The fastest ever Vauxhall estate car will be unleashed on a highly anticipating UK public this coming autumn. The Insignia VXR Sports Tourer seen in these pages is the complete real deal, nothing left to uncover except the price. That comes later with the official launch. Most other world markets will know it as the Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer.
Over 10,000 kilometres of testing was done to make sure the VXR Sports Tourer not only gets to grips with reliability very easily but that it performs beyond any normal estate when it comes to dynamics. Part of its extensive training was done at the Nurburgring Nordschleife where our spies snapped it a few times.
It's the first Vauxhall to use and Adaptive 4x4 system with an electronic limited slip differential. To improve handling further the car sits 10mm lower than the standard Insignia Sports Tourer. In regular trim it gets 19-inch alloys but there are 20s available at an extra cost. Brembo has supplied the colour-coded brakes that are fitted.
As far as performance is concerned the VXR Sports Tourer can run with the best of them and leave some in its wake. It has a 2.8-litre V6 engine with a turbo that spews out 325PS (239kW). The 0 - 60mph time is 6 seconds and top speed is a limited 155mph (249km/h).
Vauxhall gives potential buyers the option of one of six exterior colours, any of which should sit quite well with the deep bumpers, the front mesh grille and the dual matt chrome exhausts.
Inside there are Recaro seats, VXR still plates, different instrument graphics, a VXR steering wheel and gear shifter. Despite its sporty nature, the VXR also fits in with the image of family transport. The maximum load space with the rear seats dropped is 1,530 litres.
Vauxhall is confident that people who had previously only bought cars like the Audi S4 Avant and the BMW 335i M Sport Touring would seriously start considering getting into the Insignia VXR Sports Tourer.
[CORRECTION] Information edited to reflect V6 instead of V8 engine.
- Fastest ever Vauxhall estate with 6-second 0-60 time
- 1530-litre load capability combined with Adaptive 4x4 chassis and 325 horsepower
- Third and final body style to be offered in Insignia VXR spec
Luton – With 10,000 kilometres of gruelling validation at the world’s most fearsome and demanding test track now under their belt, the Vauxhall Insignia VXR hatch and saloon are set to raise the bar in their sector with a heady mix of high performance, practicality and sophisticated dynamics.
And now, adding even greater versatility to the range, Vauxhall can confirm that the Insignia VXR Sports Tourer will be the third body style to join the line up and will be available in UK dealerships this autumn, after enduring the same rigorous testing at the notorious Nürburgring Circuit.
Combining all the technical highlights of the VXR hatch and saloon with best in class-matching luggage capacity (rear seats up), the VXR Sports Tourer is not only the fastest estate car Vauxhall has ever produced, but also the first to incorporate Adaptive 4x4 and an electronic limited slip differential (eLSD).
Like its saloon and hatch siblings, the VXR Sports Tourer sits 10 millimetres lower than the regular Sports Tourer, and features the unique HiPerStrut system, which reduces torque-steer and maintains negative camber during cornering, thereby improving wet and dry grip levels.
Complementing these features are standard 19-inch alloy wheels (20-inch lightweight forged alloys are a cost option) with bespoke tyres, revised bushing and damper settings on both axles, and Brembo brakes with colour-keyed callipers and vented/cross-drilled discs.
And with 325PS, the Brembos are a must. Using a modified version of the 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 engine that’s standard in the Insignia Elite model, the Sports Tourer VXR will hit 60mph from zero in 6.0 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph.
Inside, the Sports Tourer’s performance credentials are laid bare, with its front Recaro seats, VXR steering wheel and gearknob, as well as different instrument graphics, VXR sill plates and black headlining.
But where the VXR Sports Tourer really scores is in its versatility. With 540-litres of load space with the 40:60 split rear seats up, the SportsTourer matches the best in class. Drop the 40:60 split rear seats and you have a maximum load volume of 1530-litres.
Accessing this area has never been easier, thanks to the Sports Tourer VXR’s standard electronic tailgate, which can be operated off the driver’s key fob, or via a rotary knob on the inside of the driver’s door. Using these functions, not only can the opening height of the tailgate be restricted, but it can also be pre-set at a lower level if you frequently park in a garage with a low ceiling.
Deeper bumpers, front mesh grilles and dual matt chrome exhausts are among the Sports Tourer VXR’s visual armoury, complemented by a colour palette comprising Arden Blue, Power Red, Carbon Flash Black (pictured), Silver Lake, Olympic White and Technical Grey.
‘The Insignia VXR Sports Tourer will be a compelling alternative for buyers in the premium sector who may currently be considering an Audi S4 Avant or BMW 335i M Sport Touring,’ said Andy Gilson, Vauxhall’s Marketing Director. ‘We’ve already seen a swing to the Insignia from premium buyers who’d never before ticked the Vauxhall box on their wish list, and we expect to see the same buying pattern emerge with all versions of the Insignia VXR.’
Prices for the Insignia VXR range will be announced early summer.
daviepops
May 20, 2009 1:17 PM
