Exterior
Work on the original Nubira began in the summer of 1993 with a design brief offered to four leading design houses. By early 1994, a proposal from Italy's Institute of Automotive Design - better known as IDEA - was chosen, refined and developed into the car launched in the UK in September 1997. But even as that car was unveiled, stylists at Daewoo's Worthing Technical Centre (DWTC) led by Daewoo Design Director Ginger Ostle were already working on a face-lifted model:

"Although we were very happy with the original look developed for Nubira by IDEA, we were aware that Lanos and Leganza - for which styling was signed off a little later - had moved the Daewoo family look on a stage or two," said Laurent Boulay, design manager, DWTC. "The revised Nubira has evolved to fit more comfortably in the Daewoo passenger car line-up."

Nubira's new look is immediately obvious from the front where the Daewoo signature chrome grille is flanked by bold, swept-back triangular headlamp assemblies. The projection headlights, which follow the styling theme set by the Lanos and Leganza, give the car a distinctive face as well as improving illumination. Unusually, the indicators are set above the headlights. The grille has been slightly flattened to give a more sporting stance while the v-shaped bonnet flows into the grille. The front of the car has also been lengthened by 18mm increasing the front crumple zones.

At the rear of the car, the saloon has been given a more angular look with repositioned, bigger tail-lights and a reshaped boot lid (aka Mondeo). As well as giving the Nubira a sleeker look, the revised boot lid has better aerodynamics. Following customer feedback (a major contributor), the new boot lid also features gas struts which makes opening the boot easier and removes any danger that the boot lid might close accidentally. Door mirrors have also been redesigned to be more aerodynamically efficient and are also heated.

The new look is completed by restyled wheel trims on both the CDX and SE models. There are new rear bumpers on both saloon and estate, restyled badging and the adoption of body colour side mouldings. Vandals will be disappointed to learn that the Nubira saloon no longer has a conventional radio antenna - for the new model, the aerial has been incorporated into the rear window. Although cabbies may be disappointed also that they can't replace it with a clothes hanger....

The Nubira is built at Daewoo's advanced Kunsan plant in Korea. Construction of the facility began in March 1993 on land reclaimed from the sea and the plant now builds Leganza and Lanos models as well as the Nubira. In 1998, the factory produced a total of 180,000 cars, at a rate of one vehicle a minute.

Interior
Improved interior space, greater comfort, better ergonomics, enhanced safety and a more attractive environment - these are the main changes to be found inside the new Nubira according to Daewoo. Central to the changes is the adoption of a new, one-piece facia which reduces the likelihood of squeaks and rattles. The instrument cluster itself has been redesigned to be easier to read and now features a central speedo flanked by a smaller rev counter. Minor switchgear has been relocated: the door mirror controls, for example, can now be found on the driver's door-mounted arm rest.

The interior redesign has also resulted in greater space. The interior length has been increased by 8mm overall, while there's an overall increase in interior width of 30mm. Comfort has also been significantly enhanced thanks to new seats with longer cushions, reshaped bolsters and greater lateral support. The driver's seat now has individual front and rear height adjustment while both front seats feature lumbar adjustment. Front head restraints are now tilt-adjustable, while there are height-adjustable head restraints in the rear and, in the CDX, a centre rear arm rest as well. Other new safety considerations include the fitment of three point safety belts for all three seats in the rear of the saloon.

New fabrics, higher quality carpets, chrome interior door handles and, for the CDX, a metallic finish for the facia, all combine to give the new Nubira a more refined, sophisticated feel. Refinement is improved, too. A fourth engine mounting point reduces the transmission of noise and vibration to the interior, while three layers of insulating material under the carpets and bonnet and no fewer than six layers of insulation between the engine and interior, combine to make the Nubira quieter than ever.

Engines and Transmissions
Both Nubira 1.6 and 2.0-litre power units - developed for the original car by UK specialists Ricardo and Australia's GM Holden respectively - have been further refined for the latest version. The 16 valve, twin cam 1.6-litre E-Tec unit develops 105bhp and 104.8lb.ft of torque at 3,800rpm to give the Nubira SE saloon a top speed of 115mph with 0-60 mph taking 11.0 seconds (manufacturer's figures).

The most significant aspect of this engine, however, is the variable geometry induction system (VGIS) which is designed to maintain good levels of torque at low engine speeds thanks to the long inlet manifold tract. At higher speeds, a control valve in the manifold is opened, shortening the route taken for air to reach the combustion chamber, giving a 10 per cent increase in torque.

The 2.0-litre unit also features four valves per cylinder and a twin cam head with centrally mounted spark plugs. It develops 133bhp and 123lb.ft of torque to give the Nubira CDX saloon a top speed of 121mph with the 0-60 mph time cut to 9.0 seconds. Both engines feature exhaust gas recirculation which reduces the volume of fuel/air mixture into the combustion chamber to produce a more complete burn. This helps improve economy and reduces the production of NOx emissions. They also now feature a 16-bit processor, upgraded from the previous 8-bit version. The new processor gives more precise control of the engine combustion cycle which, in turn, helps promote better fuel economy. On average, the new Nubira is 5 per cent more fuel efficient than the old model, the SE saloon returning 36.2 mpg, and the CDX saloon returning 32.8 mpg over the EU combined cycle.

Mounted transversely, the engines drive the front wheels through a standard five-speed manual gearbox coupled to a single dry plate clutch. The gearbox is Daewoo-developed, with a one-piece casting strengthened to allow for the higher outputs of the new engines. A new four speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is available as an option on 2.0-litre models. This transmission, developed for Daewoo by ZF, is a state-of-the-art two mode (power and economy) automatic, with torque converter lock up in fourth. This is its second appearance in a Daewoo - it is also used in the Daewoo Leganza.

Chassis, Steering & Brakes
The Nubira's suspension system features MacPherson struts at the front with a fully independent dual link arrangement at the rear. The basic chassis set-up is unchanged from the original Nubira. Under cornering and braking the two lower arms generate slight toe-in, improving stability.

The Nubira's rack-and-pinion steering has been upgraded for the new model, with a revised power steering pump delivering higher degrees of assistance at low speeds. As speeds rise, the level of assistance is gradually reduced to provide greater steering feel. Braking has also been upgraded for the new model with the adoption of a state-of-the-art Bosch four-channel ABS system featuring electronic brake force distribution (EBD). The new Bosch system gives improved stopping distances while the EBD automatically senses vehicle loading, road surface condition and cornering angles to distribute the braking power to the wheel or wheels with the greatest grip. As before, all Nubiras feature ventilated discs at the front with drum brakes at the rear on SE models and solid disc brakes at the rear on the CDX.

The Nubira SE saloon and estate models have 14-inch steel wheels with full trim covers and are shod with 185/65 R14 tyres. New for 1999, the CDX has 15-inch steel wheels with 195/55 R15 tyres as standard.

Warranty
Daewoo's customer support package forms an integral part of the Nubira's standard specification. The all-inclusive price includes three years'/60,000 miles' free servicing, a three-year/60,000-mile comprehensive mechanical warranty and three years' free AA roadside recovery. The body is covered by a three-year paint and six years' anti-corrosion warranty. Further benefits include a 24-hour customer helpline, a free unlimited mileage courtesy car and free collection and delivery for vehicles being serviced. This alone may be enough for most buyers - hassle-free car ownership.

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