Rüsselsheim – sneak preview
In order to give the media a sneak preview into the new world of Vauxhall (or Opel, depending on where you live), a group of journos was invited to GM’s plant in Rüsselsheim, Germany to view the company’s new Vectra replacement. Scheduled for its first public showing at the British Motor Show at Excel in London later this month, the Insignia is everything the media blurb says it is.
GM have pushed the boat out in taking notice of where they stood in the European market, and the new Insignia certainly ticks all the boxes when weighed up against the opposition. By their own admission, GM’s designers took a long hard look at the A4 and VW’s Passat, regarding those two models as the benchmark in the industry – which is very nice if you happen to work in Wolfsburg or Ingolstadt.
Far from the prying eyes of the public, we were whisked off behind high walls and closed doors (cameras were verboten!) to be introduced to the new model by the Insignia’s Exterior Design Chief, Malcolm Ward. In a walk around the car, Ward explained how GM had achieved the look they had wanted, which at first glance, the writer must confess to likening this car to the rest of the Euro-bins on the market at present. However, after some time with the car, its special qualities surfaced and it really is quite different from the rest of the market.
When compared to the car it replaces, the rear track of the new Insignia is 50mm wider than the outgoing Vectra, but the B-post is only 30mm wider, so this accentuates the muscular and sporty look of the rear arches. At 4.8m long, the Insignia is every bit as big as a Mondeo but it doesn’t look like it, and as Ward says, “Cars that look smaller communicate a smaller message.”
GM were at pains to promote the new corporate design thinking which is summed up in the brand statement, ‘Sculptural artistry with German precision’. This was the brief given to the various creative departments and each designer we spoke to brought this into his/her explanation of the new model.
Mark Adams, Vice President of Design for GM Europe, adds. “The Insignia brings emotion and passion back to the brand. We have founded a new design language in the Insignia which we will develop and create equally bold steps for other future models.”
The Insignia has a very sleek back window giving it a low, coupe look, sprucing up its repmobile reputation. As the UK and Germany are the model’s biggest markets (UK – 45% of production), it is anticipated that this newcomer will once again be a popular seller in the fleet market in the UK.
Insignia will be available in three petrol and two diesel engines: petrol – 1.8, 2.0, 2.8 V6; diesel – two 2.0-litre diesel engines (130/160bhp).
|
