Vauxhall has released the first images of the all-new Insignia Sports Tourer, which will receive its world premiere at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show next month.
Vauxhall Reveals All-New Insignia Sports Tourer
Following on from the previous generation, which won the European Car of the Year in 2009, the Insignia Sports Tourer follows a completely new vehicle design. Increased size and updated technology along with added comfort and safety make this a top choice. “Vauxhall’s best-ever product portfolio will get even better with the launch of the new Insignia Sports Tourer,” said Rory Harvey, Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director. “It has all of the elegance of its Insignia Grand Sport sibling but with even more practicality, including a boot that is more spacious than its predecessor. The Insignia Sports Tourer will set new standards for design, efficiency, technology and connectivity when it debuts next month at the Geneva Motor Show.”
Let’s Talk Size
Its revised proportions result in more luggage capacity. That increases to 1,640 litres – over 100 litres more than the outgoing model. The length of the boot has grown by 97 mm to 2,005 mm. And 40/20/40 foldable seats are available, adding even more space to the enlarged boot.
High-Tech Features
Like with the Astra and the forthcoming Insignia Grand Sport, efficiency was key for engineers. The new model is up to 200 kilograms lighter than its predecessor. This can be attributed to the use of lightweight materials and efficient packaging. This weight loss allows for several high-tech features. First, the ultra-modern all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring. And the new eight-speed automatic transmission both exploit their strengths to the full.
Vauxhall OnStar and IntelliLink systems provide outstanding infotainment and connectivity on board. With the launch of the Insignia Sports Tourer, this offers even more functionality.
It is also the first Vauxhall with an active aluminium bonnet, considerably improving pedestrian protection.
Fresh Design
Although the exterior dimensions have grown slightly to 4,986 millimetres, the Insignia Sports Tourer looks much more athletic and agile. The prominent front grille and Monza Concept-inspired headlights all add to this perception. The stance is also emphasised by the extended wheelbase, now 2,829 millimetres, and a front overhang that has been reduced by 30 millimetres. The silver roof rails add to the sleek styling, and emphasise the high-quality design.
The shape looks lighter than before too, with the second-generation model defined by clear lines. The slim, slightly protruding LED rear lights in double-wing design help the rear end make a strong impression.
Practicality
The next generation Insignia Sports Tourer is more practical than before; the overhang between bumper and boot has been reduced, thanks to the neatly designed rear end, making loading easier. Due to the increased width between the wheel arches it is now easier to pack bulky items. The luggage capacity is greater too, reaching 1,638 litres when the rear seats are folded down. This is over 100 litres more than the outgoing model.
Now, loading is easier than ever. The tailgate can be opened with a kick, without the need to touch the car. In combination with Keyless Entry, a simple small kicking motion under the rear bumper will open or close the tailgate. To further increase loading space, the new Insignia Sports Tourer comes with optional 40/20/40 foldable rear seats, enabling more flexible luggage space configurations. The rear seats fold down simply at the push of a button, conveniently located in the luggage compartment.
Comfort Is Key
Passengers now experience more comfort than in the previous model, with more space than before. Headroom has increased by 31 mm, shoulder-room by 25 mm and space for the hips by 27 mm. Additional luxury is provided by the optional panoramic sunroof. Increased natural light stretches back over the heads of rear-seat passengers to give a greater feeling of space and visibility.
The new model contains heating systems that ensure the comfort of all occupants. The windscreen can be easily defrosted at the push of a button by a fine wire heating element. This, thankfully, reduces the need to spend time de-icing the car in cold weather. The heated windscreen also prevents fogging in humid conditions, improving visibility and safety. The heating switches off automatically and is reactivated if necessary at the push of a button.
Drivers can stay snug thanks to the heated steering wheel, while heated seats are available not only for the driver and front passenger, but for the occupants of the rear seats too. The adjustable heating in the front is controlled through the personalisation menu in the information display. While the optional 18-way adjustable heated driver’s seat also features massage and ventilation functions.
Connectivity At A Touch
The driver of the new Insignia Sports Tourer sits lower in the car and enjoys the ergonomically-designed instruments and centre console. As well as via a touchscreen, the controls are operated by three rows of buttons. The top row accesses the infotainment system, the middle controls the heating, ventilation and air conditioning and the bottom operates driver assistance systems.
Smartphones are seamlessly integrated into the vehicle’s infotainment software. This is done with the latest Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible IntelliLink systems, and wireless phone charging now available. Vauxhall’s ground-breaking connectivity and service assistant, OnStar, is also on board. OnStar offers services ranging from Automatic Crash Response to Stolen Vehicle Assistance. A new Personal Assistant service will be launched with the Insignia, enabling the driver or passengers to ask OnStar to book a hotel from the car when it is safe to do so. OnStar also provides a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 7 devices to keep all occupants connected while on the go.
Driving Assistance Systems
No other model in the segment offers such a wide range of intelligent technologies as the new edition of the Vauxhall flagship. Safety is paramount behind the design and delivery in each of these user-friendly systems.
One of the highlights is the next generation of Vauxhall’s innovative and award-winning IntelliLux LED matrix light. It now has 32 LED segments – twice as many as in the Astra – that are all integrated in the new slimmer headlamps of the Insignia. The increased number of LED elements enables the various light patterns to adapt to the prevailing traffic situation. Moreover, the transitions between the modes are more seamless. This results in an improvement of both the quality of light distribution and light intensity for optimal visibility and safety.
To improve visibility even further while driving through curves on full high beam, the engineers added a new function to the new Insignia’s IntelliLux LED matrix headlights. The light intensity at the inner matrix segments rises according to steering angle in order to increase the illumination of the curve. In addition, a further high-beam spotlight provides additional illumination at full high-beam for up to 400 metres.
Eye on Safety
Driver assistance systems focusing on safety include:
- Head-up-Display: Information on speed, traffic signs, set speed of speed limiter or navigation direction is projected onto the windscreen. Being in the driver’s direct line of sight ensures that the eyes remain on the road.
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): which measures the distance to vehicle in front and adapts the speed accordingly. ACC will initiate automatic emergency braking if the distance decreases abruptly.
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning: Provides gentle steering wheel movements (and LDW alerts if necessary). This helps drivers avoid accidents due to unintentionally drifting out of their lane.
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert: The system uses radar sensors in the rear bumper to detect objects coming from up to 20 meters at 90 degrees from the left or right side behind the vehicle.
The new model is the first Vauxhall to feature an active bonnet. In the case of a collision, the bonnet lifts in milliseconds, increasing the distance to the engine and offering pedestrians improved protection.
All-Wheel Drive With Torque Vectoring
The Insignia Sports Tourer guarantees driving pleasure and safety in every driving condition. This is thanks to the new, intelligent all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring. Two electrically controlled multi-plate clutches in the all-wheel drive system replace the usual rear axle differential. This provides a more precise power transmission to each wheel individually. When cornering, additional torque transmits to the outside rear wheel, reducing understeer and enabling more precise control. The system reacts within a split-second of acceleration, ensuring that the car remains more stable and easier to steer in every situation.
The FlexRide chassis also boasts further improvements. For example, adapting the dampers, steering, throttle response and shift points (on automatics) independently or based on the modes ‘Standard’, ‘Sport’ or ‘Tour’. The Insignia Sports Tourer comes available with a range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines along with latest generation transmissions, including the new eight-speed automatic gearbox, a first for the Vauxhall passenger car range.
