Using premium materials and design cues often found in the luxury sector, ADAM is a three-door, four-seater that will be unveiled at this year’s Paris Motorshow, before appearing in UK showrooms early in 2013.

Designed by Brit, Mark Adams’ team in Europe, ADAM incorporates a ‘floating’ roof which is visually disconnected from the body, making the use of two-tone colour schemes more impactful than ever before.

Classy, sophisticated and glamorous, ADAM retains design signatures from other Vauxhalls:  the crisp line around the door handle (GTC), the wing-shaped chrome grille bar (new Astra) and the blade shape in the lower doors. It will also be the first car in the A-sector to have the option of LED daytime running lights.

But unlike other rivals in the segment, ADAM bucks the trend for retro-based design with a fresh and bold look that will appeal to open-minded individuals who want to defy convention with a car that’s distinctive and striking.

And it’s those very customers that Vauxhall is targeting with ADAM’s high degree of personalisation options. Available in three trims from launch – JAM (fashionable/colourful), GLAM (elegant/sophisticated) and SLAM (racy/sporty) – ADAM customers can effectively “build” their own car.

There are almost unlimited visual combinations, with a wide variety of exterior colours – including two different roof colours – interior colours, equipment and materials. Customers can even choose their headlining, including an LED-lit starlight roof trim.

Mark Adams, Vauxhall/Opel’s Vice President of Design, summed up what makes ADAM unique: ‘No other car in this segment can be individualised as much as ADAM because we are offering virtually unlimited exterior/interior colour, fabric and kit combination choices. It’s very unlikely that you’ll find two identical ADAMs out there.’

Vauxhall’s ADAM will be offered with a choice of three efficient ecoFLEX four-cylinder petrol engines from launch: a 1.2-litre 70PS, plus two 1.4-litre engines with either 87PS or 100PS. All will be available with optional Start/Stop technology and will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.