The lack of any off-road vehicle in the current Vauxhall line-up in the UK is glaringly obvious when this segment continues to grow. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Opel (the brand used for Vauxhall products outside the UK), displayed a new concept car that should lead to the production of the company's first SUV since the agricultural Frontera.

Unlike the Frontera, the new car promises to be a desirable ownership prospect, and if it retains any of the concept car's sporty good looks it may well tempt buyers of regular cars too. The GTC part of the Antara GTC name stands for Gran Turismo Crossover, indicating the mixture between off-roader and GT coupe. The rugged looks of an SUV are retained by the use of huge 20-inch polished alloys and designer off-road tyres, along with a toughened lower body apparently inspired by trendy running shoes. Vauxhall's new-found design style is used for the top half of the body, with rear lights not too dissimilar from the current Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch. Emphasising the sports coupe look is the lack of a B-pillar and just two doors. Front and rear screens rake dramatically too, compromising space for the sake of style. It is a concept car after all, the chance for designers to let their hair down.

Inside, the Antara is pure concept car, with four separate stylised seats, the front two mounted on mono-rails that tilt forward to allow access to the rears. Even though the concept is to be powered by a diesel, not many drivers will turn their noses up at its 212bhp power output, thanks to two turbochargers strapped to Vauxhall's familiar 1.9-litre diesel engine. With the six-speed automatic fitted to the test car, computer simulations predict that the Antara would have a top speed in excess of 130mph and it should hit 62mph from rest in only 8 seconds. Hopefully we'll see a development of this engine in production soon, probably to be used in the Vectra.

Shane O' Donoghue - 23 Sep 2005