First look inside Vauxhall Insignia

The Vauxhall Insignia jigsaw is starting to come together with the release of the first interior shots of the car.

Exterior pictures of this autumn's replacement for the Vectra were revealed in April.

Vauxhall says the car is a big leap forward in terms of quality, style and colours and materials.

The twin cores behind the Insignia's interior are 'sculptural artistry and German precision', said Mark Adam, European design director of Vauxhall's parent company, General Motors.

'Our old interiors just didn't go far enough,' he admitted. 'You might fall in love with an exterior design, but you live on a daily basis with the interior.'

The most striking feature of the cabin is the upper dash, which sweeps across your eyeline and on to the doors. Vauxhall calls it a wing, and it will become a signature feature on all future models, starting with next year's new Astra.

The three-sided indents in the outer door panels, which Vauxhall calls blades, are also echoed throughout the cabin and will become brand identity marks.

The driver and front passenger are cocooned by a wide centre console. The dash is at 30 degrees to the vertical: any steeper and it would be impossible to get CDs out.

The majority of cars will have an all-black interior, but there are four options, including a chocolate-and-beige sandwich effect. All versions will have plenty of chrome highlights.

Adams says attention to detail was a priority. GM has worked hard to ensure that panel gaps are tight and consistent, that the feel of the trim is just right for different parts of the cabin and that colour matches are perfect.

There are small guides to help you find switches without diverting your eye from the road, and a single button takes you straight to the sat-nav destination input, sparing you the bother of going through various menus.

The instrument backlighting can switch from white to red when you're driving in sports mode, too.

'We've researched this car to death,' GM says. 'It's the sportiest, most premium car in its class.'