History and description cars Opel Insignia

It is a mid-size luxury family car of class "D" which is developed and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel. The engine is located transversely in the front, the drive is carried out on the front wheels, and also all-wheel drive scheme (wheel arrangement 4x2 or 4x4).

Production of the Insignia began in 2008 as a replacement Vectra and Signum. The car is sold under the Vauxhall brand in the UK, in North America and China as the Buick Regal, and in Australia and New Zealand as the Holden brand.

The Insignia Concept was first shown at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. The car features a hydropneumatic suspension system, a pantograph mechanism for the rear sliding doors, and LED lighting. In early 2005, Opel announced that the concept car would not be built because it would be too heavy and expensive.

In September 2007, computer-generated images appeared in What Car? magazine showing what the Vectra's replacement would look like. In November 2007, it was announced that the successor would be called the Insignia.

The closest competitors are the following models of cars: Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Citroen C5, Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Infiniti G, Mazda 6, Mitsubishi Galant, Nissan Teana, Renault Laguna, Peugeot 508, Skoda Superb, Subaru Legacy, Suzuki Kizashi, Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat.

Opel Insignia A (2008-2017)

The first Insignia debuted on July 23, 2008, at the British International Motor Show in London. It then went on sale in European dealerships in October 2008 as a 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon and 5-door estate called the Sports Tourer. It is the first production car based on the Epsilon II platform. The Insignia was never sold in Japan, as Opel had already pulled out of the Japanese market before launching the model.

It is also the first vehicle in which Opel introduced its new safety solutions, such as adaptive front lighting, "Opel Eye" (a camera at the top of the windshield to monitor the area in front of the car, which analyzes road markings, signs and warns the driver of danger). Structurally, the Insignia offers 30 mm (1.2 in) more knee room than the Vectra.

In June 2013, a major facelift was carried out with new exterior and interior styling, new engines and new safety features. The new design includes a cabin with a simplified control panel and two 8-inch color displays and other modern devices. At the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013, the restyled car and the new Insignia Country Tourer were presented. Its main competitors are Volkswagen Passat Alltrack, Audi A4 Allroad and Škoda Octavia Scout.

The petrol engine lineup consists of eight models – 4-cylinder engines with a capacity of 1.4 to 2.0 litres and a capacity of 115 to 250 hp and one 6-cylinder V-shaped engine with a capacity of 2.8 litres and a capacity of 260 hp. There are six diesel engines – all 4-cylinder turbocharged engines with a capacity of 2.0 litres and a capacity of 110 to 195 hp. There are two gearboxes – both 6-speed, one manual and one automatic.

Opel Insignia B (2017-present)

The second generation was presented to the public at the International Automobile Fair in Belgrade in March 2017. In Australia, the car will be called the Holden Commodore, and in North and South America and Asia as the Buick Regal. It is also assembled on the Epsilon II platform. There are four body styles - a 4-door sedan, a 5-door hatchback (liftback), a 5-door station wagon and a 5-door Country Tourer.

Since the start of sales, only three petrol 4-cylinder engines with a volume of 1.5 and 2.0 liters with a capacity of 140, 165 and 260 hp have been announced. There are also three types of diesel engines with a volume of 1.6 and 2.0 liters with a capacity of 110, 136 and 170 hp. Transmission options are two - 6-speed manual and 8-speed automatic.

Opel Insignia B, control panel

Opel Insignia B, salon

Opel Insignia B, trunk

Testing the safety of some cars