320-hp, twin-turbo Opel Insignia spied ahead of Geneva debut
General Motors' Opel division has been hard at work on a performance version of its hot new Insignia, the reigning European Car of the Year, and the first spy shot – probably snapped on someone's camera phone – has surfaced online. To be sold as the Vauxhall Insignia VXR in the UK and as the Opel Insignia OPC in Europe, the car is reported to have lapped the vaunted Nürburgring Nordschleife in a hair over eight minutes, which is a blistering fast time for a relatively large hatch. The hot Insignia evidently wears big 20-inch wheels with concave dark spokes and chrome accents, wrapped in 255/35 R20 rubber and capped by bulging wheel arches. All four contact patches are in use to put down the anticipate 320 horsepower from the twin-turbo V6, while big air vents borrowed from the sharp-lookin' Opel GTC Concept help the drivetrain get the wind it needs. Hatchback, sedan and wagon variants are all expected to be part of the mix. We're hoping to see this bad boy in pre-production preview form this March at the Geneva Motor Show, with the full production version to follow in the Spring at the Frankfurt Auto Show. But more than that, we're quietly hoping to see it Stateside as the successor to the V8-powered Buick LaCrosse Super (known as the Allure in Canada due to a certain unsavory Quebecois slang conflict). We can hope, can't we?
[Source: EVO via AutoExpress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mehdi Cheddadi 2:34PM (1/28/2009)
LaCrosse, hahaha!
is it RWD?
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Serge 2:40PM (1/28/2009)
They are referring to the new LaCrosse that was just introduced, it rides on the same platform as the Opel Insignia. Both cars can be had with AWD.
Max 6:23PM (1/28/2009)
Another 'souped up' gas guzzler. Useless.
Dustin 9:05PM (1/29/2009)
Max, can you please wander back over to autoblogGREEN? kthxbye.
Serge 2:38PM (1/28/2009)
If... when the Buick LaCrosse gets this powertrain not only will it be better looking than anything in it's class, it'll also be the best performing. If I were the Infiniti M or the Acura RL, I'd get back to the drawing board (especially Acura).
I bet this will be the 3.0L DI V6 that was introduced recently. If that's the case, I'll be nice to see a RWD 350hp CTS!!!
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P.V. 2:42PM (1/28/2009)
That would be sick. Honestly, I like this car better than the Malibu due to higher quality and slicker styling. If this was the next Chevrolet Malibu, I wouldn't mind seeing an SS; even if this doesn't cross the pond as-is, I would really like to see this in the Buick LaCrosse as the Super!
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montoym 10:00PM (1/28/2009)
The La Crosse/Insignia is built off the same platform as the next Malibu. So, you should get your wish.
Torrent 2:46PM (1/28/2009)
Next Regal Super ftw.
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Jj 2:48PM (1/28/2009)
This is why we need the Insignia even though we already have the Malibu.
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TBlueMax 2:59PM (1/28/2009)
Here, let me fix that for you... "we're quietly hoping to see it Stateside [in wagon form] as the successor to the V8-powered Buick LaCrosse Super."
A 320-hp, twin-turbo, AWD Buick LaCrosse Super Touring with factory warranty would go a long way toward fixing all that is wrong with the universe. Or signal the beginning of the end of days.
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TriShield 3:01PM (1/28/2009)
Gee, another chorus of "bring it here!", "we need it!", "it will sell!".
It's never coming here. GM is broke. And if it did, nobody would buy it.
People wouldn't buy it as a Saturn, a Buick (double rofl), a Chevrolet or anything else. It would be another car piling up on GM lots just like the Astra is, just like the G8 is, just like the Opels sold here before it did and just like virtually everything else GM sells in the US.
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sydbot 3:31PM (1/28/2009)
A hair over 8 minutes on the Nordschleife? As in 8:0X? That is M3 fast, CTS-V/Corvette fast. Maybe it's a baby GT-R...
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John 6:57PM (1/28/2009)
I look foward to seeing this twin turbo V6 killer in GM's stateside showrooms too.
Why buy a Bimmer when this GM product is available for hopefully a better price?
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William Tell 4:55PM (1/28/2009)
Near 8 minute ring time in the hands of a tester. If it were on an official ring run I'm betting it could get closer to 8 mins. Thats M3, RS4 fast with around 100 less BHP That AWD system must be awesome.
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ed 5:57PM (1/28/2009)
GM please listen to me. Just combine the Saturn and Pontiac brand in Opel for the North and South American markets. Trust me this will be good.
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I am Rich 9:03PM (1/28/2009)
320hp Saturn/Opel/Vauxhall thingy. All crap.
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Other Man 10:25PM (1/28/2009)
At the very least, I hope the powertrain and AWD make it into the new 9-5.
Looks great thus far. TTs is a nice touch.
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Denis 11:02PM (1/28/2009)
Saab 2.8 twin scroll turbo and XWD in use
Thank u Saab.
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nagmashot 3:23AM (1/29/2009)
epic fail...
the 2.8l isn´t developt by Saab... currently everything sold by GM brands outside the USA is developt by Opel/Germany including everything sold as Saab (subcompact to midsize) or Holden/Australia (large cars)
The 2.8l engine is the LP9 Turbo first used 2006 in the Opel Signum and Vectra later in the 9-3... the LP9 Turbo was developt by Holden Aussi
The AWD system comes from Haldex not Saab... it is used in many vehicles from many different car manufactors all around the world
typhoon5000 7:15AM (1/29/2009)
Sounds like a good competitor to the soon-to-be 2010 Taurus SHO with it's EcoBoost 3.5L V6 making at least 355hp. It's a good thing the Opel is AWD too. I heard their last overpowered FWD was an understeering pig.
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