Opel's Insignia, replacing the Vectra, is a welcome change, Michael McAleer, Motoring editor, reports from London.
OPEL HAS heralded a new era for the brand with the introduction of its Vectra replacement, the new Insignia. Needless to say, the name change is a strong enough signal that the General Motors brand wants to cast aside the lacklustre reputation earned by its current family car and attack this particular segment with a far more competitive offering. As with rivals such as the recent Ford Mondeo, the key characteristic has been a swing towards the premium end of the segment.
From the exterior styling through to the radically improved interior, this car needed a name change, for the Vectra badge would do it a disservice. The exterior - with its large prominent grille and coupé-like curves - represents the new styling language for the brand. According to chief designer Mark Adams, we can expect many of the traits from this car to carry forward in new models like the upcoming Meriva and next generation Astra. Comments from the show floor compared it to the Lexus design styling and suchlike. It's certainly one of the most attractive cars in this class, putting ever-more pressure on Toyota to do something dramatic with its Avensis.
Inside the cabin has been completely revamped. A new central console features a smart central toggle switch that's not simply click and twist, but also operates as a movable mouse-like pointer on the control screen. Rear seat headroom is slightly restricted by the lower c-pillar, but Opel makes no apologies about it.
It's not just the look that has been overhauled. Underpinning the Insignia is a completely new chassis featuring the firm's new Flexride system that allows you to choose either normal, comfort or sports settings. Each makes slight changes to the suspension, handling and throttle response.
We had the chance to get an early test of this system on a night drive in the car some weeks ago and the good news is that while each setting offers a noticeable change of character, it's a matter of degrees.
Five engines will be offered initially when the car arrives here in November. While there are three petrol engines in the range - a 1.6-litre, 1.8-litre and 2-litre turbo - none of them match the new 2-litre diesel for either fuel economy or carbon emissions. The diesel is offered in two power options - a 130bhp and 160bhp - but both record emission levels of just 154g/km when matched to the new six-speed manual transmission. At its current rating the 2-litre will carry a Vehicle Registration Tax of just 20 per cent, compared to 28 per cent for the 1.6-litre petrol version. The best buy will be the 2-litre, making the petrol engines seem pretty redundant.
Opel wants to put up a real challenge to the Mondeo. First impressions are really good. Now it's down to the production team to deliver on the promises made on build quality.