VAUXHALL has given the first indication of company car taxation on the new Vectra with the announcement of carbon dioxide emissions for the new model.

The entry-level petrol model (1.8 LS) will cost a company car driver in the standard tax bracket £573 a year - undercutting the entry-level Ford Mondeo by more than £30, and slightly higher than the Renault Laguna 1.8 Authentique at £571.

The entry-level diesel (2.0 DTi) will cost the same driver £609 from 2002/03, compared with £613 for the equivalent Mondeo and £598 for the Laguna 1.9dCi Authentique (100bhp).

However, the larger engined Vectras do not perform as competitively with the Euro IV compliant 2.2-litre Elite resulting in a benefit-in-kind tax bill for 2002/03 of £970, compared with £848 for the Mondeo 2.0 Ghia X and £805 for the Laguna 2.0 Initiale.

The 2.2-litre DTi drivers can also expect slightly higher tax bills than drivers in rival cars with a 20% tax band compared with 18% for the Mondeo and Laguna.

However, the Vectra has been awarded lower insurance groups than rivals and is up to four groups lower than the existing model, thanks to improved security and lower repair costs.

The entry-level models fall into group 7E, compared with 8E for the Mondeo, Citroen C5, and Nissan Primera.

Vauxhall Vectra company car tax liability

Model - P11D - CO2(g/km) - BIK band - 22% - 40% - Insurance

1.8 LS - £14,480 – 184 – 18 - £573 - £1,043 - 7E
1.8 SXi - £15,310 – 184 - 18 - £606 - £1,102 - 8E
2.2 LS - £14,965 – 206 – 23 - £724 - £1,317 - 10E
2.2 SRi - £16,865 – 206 – 23 - £816 - £1,484 - 10E
3.2 V6 GSi - £20,800 – 243 - 30 - £1,373 - £2,496 - 14E
2.0 DTi Elegance - £16,890 – 159 – 18 - £669 - £1,216 - 8E
2.2 DTi Elite - £20,125 – 176 – 20 - £886 - £1,610 - 9E