First Official Pics of Opel Insignia’s Interior

These are the very first official shots of the soon-to-be-launched Opel Insignia’s interior, or to be precise, the UK market Insignia that bears the Vauxhall logo. While we had the chance to get a glimpse of the mid-size sedan’s interior in a series of leaked (low-res) images back in April, these official pictures from Vauxhall allow us to see the cabin in high-resolution detail.

The Insignia, which could come to the States as a Saturn, features a relatively sporty wrap around interior design that has nothing in common with the Vectra’s ultra conservative cabin. Highlights include chronometer-inspired instruments and a unique instrument cluster lighting which is illuminated white, but on pressing the ‘Sport’ button, the lighting turns red to match the surrounding illumination. -Continued

“This is a paradigm shift for Vauxhall,” says John Puskar, Executive Director of Interior Design at GM Europe. “We wanted to create interior environments for all our future vehicles that are warm, inviting and sporty. The Insignia is the first evidence of this philosophy.”

“Every detail was meticulously thought through,” says Jochen Werner, Insignia’s Assistant Chief Interior Designer. “We even tipped the infotainment centre at a 30 degree angle to allow the centre console to flow and give the car’s cabin a greater feeling of spaciousness.”

Along with the official high-res interior pics, Vauxhall also released new exterior images of the Insignia in a lusty black colour.

World’s Biggest Collection of Classic Vauxhalls Open to the Public for a Day

Coinciding with the celebrations of 10 million Astra sales since the model first appeared in 1980 (Opel called the Astra then Kadett), Vauxhall will open the doors of its Heritage Centre to the public for a day, on Sunday, June 8. The world’s biggest private collection of classic Vauxhalls includes the company’s very first model in 1903 through to ‘modern’ classics such as the last ever Monaro. The Heritage centre also features special cars like the 4S rally car and an ex-BTCC racer.

Vauxhall VXR8 Gets New 425Hp LS3 6.2L V8

Like its Australian counterpart, the Holden Commodore based HSV Clubsport R8, the UK market Vauxhall VXR8 is being enhanced with GM’s new and more powerful LS3 engine. The new V8 engine’s capacity grows from 6.0-liters to 6.2-liters and thanks to various improvements over the outgoing LS2 unit, power is up by 14 PS to 431 PS (317kw or 425 Hp) at 6,000rpm.

With the new LS3 the automatic VXR8 goes from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.9 sec, a 0.1 sec improvement over the LS2 model. Moreover, in-gear acceleration for manual models has also improved with 50-70mph in 3rd gear dropping from 2.8 to 2.6 sec while 30-50mph in 2nd gear drops from 2.0 to 1.9 sec. -Continued

Vauxhall supports that, despite the VXR8’s enhanced performance credentials, its LS3 produces the same emissions and fuel consumption as the outgoing LS2 unit. In addition, the VXR8 automatic receives a transmission oil cooler as standard.

The LS3 VXR8 is also offered with all-new body colour - Heron White – at no extra cost, as well as the option of factory-fit 20-inch rims for the first time on this model. Prices for both manual and automatic versions of the LS3-powered VXR8, which are on sale in the UK now, rise by £485 to £35,695.

Vauxhall Tigra Sport Rouge Special Edition

The Sport Rouge is Vauxhall’s equivalent of the Opel Tigra Illusion that was unveiled at the Geneva Show last March. The special edition’s most prominent feature is of course its roof which is now covered in a Bordeaux Red coloured fabric giving a soft top illusion to the hard top roadster.

This edition is available in four body colors - Metro Blue, Star Silver, Flame Red or Black Sapphire - and comes as standard with central locking, electrically adjustable door mirrors, CD player and steering wheel mounted controls. Also standard are 16” alloy wheels, an aux-in MP3 player jack and Sports seats. -Continued

Offered with a choice of three engines – 1.4 liter and 1.8 liter petrols, and a 1.3 turbo diesel, the Tigra Sport Rouge is available for order in the UK with prices range from £15,705 to £17,195.

Vauxhall Astra VXR 255Hp Nurburgring Edition

What the Opel Astra OPC or, as it’s called in the UK, the Vauxhall Astra VXR, lacks in finesse and overall capabilities compared to its main rival, the VW Golf GTi, it more than compensates with its hardcore character. And while here in the U.S. we get “stuck” with the Saturn Astra 1.8, in the UK, buyers can now opt for a limited production version of the top-notch 3door Astra dubbed “Nürburgring Edition”.

Named after the car’s spiritual home, where much of its pre-production development was carried out, the Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition comes with an exclusive all-white paint finish and lightweight white 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Dunlop tyres. Other exterior features include dark tinted windows, carbon fibre effect mirrors and B-Pillars and distinctive chequered flag body graphics.

The Nürburgring Edition theme continues inside, with carbon fibre detailing on the door trims and fascia, bespoke leather seats with the Nürburgring circuit graphic embossed into the Recaro front seat backrests and an individually numbered plaque showing each car’s build number. -Continued

Mechanically-wise, all UK-specification cars will come with a Remus Sports Exhaust, developed with Vauxhall’s BTCC race team, Triple-Eight Race Engineering, which provides a power increase of up to 15 Hp. The standard car’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine produces 240 Hp in factory tune, giving it the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph (96 km/h) in 6.2 sec and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph or 250 km/h.

Sales of the limited edition Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition have begun in the UK priced at £21,295 on-the-road.

Opel Insignia Officially Unveiled!

Following a series of leaks – the latest being a new set of images that we posted earlier today, Opel finally decided to officially take the wraps off the all-new Insignia. Designated to replace the Vectra in Opel’s European line-up, the Insignia will be available in the UK with the Vauxhall badge (see pics after the jump) while it’s quite possible that we will also see it in the States as the successor to the Saturn Aura.

Opel’s new 4.83 meter / 190.1 in. mid-size sedan boasts a sexy silhouette that’s clearly inspired from the 2007 Geneva Show GTC Concept. “With Insignia we are introducing an exciting new sophisticated design vocabulary, which combines sculptural artistry with German precision,” says Mark Adams, Vice President Design, GM Europe. “Our aim was to develop a confident look which compels the world to experience for themselves the superb driving dynamics the Insignia radiates.”

For the first time, and apart from the front-wheel versions, Opel will be offering its mid-size sedan with an all-wheel drive system dubbed “Adaptive 4X4”. Both versions of the Insignia will can be combined with Opel’s FlexRide mechatronic chassis system with Adaptive Stability Technology that helps the car adjust to prevailing driving conditions and allows the driver to select settings to match his mood.

The Insignia’s initial engine line-up will consist of seven units, four gasoline engines ranging from a four-cylinder 115 hp unit to a V6 with 260 hp and three new direct-injection diesels featuring a displacement of 2.0 liter and outputs spanning from 110 to 160 hp. -Continued

“The Opel Insignia sets new standards in technology and innovation -- this will be obvious right from the launch. But we are keeping several cards up our sleeves when it comes to environmental compatibility, excitement and safety, which we will play strategically overtime” says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer, GM Europe.

The Insignia notch- and hatchback will make their debut on July 22, 2008 at the London Motor Show with sales set to start in Europe this fall.

2009 Opel Insignia: Engine Range To Include 1.6 and 2.0 Turbo Units

We still have a few days left before Opel officially unveils the new Insignia, but since a whole set of images were leaked into the net the other day, there’s no point for hiding anymore. Apart from the pictures without watermarks, we also have initial details on the Insignia’s engine range.

Starting off with gasoline models, the Vectra’s successor will be offered with five petrol units: 1.6-liter with 115 Hp; 1.8-liter with 140 Hp; 1.6-liter Turbo with 180 Hp; 2.0-liter Turbo with 200 Hp and 2.8-liter V6 Turbo with 260 Hp. The Insignia’s diesel engine range will include four units: 2.0-liter available with 110, 130 and 160 Hp and a top notch 2.9-liter V6 with 250 Hp.

In 2009 Opel will enhance the Insignia’s range with the addition of an OPC version that will be equipped with a 300 HP 2.8-liter V6 Turbo engine combined with an all-wheel drive system. The Insignia will go on sale in Europe this summer and although this is not official yet, it is expected that it will also come to the States as the successor to the Saturn Aura. –More pics after the jump

2009 Opel Insignia: Prematurely Leaked on the Web

While Opel was busy handing out camouflaged images of the Insignia, the guys at Dutch magazine AutoWeek managed to get there hands on the first official images of Opel’s forthcoming mid-size sedan. As you can see in the pictures, the Insignia, which will most probably be sold in the States as a Saturn (Aura) and in Australia and New Zealand as a Holden, is far more tasty in and out than the outgoing Vectra.

We don’t have the official details on the mechanics yet, but in Europe expect the range to kick off with 1.8-liter petrol (140 Hp) and 1.9-liter turbo-diesel engines. There will also be a top-of-the line Insignia OPC model equipped with GM’s 2.9-liter V6 turbo engine pumping out approximately 300 Hp to all four wheels. –More pics after the jump

Via: Autoblog.com , Source: Autoweek