There are people who find the look of the new Opel Vectra a bit bland, some even say heavy. I have to say that I like it. Maybe it appeals to the part of me that likes the look of a solid car.

And then there's the GTS. The 'coupe' version that doesn't compromise the room or the comfort, but which perhaps is designed to attract the more adventurous in the middle/upper management sector.

The ones who might otherwise have bought an Omega, but feel the need for the speedier image. And who haven't yet succumbed to the lure of the expensive badge.

I've had a decent run in a couple of GTSs now, and I'm even more attracted than ever to the new car.

One of them is Opels fastest-ever volume production car, the Vectra GTS 5-door coupe powered by the 211bhp 3.2-litre V6 ECOTEC engine. The other had the 1.8-litre 122bhp engine option.

In keeping with its sporty looks, the GTS has had suspension tweaking to make the most of the power available in its senior specification, and the car rides lower than its saloon sibling. There is also a wide range of electronic driver aid, which I was able to use to its limits at the Mondello Park racing circuit.

Included among these is Cornering Brake Control which regulates braking in individual wheels when it sense trouble while cornering. There's also an Electronic Stability Programme, and Opel has designed an Interactive Driving System involving detailed improvements to the suspension and chassis, allied with the ABS and CBC, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist.

The systems particularly proved their worth when the car was driven hard around a skid-pan wet surface test area, and simulating an emergency stop while going hard around a bend provided an impressive experience of the systems 'taking control' when a driver has lost it.

In performance terms, the two new cars can do the 0-62mph in 11.2sec and 7.4sec in different engine configurations. The top-of-the-range car can be specified with a new 5-speed adaptive automatic transmission, which also has 'tiptronic-style' manual capability.

That was in the one I had, and while the manual system worked very well, I find that most of the time a good automatic needs no fiddling with and this applies well to the Vectra.

Visually - apart from the 'fastback' styling, the front of the GTS has an extended 'power scoop' airdam under the front number-plate, and the 'stacked' headlamps surrounds have been darkened to further distinguish the car coming up in the rear-view mirror.

Interior detailing includes special sports seats, which felt pretty good, although on a frosty morning the leather was a little on the chilly side for a while. A distinctive steering wheel has a leather cover, and chrome inserts on the wheel and in the gearshift emphasise the car's younger nature.

It is a very aerodynamically-efficient car, with a Cd rating of 0.28, and Opel claims the noise levels are class-leading thanks to such features as a very sophisticated door seal design and careful positioning of the windscreen wipers, among other elements.

My overall impression was of a car that wouldn't let me down, that was enthusiastic when the occasion demanded but which was also easy to live in while stuck in the 2-3mph gridlock traffic in Dublin. These days, that latter attribute has become more and more necessary.

Aluminium has been used in suspension components, chassis and in manufacture of the bonnet. Safety elements already familiar in the Vectra range include six airbags and Opel's Pedal Release System. The front seats have Active Head Restraints, which move to an optimum protective position in the event of a rear impact.

The Vectra is a solid car, gaining quite a few new owners in its third-generation format. Along with the saloon and the GTS, the range will be further extended later this year with the arrival of the wagon version and the Signum.