Opel is preparing for the reveal of the Insignia successor and our spies caught them during some cold weather testing in Sweden.

The new Insignia, which will be offered as a Buick Regal to the US market, is expected to draw some inspiration from the Opel Monza concept shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013.

It will also grow in size, but the biggest change will be the 10cm longer wheelbase in a bid to offer class-leading space and comfort for the passengers. But this growth in size will not be accompanied by a weight increase as the new Opel Insignia/Buick Regal is expected to be lighter by about 200kg from the car it replaces.

Opel is expected to kill the traditional sedan version of the model, leaving only the five-door hatchback like the one in the photos and the estate, aka the Sports Tourer, that will follow six months later.

One of the key features of the new Insignia will be the comprehensively redesigned cabin, as the company is working on a new, large digital dashboard display like the one in the Monza concept. A series of cutting-edge assistance systems will also be available as well as a head-up display and OnStar WiFi hotspot.

The new mid-size family car is expected to be revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, although we are not going to be surprised if Opel decides to lift the veil at an earlier date.

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