All-new Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport makes debut

The all-new Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport finally makes its official debut, arriving as a much larger car before hence the additional bits to its name. While known as a Vauxhall in certain markets (United Kingdom), the Insignia Grand Sport will likely be badged as an Opel Insignia (Germany), Buick Regal (China and North America) or a Holden Commodore (Australia and New Zealand) as well.

According to the company, the Monza Concept from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show served as the inspiration for the new car’s design. At the front, there’s a winged grille sandwiched between new IntelliLux LED matrix headlamps. Said lighting units feature L-shaped DRLs similar to those on the concept, as well as an increased number off LED segments – 32. More LEDs can be found in the wider taillights (no longer C-shaped) as well as the third brake light.

Down the sides, two distinct lines can be seen, with the first running through the door handles, while the other flows from the lower section of the front doors towards the rear wheel arch. From this angle, you’ll noticed the sleeker profile thanks to the 29 mm decrease in height.

The new car also measures 55 mm longer than the car it replaces, and 92 mm has been added to the wheelbase. A drag coefficient of just 0.26 is the end result of the new design, but despite the increased size, the car actually weighs up to 175 kg less than the outgoing model.

Inside, clean lines are part of the new dashboard layout, while the number of switchgear has been decreased to make things less cluttered. While the steering wheel may appear to be unchanged, the steering boss is a little larger, and the controls on the spokes are new as well.

As for new tech, the instrument cluster has been replaced with one featuring a digital panels, heated windshield and a head-up display. There’s also a frameless touchscreen display on the dash, linked to the car’s IntelliLink infotainment system, which comes with features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration

Improved cabin materials are also employed to further cement its premium ambitions. Furthermore, the increased wheelbase also provides a more spacious living space for passengers, while the driver sits 30 mm lower due to the decrease in height.

Under the hood, the Insignia will be available with a range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, along with new transmissions when it is officially launched next year. The latter includes a new eight-speed automatic, and can be had with an all-wheel drive system that uses two electrically controlled multi-plate clutches instead of a rear axle differential, allowing for torque vectoring.

The FlexRide chassis also gets improved here, with different driving modes – Standard, Sport and Tour – that adapts the dampers, steering, throttle response and shift points. A new central ‘Drive Mode Control’ software handles the drive modes, and can be customised to each driver’s needs.

On the safety side, the car will get a rear cross traffic alert system capable of detecting objects coming from up to 20 metres, lane keep assist with lane departure warning and adaptive cruise, which is able to automatically engage emergency braking in case it detects an imminent danger.

2017 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport