Following yesterday’s revealing scoops, the time for GM to pull the wraps off the new Insignia Grand Sport has come, with Vauxhall being the first brand to do so.
The new Opel / Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport is based on a new modular platform which allowed not only for athletic proportions but also for a more spacious cabin and class-leading aerodynamics with a Cd figure of 0.26.
The new underpinnings also brought significant weight savings of up to 175kg (385lbs) with the body-in-white being 60kg (132lbs) lighter on its own. The roofline is now lower by 29mm with the tracks being wider by 11mm. The wheelbase is now longer by 92mm, with the overhangs reduced significantly.
As for the design, it’s pretty obvious that Opel wanted to bring as many elements of the Monza concept to production as they could. “Its design combines flowing lines and subtle surfaces with crisp, precise lines to exaggerate its dramatic proportions: it looks longer, lower and wider than it actually is, and it definitely looks upscale”, said Brit Mark Adams, Opel Vice President Design Europe. “Every design feature conveys technical know-how and the utmost precision. The new Insignia Grand Sport is an excellent value proposition with the aura of a car from the premium, upper class.”
Under the elegant bodywork, there’s a wide range of the latest technologies that aim to make the new Insignia Grand Sport not only safer but more comfortable as well; Opel has given their new model features like a new gen of their IntelliLux LED matrix lighting, Lane Keep Assist, Head-up Display and unique AGR-certified premium seats, front- and rear-seat heating and a heated windshield among others.
No official word yet on the powertrains though, with Vauxhall only announcing a wide range of turbocharged engines and transmissions when it is officially launched next year with a new eight-speed automatic gearbox to offer ‘class-leading’ shift quality. Range-topping models at launch are expected to use a 247hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol, at least until the OPC/VXR version arrives.
Also new is the intelligent all-wheel drive system, which features two electrically controlled multi-plate clutches that replace the rear axle differential, enabling for the first time the torque vectoring feature. The revised FlexRide chassis offers three driving modes: Standard, Sport and Tour with a new Drive Mode Control option to adapt the car continuously to the driving style by analyzing the information provided by the sensors and settings of the car.
