The Opel Insignia was Opel’s large family car, and its flagship, from 2008 to 2022. It replaced both the Vectra and the Signum under one name, brought new driver-assistance technology to the range, and in the end was discontinued without a successor.
Opel Insignia at a glance
| Maker | Opel, then Groupe PSA and Stellantis |
|---|---|
| Production | 2008–2022 |
| Class | large family car, D-segment |
| Replaced | Opel Vectra and Opel Signum |
| Platform | GM Epsilon II, first car on it |
| Bodies | four-door saloon, five-door liftback, Sports Tourer estate |
| Length | 4.83 m saloon and liftback, 4.91 m estate |
| Wheelbase | 2.73 m |
| OPC engine | 2.8-litre turbo V6, 325 PS |
| Other brands | Vauxhall, Buick Regal, Holden Commodore |
| End | 2022, without a successor |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Opel Insignia.
History of the Opel Insignia
Goodbye Vectra
In December 2006 Vauxhall said it would retire the Vectra name, and the then president of General Motors Europe, Carl-Peter Forster, explained that the new car would be “a radical departure” from the old model, so the Vectra badge would go with it. In late 2007 the name Insignia was confirmed, taken from a 2003 concept car. With it Opel hoped to win back some of the market the executive Omega had once held.
The car of 2008
The Insignia was shown as a Vauxhall at the British International Motor Show in London on 23 July 2008 and went on sale in Europe that October as a five-door liftback and a five-door estate called Sports Tourer — a break with Opel’s traditional Caravan name. It was the first production car on the Epsilon II platform, later shared with the 2010 Saab 9-5 and the Chevrolet Malibu. Inside it offered 30 mm more knee room than the Vectra; saloon and liftback were 4.83 m long, the estate 4.91 m, all on the same 2.73 m wheelbase. It was also the first car to wear Opel’s redesigned badge, and for Vauxhall the first to drop the V-shaped grille used since 1994.
Safety and the OPC
The Insignia introduced a long list of assistance systems to an Opel. Adaptive Forward Lighting used bi-xenon headlamps able to vary the beam in width, direction and range, with a static cornering light and LED daytime running lights, all managed by sensors watching traffic and weather. Opel Eye used a camera at the top of the windscreen with two functions: lane departure warning, which alerted the driver above 60 km/h, and traffic sign memory. It was the first production car with a dual-function frontal camera offering sign recognition.
In early 2009 came the Insignia OPC, with a 2.8-litre single-turbo V6 built in Melbourne, Australia, producing 325 PS and 435 Nm, with a six-speed manual or automatic and a Haldex-based all-wheel-drive system. It used a modified MacPherson strut front suspension called HiPerStrut to reduce torque steer, an electronic limited-slip differential at the rear and Opel’s three-mode FlexRide adaptive damping; an OPC estate followed, and in April 2011 the OPC Unlimited dropped the speed limiter. A small number of OPC cars, 17 of them, were converted by Erich Bitter as the Bitter Insignia with a new front and an all-leather interior.
The end
The Insignia was sold around the world as the Vauxhall Insignia, the Buick Regal in North America and China, and, for its second generation, the Holden Commodore ZB in Australia. In February 2022 Opel confirmed that the model would be discontinued at the end of the year without a successor, because of poor sales and a plan to concentrate on the Astra, Corsa and SUVs.
Design and features
- Opel Eye: the first production car with a dual-function frontal camera offering traffic sign recognition.
- Adaptive Forward Lighting: bi-xenon lamps that change width, direction and range of the beam.
- HiPerStrut and FlexRide: OPC suspension and three-mode adaptive damping.
- One name for two cars: the Insignia replaced both the Vectra and the Signum.
Opel Insignia versions
- Insignia liftback (2008): the five-door main body style.
- Insignia Sports Tourer: the estate, replacing the Caravan name.
- Insignia OPC (2009): 325 PS V6 with all-wheel drive.
- OPC Unlimited (2011): the same car without a speed limiter.
- Bitter Insignia: 17 converted cars with a new front and leather interior.
- Insignia Country Tourer: the estate with a more rugged look.
The Insignia replaced the Vectra and the Signum in one move. More cars are in the Opel collection.
Video: E-Klasse Mercedes vs. 5er BMW vs. Opel Insignia – Abenteuer Auto
Video by Abenteuer Auto on YouTube.
Sources
- Opel Insignia, English Wikipedia: history, dimensions, safety systems, OPC, end of production
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