The Opel Insignia (from Latin insigne = the emblem/coat of arms) is a midsize luxury car engineered and produced by the German car manufacturer Opel. Production of the Insignia began in 2008, as a replacement for the Vectra and Signum. The vehicle is sold under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom, and made in North America and China as the Buick Regal. It was launched in Australia and New Zealand under the Holden marque in 2015.
In Chile, the vehicle was originally due to be marketed as the Chevrolet Vectra, but is now sold as the Opel Insignia. The Insignia made its debut in Australia in 2012, badged as an Opel. but was dropped a year later after the brand was withdrawn from the market. The Insignia is produced in Opel's plant in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
2003 Insignia Concept
The Opel Insignia Concept is a full-size luxury car (F-segment in Europe) presented by the German automaker Opel at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. The car has a V8 engine from the Corvette with 344 PS. The Insignia Concept has a hydropneumatic suspension system, a pantograph like mechanism for the rear sliding doors, and LED lighting technology.
In the beginning of 2005, it was announced by Opel that this concept car will not be built, because it would be too heavy and too expensive. This vehicle remained therefore a pure concept study. However, this concept car inspired the 2015 Buick Avenir.
Production
In December 2006, What Car? announced that Vauxhall was to ditch the Vectra nameplate from the previous model. Then General Motors Europe president, Carl-Peter Forster, leaked the news to BusinessCar, explaining that the all new car would be "a radical departure" from the current model, and that the "Vectra" name would be dropped to reflect this change. In March 2007, What Car? reported the car would première in 2008's British International Motor Show. Previously, it was thought it would première in 2008's Geneva Motor Show. In October 2005, Auto Express produced computer generated images, which showed an unused design.
In September 2007, What Car? produced computer generated images, showing how the replacement would look like. That month, What Car? gave an update, confirming the car would première in London, thanks to the success of the Corsa C. In November 2007, What Car? announced that Vauxhall had confirmed that the successor's name would be Insignia.
First generation (2008â€"2017)
The Insignia debuted at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London on 23 July as the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia. This reflected the Vauxhall brand that is unique to the United Kingdom. It then went on sale in European dealerships in October 2008 as a five door hatchback, four door saloon, and five door estate, dubbed Sports Tourer â€" a departure for Opel which traditionally used the "Caravan" name to denote the estate bodystyle. The Insignia was the first production car to be based on the Epsilon II platform, which was also used on other models such as the 2010 Saab 9-5 and the Chevrolet Malibu.
The Insignia was the first car to debut new badges for both the Opel and Vauxhall brands, and for Vauxhall, it was the first car to dispense with the characteristic "V" grille that has adorned Vauxhall models since 1994, which differentiated them from the otherwise identical Opel models.
The Insignia was also the first Opel to debut many new and improved safety features, including:
- (an improved) Adaptive Forward Lighting â€" bi-xenon, gas discharge headlamps with variable light beam distribution in width, direction and range. Advanced Front-Lighting System (AFS), static cornering light, complemented by daytime running lights with LEDs. Sensors and software monitor the surroundings, traffic and weather conditions so that the system can activate the appropriate lighting function.
- Opel Eye â€" This uses a camera at the top of the windscreen to monitor the area in front of the vehicle. Information from the camera is continuously analysed to identify road markings and traffic signs. Road markings are used as the basis of the first of Opel Eye’s two functions: lane departure warning. Traffic signs are recognised and indicated to the driver in the second function: traffic sign memory.
At speeds above 60Â km/h (37Â mph), Opel Eye warns the driver if the car is about to veer inadvertently out of the lane in which it is travelling. The system can detect road markings and, if they are sufficiently distinct, unmarked road edges. The Insignia was the first production car to feature a dual function frontal camera with traffic sign recognition.
Despite its global presence, the Opel Insignia has never been sold in Japan, as Opel had already withdrawn from the Japanese market before launching this model.
Design wise, the Insignia offers 30Â mm (1.2Â in) more knee room than the Vectra. The saloon and hatchback variants have the same 4.83Â m (190.2Â in) length and wheelbase of 2.73Â m (107.5Â in). The estate version is slightly longer at 4.91Â m (193.3Â in) on the same wheelbase.
OPC
In the beginning of 2009, Opel revealed the Insignia OPC, a high performance variant of the Insignia. Like the preceding Vectra OPC, it is powered by a 2.8 litre turbocharged V6 (Manufactured in Melbourne, Australia).
The updated engine makes 239 kilowatts (325 PS; 321 hp) and 435 newton metres (321 lb·ft). Of this 435, 400 newton metres (300 lb·ft) are available from 2,000 rpm. It is paired with a six speed manual transmission / six-speed automatic transmission and Saab's (Haldex) active all wheel drive system. The Insignia OPC has a modified MacPherson strut front suspension called HiPerStrut which reduces torque steer.
Also standard is an electronic limited slip differential for the rear wheels and Opel's FlexRide adaptive suspension, which has three settings (OPC, Sport, and Normal). An OPC version of the Insignia Sports Tourer wagon has also been unveiled and is currently on sale. In April 2011, Opel launched the Insignia OPC Unlimited, with no speed limiter.
Country Tourer
The Opel Insignia Country Tourer made its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013: The Country Tourer's main competitors are the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack , Audi A4 Allroad, and Å koda Octavia Scout.
Facelift
A major facelift was introduced in June 2013, with new exterior and interior styling, new engines, and new safety features. The car officially premiered at the September 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, before going on sale later in 2013.
The new design includes a newly designed cockpit with a simplified control panel and two eight inch colour displays, a four way infotainment system via new a touchpad in the centre console, an eight inch touchscreen, steering wheel controls, voice command, radar and camera based driver assistance and safety systems, such as full speed adaptive cruise control and imminent collision braking, rear camera, lane change assistance, blind spot alert, and rear cross traffic alert.
The second generation Insignia was revealed in December 2016, and was reported to be renamed Insignia Grand Sport.
Engines
2008â€"2013
From launch, the Insignia was offered with four petrol engines â€" a 1.6 L 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp), 1.8 L 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp), 2.0 L Turbo 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp), and a 2.8 L V6 with 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp) â€" and three diesel engines (all derived from the Fiat/GM JTD engine) â€" all 2.0 litres with 110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp), 130 PS (96 kW; 128 hp) and 160 PS (118 kW; 158 hp). In 2009, a 1.6-L Turbo petrol 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp), the ecoFLEX diesels, and the OPC versions were introduced.
From September 2010, the 2.0 CDTi diesel engine gained Adaptive 4x4 as an option. A '2.0 BiTurbo' CDTI, with 195Â PS (143Â kW; 192Â hp), in development with Saab, was expected to begin production in 2010, but due to the sale of Saab, production was delayed and began production in 2012, as 2WD (FWD) and 4WD.
All engines have a six speed manual transmission as standard, with some engines having an automatic transmission as an option.
Since launch, all diesels have improved their emissions. In 2011, some engines gained Start/Stop, all diesel engines have this option, with more petrol engines expected to gain the technology in the future. A 1.4 Turbo 140Â PS (103Â kW; 138Â hp), with S/S as standard, is available, replacing the 1.8, and the 2.0 Turbo was upgraded to 250Â PS (184Â kW; 247Â hp) only with four wheel drive. The 2.0 Turbo with 220Â PS (162Â kW; 217Â hp) remains as only FWD.
In 2009, a new range of ecoFLEX diesel engine offered same amount of power, but less CO2-emission (g/km) and fuel consumption. The 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX with 130Â PS (96Â kW; 128Â hp) and 160Â PS (118Â kW; 158Â hp) have emission of only 114 CO2-emission (g/km), as well as a version with 2.0 CDTI 4x4. The 195Â PS (143Â kW; 192Â hp) Bi turbo diesel engine has 129 CO2-emission (g/km).
2013â€"2017
Alongside the facelift of 2013 came a new range of engines â€" some existing, some tweaked, and some brand new. Diesel engines available at launch include the 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX (also with Start/Stop), with outputs of 120 PS, 140 PS, and 163 PS and the existing 195 PS BiTurbo. There is also a non ecoFLEX engine with 130 PS which is only available with automatic transmission. Petrol engines include the existing 1.4 Turbo and 1.8 (only on some markets), and the all new 1.6 SIDI Turbo engine introduced in the Cascada, and new 2.0 SIDI Turbo.
All engines come with a six speed manual gearbox as standard, with a six speed automatic available as an option on the 1.6 and 2.0 SIDI turbo petrol engines, and the 2.0 CDTI 163 PS and 195 PS diesel engines. All petrol and diesel engines have a Start/Stop system except the 2.0 CDTI with 130 PS.
In September 2014, Opel introduced its all new generation of engines â€" large diesel engine, starting with 2.0 CDTI engine with 170 PS and 400 Nm, which is a part of new strategy in which Opel will introduce 17 new engines in period from 2014 to 2018. New engine will be available from end 2014/beginning of 2015.
Awards
Since making its début, the Opel Insignia has won more than 50 national and international awards, including 'Best Executive Car' in the United Kingdom and Slovenia, 'Best Family Car' in Ireland twice, and best car for fleet customers in the United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark, and Portugal.
- The Insignia was voted 2009 European Car of the Year.
- The Insignia scored a fivestar rating in EuroNCAP.
- In 2011, German institute DEKRA gave Opel an award for the Insignia as a car with the fewest flaws in its class.
- In 2012, Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung mbH/Association for Technical Supervision evaluated Opel Insignia as number one in terms of used car quality.
Production and sales
Production started at the end of 2008 on all major markets in Europe. At launch, the Vauxhall versions were produced in Exclusiv, S, SE, SRi, Elite, and VXR specification levels. It was a popular choice with British buyers, being the nation's ninth best selling car in 2009 â€" its first full year on sale, outselling its direct competitor the Ford Mondeo, but just falling short of the sales achieved by the more upmarket BMW 3 Series.
At the beginning several trim levels: Essentia, Edition, Sport, Cosmo, OPC, and later Business edition, Selection, Active, 150 years of Opel, Innovation all depending on market.
By August 2011, over 400,000 Insignias had been sold, and on April 26, 2012, the 500,000th Insignia was produced.
Second generation (2017â€"present)
This version of the Insignia is badged as the Holden Commodore in Australia, and as the next generation Buick Regal in the Americas and Asia. It was public presented on International Motor Fair in Belgrade, March 2017. The design was based on the concept car Opel Monza from 2013.
Engines
Motorsport
The Thorney Motorsport team first ran a Vauxhall Insignia VXR in the last round of the 2011 British Touring Car Championship to prepare a two car assault for the 2012 season.
Although this was the plan, it turned out they could only afford to run a one car assault in four rounds â€" 1 and 2 driven by John Thorne, and 6 and 9 driven by Tony Gilham. Tony's Team HARD bought the two Insignias from Thorney Motorsport, and raced one of them himself in the last round of the 2012 season.
Driving both cars for the 2013 season were James Cole and Jack Goff, running under the RCIB Insurance Racing team name. RCIB Insurance Racing/Team Hard sold the cars to BMR for the 2014 BTCC season, and would be driven by Jack Goff and Warren Scott, unfortunately the Insignia was not as competitive as hoped and the cars were replaced mid season with Volkswagen CC's.
References
External links
- Official international Opel Insignia website
- Official Opel Insignia website (Ireland)