opel insignia tourer

opel insignia tourerA replacement for the current Vectra, the Insignia is hitting showrooms across the Continent soon, but General Motors is already showing off another variant of the family car called the Insignia Sports Tourer. The new Opel wagon will go on sale in Europe the spring of next year. The Insignia Tourer is part of GM's $14 billion investment to introduce 20 new vehicles by 2012, including a plug-in hybrid, an Astra replacement, and the all-new Insignia sedan and hatch that bowed earlier this year.
GM's vice president of European design Mark Adams calls the Sports Tourer "a stand-alone model," rather than just a regular Insignia with a station wagon rear. It's 3.15 in. longer than the sedan (though with the same wheelbase), features unique bodywork aft of the B-pillar, and comes with two new engines in addition to the seven already available across the car's line. Featuring a sloping roofline, wraparound tailgate and much larger taillights, the Opel wagon retains the planted, sporty stance of the regular Insignia while managing a decent 19 cu ft of luggage space. Besides the new turbo-gasoline and diesel powerplants, Sports Tourer buyers can also opt for features like a Haldex-built XWD all-wheel-drive system, a FlexRide mechatronic chassis for adjustable ride quality, and the automaker's new "Opel Eye" camera, which can read road signs and warn drivers when they drift into another lane. While the Insignia is no doubt a very nice piece, what matters to American drivers is that a version of this Opel should eventually reach U.S. showrooms, most likely in 2010. The first car built on GM's new Epsilon platform that will eventually underpin replacements for the Malibu, G6, and Saab 9-3 among others, the Insignia will likely be sold here as the new Saturn Aura, although it seems only the sedan will make it across the Atlantic. But as more commuters look to ditch their SUVs for smaller vehicles, if GM offers a handsome and quick Aura Sports Tourer as well, it could turn out to be a surprisingly popular option.