Vauxhall/Opel Insignia Sports Tourer Revealed

 Vauxhall/Opel Insignia Sports Tourer Revealed
Opel Insignia Sports Tourer

World debut in Paris

Having already unveiled the sedan and hatchback version of the all-new Opel Insignia, General Motors has now presented us with the third variant of the range. The estate version which is labelled as the Insignia Sports Tourer will be unveiled to the world's press on the 2nd October at the Paris Motor Show.

This new version will be available with two new engines in addition to the five already offered: a more powerful turbodiesel and a smaller capacity turbocharged gasoline engine. Specific details are yet to be released.

This estate version is being presented as a stand alone model as a posed to just another variant of the Insignia.

Mark Adams, Vice-President of GM Europe Design says, “this is a stand-alone model and not simply an estate version of the saloon. In fact, all the bodywork aft of the B-pillars is unique to the Sports Tourer. We’ve also ensured that its design combines the sculptural artistry and technical precision found in the saloon and hatch models.”

The wraparound design of the rear end smoothly fits into the the Insignia’s design backing up Adams' argument and it houses one of the largest cargo spaces in it's class. The overall length of the vehicle grows by 80mm over the hatchback and sedan whilst the 2,737mm wheelbase is retained.

Source: Opel

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 nadster nadster
Quite distinctive when compared with the Vectra estate, and quite an attractive design.
August 14, 2008 11:09 am
 renaultfan renaultfan
after Renault Laguna Estate, this is the most beautiful estate in its class!
August 14, 2008 11:18 am
 alessandro alessandro
Agree.
August 16, 2008 5:45 pm
 amade.ch amade.ch
wonderful. this just have to be a huge success for opel.
August 14, 2008 11:55 am
 amade.ch amade.ch
has to be (why is there no edit function?)
August 14, 2008 11:56 am
 daviepops daviepops
I agree ... the lack of an edit function is annoying when you need to fix a typo.
August 14, 2008 12:39 pm
 BENZian BENZian
...the writers need help also...stand alone model as a posed to just another variant of the Insignia...the phrase they are looking for is opposed not a posed
August 14, 2008 12:00 pm
 AG4 AG4
Rear looks like an Audi Q7.
August 14, 2008 12:08 pm
 daviepops daviepops
Congratulations to Q7 ... "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" ... but hey when it looks this good why wouldn't you try to copy Audi
August 14, 2008 12:34 pm
 asif asif
stand alone model? come one! how exactly? its a insignia estate pure and simple. give us some credit! its like they are "embarrassed" for it to be part of the hatch and saloon duo. dont go down the whole signum route guys. that was just a vectra with a beter styled rear, and look what happened to that! other than that its a nice looking estate for sure. also do the rear light lift up in the door, from what i can make of the shutlines around them? thats one massive door then!!
August 14, 2008 12:56 pm
 milonakis milonakis
I Thought It Was Law That Rear Lights Have To Be Visible When The Door Is Open. I Read It In A Review Of THe Clubman, It Has Exposed Wires.
August 14, 2008 2:23 pm
 asif asif
stand alone model? come one! how exactly? its a insignia estate pure and simple. give us some credit! its like they are "embarrassed" for it to be part of the hatch and saloon duo. dont go down the whole signum route guys. that was just a vectra with a beter styled rear, and look what happened to that! other than that its a nice looking estate for sure. also do the rear light lift up in the door, from what i can make of the shutlines around them? thats one massive door then!!
August 14, 2008 12:56 pm
 nadster nadster
Actually, the more I look at it, the more Honda Accord Tourer I see in that rear...
August 14, 2008 1:05 pm
 sfero sfero
Yep, I'd completely agree with you. If anything, it's most likely the new Honda Accord Tourer as far as the rear end is concerned. Anyways, I'm already a fan of this car!
August 14, 2008 9:11 pm
 Car_Nut Car_Nut
Nice looking car... well done GM!
August 14, 2008 1:37 pm
 BritBoy BritBoy
I prefer the Insignia Hatch over the Mondeo hatch but for me the Mondeo Estate edges the Vauxhall. Both very good designs though and way, way ahead of the boring VW Passat and hideously ugly Renault Laguna.
August 14, 2008 2:02 pm
 mmr66 mmr66
i dont get why in england they call it vauxhall and in dubai they call it opel can anyone eplain it to me
August 14, 2008 2:56 pm
 nadster nadster
Yes, Vauxhall was originally a British company until it was bought by GM like Opel, and then Opels which are sold in Europe, are badged as Vauxhalls ONLY in the UK due to brand loyalty.
August 14, 2008 2:59 pm
 dom6698 dom6698
it is what is commonly known as marketing it appeals to the side of the consumer which craves familiarity
August 14, 2008 11:01 pm
 wiking wiking
They did a great job in russelsheim... $$ to the design guys..
August 14, 2008 3:38 pm
 mmr66 mmr66
thanks nadster
August 14, 2008 3:58 pm
 Nurchus Nurchus
SATURN IS GETTING A NEW DESIGN!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here comes a rebadge...
August 14, 2008 4:30 pm
 coopergt coopergt
Wow way cool
August 14, 2008 5:48 pm
 BabyMilo BabyMilo
the rear end looks kinda bloated and fat... i think that the c5 estate is better looking
August 14, 2008 8:34 pm
 racsozelev racsozelev
i agree with you babymilo, the overall design is too good to need to copy the Q7 rear solution. pity. still great job opel! hope you sell what you deserve.
August 14, 2008 9:07 pm
 dom6698 dom6698
Why are all these cars so BIG? Is it because people are fatter? Anyway I can see supermarket car parks filled with Insignia estates with 300lb parents with kids eating McDonald's fries and shakes and a large queue of cars waiting for some twit attempting to shoehorn it into a space. A Renault Laguna has better engines. It weighs less than most of the Mondeos and Passats and Citroens. It is easier to drive, costs less to tax, costs less to run, is easier to park in the city. How daft would you have to be to think that its is actually a genuine Opel, Vauxhall, Saturn or Holden? Every person will have one soon.
August 14, 2008 11:37 pm
 DieselDog DieselDog
I like the design of the rear end, although I am concerned that the designer's choice to include the top half of the rear bumper face in the hatch itself would make for very costly repairs in a relatively low-speed accidnet (such as backing into a stationary pole at 2.5 mph). There is NO protection for the bottom edge of the hatch. I wonder if the hatch could be easily popped-open after a light impact. Of course, I could be looking at it all wrong - I have not yet seen photos of the rear hatch open.
August 15, 2008 12:12 am
 daviepops daviepops
Good point ... well spotted ... the look good factor could easily turn out to be an extra cost factor when it comes to repairs for a small shunt in the rear.
August 15, 2008 6:20 am
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