2023 Vauxhall Experimental revealed

These days, a lot of concept cars are basically upcoming production models that have been fitted with enormous wheels and had their door mirrors swapped out in favour of cameras. However, as its name suggests, the Vauxhall Experimental is different.

This Vauxhall Astra-sized electric coupé SUV isn’t ever going to see the inside of a showroom. Yet it’s no pointless flight of fancy, either; not only does it preview design elements that will find their way onto the brand's next generation of cars, it has one that’s guaranteed to feature on future models from rival manufacturers, too.

You see, illuminated car badges, like the ones on the Experimental, have long been illegal. But this changed on January 4, and a host of companies – including Vauxhall – are planning to take advantage.

Beyond the badging, the rest of the Experimental’s exterior lighting is also significant, with its thin horizontal and vertical strips of LEDs – which run almost the full width of the car, up into the bonnet, and down into the bumper – likely to become a Vauxhall staple.

The resulting compass-like illumination should make the brand’s vehicle’s instantly recognisable at night, with it mirrored at the rear. Meanwhile the clear nose that incorporates the headlights is another distinguishing feature that Vauxhall plans to use on cars you will be able to buy.

At the same time, it plans to phase out the use of chrome – something completely absent from the Experimental – citing the carcinogenic emissions from the material’s production.

As for the interior, this is said to give its own glimpse of what we can expect from future Vauxhalls – albeit ones that will go on sale towards the end of the decade rather than in the next couple of years.

There’s a huge head-up display that can project key information the full width of the windscreen, and every display screen has been replaced by holographic interfaces.

Finally, in an extension of today’s trend towards ambient interior lighting, the Experimental is trimmed with electrochromic fabric, which is made from textile fibres interwoven with thin LED strands. As a result, everything from the dashboard to the seats can be lit in any colour desired.

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