Opel’s new contender in the mid-size family car segment, the Insignia Grand Sport, promises to be better in every aspect than the car it replaces.
By reducing total weight by up to 175 kg (386 pounds), increasing its track by 11 mm and tuning the FlexRide chassis, whose dampers, steering and propulsion can be changed automatically or via the selectable Standard, Tour, and Sport modes, the new generation Insignia is supposed to be more agile to drive.
The former automatically selects the best setup based on the info collected by sensors, while the Tour is recommended for optimum fuel consumption and it’s said to be the best choice of the three for long distance drives. In the Sport mode, the steering provides more direct feedback, the chassis angles less when cornering at high speeds and brake dive is reduced. Additionally, the chassis and propulsion components can change automatically to Sport if the software detects a more dynamic driving style.
To prove their statement, the team behind its development, led by chief engineer Andreas Zipser, traveled to the Nurburgring with a bunch of camouflaged prototypes that were pushed to their limits.
“You can feel that the Insignia has been developed from a white sheet of paper, as soon as you get into the car. The integration of the driver is outstanding and this provides a much better feel for the car. The Insignia has become more agile, even with the same engine“, Zipser said.
From previous reports we know that the new Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, which will make its way to the Australian market as the Holden Commodore and to the US as the new Buick Regal, is based on GM’s new modular architecture known as E2. This provides an additional 92 mm (3.62 in) to the wheelbase and opens up the possibility of new engines, including the 1.5-liter petrol, which serves as a replacement for the previous 1.4-liter, and the range-topping 2.0-liter turbo, with 247 horsepower.
Opel is expected to pull the covers off their new family sedan next March at the Geneva Motor Show.
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