggest that the Antara will only be available with five seats where as its Chevy cousin has the option of five or seven.

Engines will include a 150bhp turbodiesel and a four-cylinder entry-level petrol model with about 140bhp. To aid fuel economy, it looks like the Antara will feature on-demand part-time four-wheel drive, utilising an electronically controlled electro-hydraulic differential. The ABS and ESP systems are fully integrated, allowing the inclusion of a controlled hill descent function.

If you came into close contact with the last Vauxhall off-roader, the Frontera, your expectations may not be very high, but the first image of the Antara's interior and experience of recent Vauxhall efforts suggest that the new car will feature a well-made and well appointed interior, presumably a step up from the Chevrolet alternative and with a sporty edge if the sports seats pictured are anything to go by.

Shane O' Donoghue - 11 May 2006