Vauxhall Flextreme news - Flextreme makeover - 2010

Ladies and gentlemen of the now, this is what your Vauxhall Insignia shall look like in The Future.

This is the Vauxhall Flextreme (a name generated by cunningly melding the words ‘flexible' and 'monotreme'), a show concept that, says Vauxhall, illustrates how the Ampera/Volt hybrid technology can be fitted into a larger vehicle.

But more importantly than that, it looks ace. Though slightly shorter than the Insignia, the Flextreme sits on a longer wheelbase and is far lower, the roofline cut by a full 19cm.

It is most slippery, boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.22. That figure is helped by a venturi underbody and some decidedly clever-sounding panels behind each rear wheelarch, which extend at 30mph to guide air over the rear of the car and lower turbulence. Cool.

There's more cleverness on board: light sensors in the place of door handles and a plug socket hidden under the central badge.

The Flextreme is powered by the Ampera/Volt's 158bhp electric motor, drawing power from a lithium ion battery back and generating 270lb ft of torque from 0rpm. It can be recharged either from mains electricity, or from the onboard 1.4-litre, 70bhp engine.

Vauxhall says the Flextreme will manage 35 miles on battery power alone, with a combined range of around 300 miles. Average CO2 output is stands at ‘under 40g/km', with 62mph cracked in just under nine seconds.

If Vauxhall can translate those figures into a production car, we shall be mighty impressed. We shall see. But as a design statement, we're loving the Flextreme. What do you think?