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We've got a bit of a wait ahead of us in the United States, but if this interior photo does indeed show the Chevy Cruze's passenger compartment, then maybe it'll be worth it. TheCaranatic.com doesn't tell the source of the image, the Daewoo logo on the wheel indicates that it was probably snapped in South Korea, where the car will be produced for the European and Asian markets. As for the interior itself? Well, based on the photo it looks top-notch, blending a lot of Opel Insignia with dashes of Chevy Malibu to create a very pleasant driver's environment. This is promising.

[Source: theCarfanatic via Autoblog Spanish]

Safety technology has become a major selling point for car shoppers, and a new front-sensing camera co-developed by Vauxhall and Opel will give GM's European brands something to brag about. The new camera, which will be available on the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia beginning early 2009, is located between the wind screen and the rear-view mirror. The camera sees what's ahead at 30 frames per second and uses two processors to both read road signs and tell drivers when they're straying from a lane.

The road sign reader works by scanning the road ahead for recognizable shapes and signals, then displaying information like speed limits or no passing zone signs in the digital display in the middle of the gauge cluster. Depending on conditions, the camera can recognize signs up to 100 meters away.

The lane departure system works by sounding an alarm whenever the driver strays out of a chosen lane. The digital display will also show the driver that the vehicle is drifting, which can help drivers that may have a hearing impediment.

If the recent hand-me-down program between Opel and Saturn continues to blossom, we may have both the car and the camera Stateside before we know it. Hit the jump to see an animation showing how the camera works. You'll also scope out the Vauxhall press release.

[Source: Vauxhall]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel / Vauxhall Insignia

The first official look at the Opel Insignia's interior leaves us with the impression that Opel / Vauxhall's new sedan is going to be a nice place in which to log some miles. Put simply, the cockpit is identical to the one first shown in the slick-looking Opel GTC concept that debuted last year. Simple, attractive gauges are joined by amber lighting and a nice blend of plastics, brightwork, and other trim to create a driver-focused cockpit meant to be as usable as it is attractive. One of the little elements that's kind of cool is how the gauge lighting shifts from white to red when the car is put into sport mode. Expect even more info on the Insignia and plenty of closer looks at the cabin when the car debuts in London next month at the British International Motor Show. If you can't make it to London, just exercise a little patience, cross those fingers, and wait. This car will likely come Stateside as the next Saturn Aura at some point in the future. GM's official PR is pasted after the jump.


[Source: GM]

Opel will be following the lead of its corporate sibling, Vauxhall, later this year when it unveils a new badge to correlate with the release of the Insignia sedan. The restyled emblem will still feature the Opel nameplate and lightening bolt, but will be coated in polished metal and will attempt to signify Opel's upmarket ascendancy in the European market. The gentleman at right holding the redesigned logo is Mark Adams, GM Europe's of design, who says that new emblem, "is very much consistent with the overall design language and philosophy of our vehicles." Expect to see the new logo affixed to the Insignia at the London Motor Show next month.


[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Opel experienced an 8-percent sales dip in Europe in the first quarter, and designers at GM plan to give the storied German brand some of its mojo back by moving design and content upscale. GM says the move upmarket will result in a relatively inexpensive one- to three-percent price hike, but in return customers can expect sexier sheet metal, better packaging and more technology. The move makes sense as GM's value-conscious Chevy brand has steadily increased its presence across the Atlantic, giving the General the opportunity to push Opel up the automotive food chain. GM's plan is already underway, too, as the gorgeous Insignia is due to hit the showroom floor before the end of the year.

The great part about GM's plan to give Opel luxury looks and more inventive interiors is that we'll continue to see better Saturn cars and CUVs here in the States. And that's saying a lot, considering Saturn already looks fresher than most brands on the market today.


[Source: Auto News (subs req'd)]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Insignia.

After a few leaks and an assortment of GM-sponsored "spy shots," the Opel Insignia is here. Take note. Aimed to compete in Europe with the Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Mazda6 and Citroen C5, the Insignia is set to replace the aging Vectra and could come Stateside sporting a Saturn badge.

The sleeker, sexier Insignia takes a few cues from the GTC concept that helped to inspire the new sedan, with a taut fascia, muscular stance and deeply drawn side blades that extend from the front fenders to run parallel with the side sills. The old V-bar has been nixed in favor of a wider grille, complimented by a pair of intake ducts and the new Vauxhall logo. "Smart" headlights feature daytime running lamps standard and there will be an option for LED lighting on higher-spec models. The rear is sufficiently swoopy, with a tapered tail and smooth haunches, while the rear badge plays double duty as adornment and trunk release button.

The Insignia is 21 cm longer and five cm wider than the Vectra it replaces, and legroom shouldn't be an issue since the Insignia gets an additional 35 mm tacked onto its wheelbase. Three models will be available, including the standard saloon (above), a hatchback and a wagon.

Power is provided by a choice of three diesels or four gasoline-powered engines, with the former producing anywhere between 110 hp to 160 hp, and the latter putting out 115 hp from the standard four-cylinder or 260 hp from the range-topping V6. Power is channeled to either the front or all four wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A VXR model is likely to be revealed sometime next year.

The Opel Insignia will be available for a meet and greet at the London Motor Show this July and will hit showrooms in the UK this October.

Make the jump for Opel's press release.

Click any of the images for a gallery of the Opel Insignia.

The folks at AutoWeek.nl decided to take the wind out of Opel's sails by posting images of the new Insignia before it released official information later this week. We've seen the basic shape and several details of the Insignia when Opel sent out "official" spy shots of their new D-segment player (think Mondeo, Passat), but these newest pictures tell the whole tale, sans artful camouflage.

Due to hit dealers in Europe this October, the Insignia will replace the Vectra and come equipped with a handful of diesel- and gasoline-powered engines, ranging in displacement from 1.6- to 2.8-liters. Both 1.6-liter and a 2.0-liter turbocharged engines will be equipped in the entry level models, with a 250 hp, 2.8-liter V6 powering the range-topper. Diesel mills packing 1.9-liters of displacement and outputting 120 to 150 hp will also be offered, and there's also talk of a 180 hp, 1.9-liter turbo and a 2.9-liter V6 diesel.

The Insignia is relevant to those of us in the States since it will likely replace the Saturn Aura in the next few years. The styling is a slight step above Saturn's current sedan, with an attractive front clip and a rather dynamic swage line that begins aft of the front fender and runs parallel with the rocker panels.

The Opel Insignia will be publicly debuted at the London Motor Show this July and we should see a Saturn variant making its way to the U.S. sometime around the turn of the decade.

Click above for more "spy shots" of the Opel Insignia.

The spy photo racket is big business, and GM's Opel division has been doing its best to keep prying lenses off its new Insignia model ahead of its debut at the London Motor Show this July. To stem the tide, Opel released a handful of "official" spy shots and a press release that details how and why the automaker applies artful camouflage to its upcoming flagship.

The design of the camo is actually there to confuse digital cameras through the use of moiré patterns (yeah, we had to look it up too) that cause a rippling effect on the photo. In addition to the obvious tribal vinyl, the vehicle's silhouette and sheet metal is modified with a foam adhesive that dulls the mule's character lines, and in the case of the Insignia, Opel's engineers have added a fake rear spoiler that completely changes the shape of the sedan's rump.

When the Opel Insignia makes its official, uncamouflaged reveal in a few months, we'll be paying attention, since the Insignia will likely replace the Saturn Aura sold here in the States.

All the details are available in the press release after the jump.

It's been a while since we've heard about the upcoming Opel Insignia due out later this year, but we've got a vested interest in its development as it's likely to come to the U.S. sporting a Saturn Aura badge. We were initially teased with a darkened shot of the new Euro-sedan's tail lamp back in November, but today, another shot has surfaced that gives us a brief peek of the flagship's new fascia.

The Insignia is set to replace the Vectra (Saturn Aura in the States) and will grow in every dimension to include a sedan, wagon and five-door hatch. Built atop the new FWD Epsilon II platform, the new model will feature a number of four- and six-cylinder engines, with the possibility of a hybrid drivetrain pulled from the Malibu and fitted to the new Aura when it makes its way to the U.S. sometime in 2010.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Automotive logos, those quasi-interesting designs that adorn the front and back of nearly every vehicle in the road, are more than just haphazard enameled scribbles. If you ask the marketing team, they will correctly tell you that each automotive logo symbolizes the tradition, culture, and history of the automaker it represents. (Don't ask the accounting department, which will just tell you it represents millions of dollars in design costs for haphazard enameled scribbles.)

After following a tip from a reader, we stumbled upon a site that offers excellent insight into the historical development of many popular automotive insignias, like Volkswagen's logo above. Take a look here. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: Neatorama]