Dynamic and passionate driving has a new name at Opel: Insignia OPC. Its 2.8 V6 Turbo powerhouse with 239 kW/325 hp and a massive 435 Nm of torque makes it Opel’s most powerful production car of all time. The high performance Insignia sedans reach a top speed of 250 km/h (restricted) and race from zero to 100 km/h in a mere six seconds. The OPC variants of the Car of the Year 2009 will be available this fall in all three body styles – notchback, hatchback and Sports Tourer. Read the rest of this entry »

The Insignia OPC Sports Tourer will hit dealerships later this year, but first it has to go through hell – the Green Hell of the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife, considered the toughest, most demanding and dangerous race track in the world.

Opel engineers insist that all vehicles in their OPC range complete a rigorous 10,000 kilometer testing around the 20.8 km Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, dubbed the Green Hell by legendary race car driver Jackie Stewart. Just a few days ago, the Insignia OPC sedan finished the challenge with no problems. Read the rest of this entry »

Following its crowning glory as 2009 European Car of the Year and the recent launch of the all-new Sports Tourer, it may seem there’s no getting away from the Vauxhall Insignia.

And now, there really isn’t! GM UK Special Vehicles has pulled the wraps off the all-new Police specification version of the car, which can be supplied to order to Police fleets throughout the UK. Read the rest of this entry »

After the world premiere of the Insignia 5-door by Steinmetz at the Essen Motor Show 2008, the duo was completed with the world premiere of the Insignia SportsTourer by Steinmetz at Tuning World Bodensee 2009.

Components already available include the front spoiler, front grille, kit for lowering by approx. 25mm and the wheel/tyre combination in 20“ with 245/35/R20. The 20-inch ST7 is available in polished black or white.

For the roof of the Insignia SportsTourer by Steinmetz, a two-piece spoiler has been developed which, in conjunction with the signature Steinmetz exhaust tailpipe, gives the rear a more muscular appearance. Read the rest of this entry »

Packing 325 horsepower, a sophisticated four-wheel-drive chassis and a sub-six second 0-60 time, Vauxhall’s new Insignia VXR is set to take the mid-size performance saloon market by storm when it goes on sale early this summer, with a level of dynamic prowess which aims to raise the bar in its class.

Based on the successful 2009 European Car of the Year, and available in hatch, saloon and Sports Tourer body styles, the high-performance Insignia will be Vauxhall’s first VXR model to adopt 4X4 technology, using a bespoke chassis developed through an extensive test programme at the gruelling Nurburgring circuit in Germany. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s taken five years to complete the styling on the Opel Insignia. Now it’s ready, packed with the latest technology such as innovative lighting systems, all-wheel drive with selective power distribution to the rear wheels, and adaptive suspension. Not to mention pedestrian protection. So is there still room for tuning? Read the rest of this entry »

Euro NCAP today releases the results for some of Europe’s best-selling cars. This is the last time that Euro NCAP will release results under its current rating system, before the organisation’s new rating system is launched in February 2009. Of the twelve vehicles whose results are released today, eight received Euro NCAP’s maximum award of five stars.

Euro NCAP’s top scorers for adult occupant protection in this release were the Alfa Romeo Mito, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 308CC, Volkswagen Golf VI, Renault Megane, Honda Accord, Opel Insignia and the Volvo XC60. Not all of these cars performed as well in child occupant or pedestrian protection. Read the rest of this entry »