194 cm has the person in the video not hitting his head.

 

More info : https://www.netcarshow.com/opel/2017-insignia_grand_sport/

 

New car has 4897 mm vs 4,861 mm of Superb.

Wheelbase enlarged by 92 mm compared to first generation.

 

Price similar to Superb for basic model.

Looking forward how these two cars will compare in terms of interior space, legroom, boot space and quality of materials used.

 

World premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2017.

Opel is owned by General Motors.

 

What do you make of this new car as a competitor to Superb III ?

According to this link : http://media.opel.com/media/intl/en/opel/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/intl/en/2016/opel/11-07-7-in-17.html

 

A Opel Insignia Sports Tourer and a Opel Insignia Country Tourer will follow.

Let's hope it's a good one. It's certainly looking good in the Netcarshow article, though because Netcarshow's aim is to be the first to announce new car models their articles are based on manufacturer's publicity and not independent hands-on experience.

Škoda consider Opel to be their nearest market competition yet reviewers consistently compare the Superb (favourably) with cars generally considered to be in a higher marketing league, like the Mercedes E-class. The same can't be said for the Insignia to date.

A good bit of competition at the same price point helps ensure manufacturers constantly try to improve their product, rather than rest on their laurels.

IMHO Opel/Vauxhall have done well in the hatchback market but failed to make a significant impression in the upper family / lower prestige market ever since the superb Senator (pun intended) was replaced by the miserable beefed-up Omega and the subsequent Insignia hasn't really caught the public imagination to date, so it's well overdue a major revamp.

This Insgnia looks good, will see how it drives but i can imagine that it will be ok because the last model was a complete disaster in terms of handling at least, and engine noise and eeverything :).

Coming back to the vs i think in the video presented the Insignia we already find out that the boot will be about 490 liters so ... :) it s clear who the winner is. (Or if not in the video i've read it in another article)

Edited 20 December, 20169 yr by Corbu33

The new VW CC will be out next year and that will move the game on again.  I had the current CC about 4 years ago and it was a fantastic car and still looks good now but the interior and in car tech is now dated.  

 

The Superb and Passat now seem to have cemented their 'junior exec' status and whilst the Mondeo, Mazda 6, etc are still good cars, Skoda and VW have moved the game on and are now snapping at the heels of Audi and BMW.  GM have a huge task ahead of themselves and I think they should have binned the Insignia model name altogether in order to give themselves a chance.  The current Insignia is dire in every respect and I think that may put people off this new model. 

 

Given the size and budget of GM I would really expect their cars to improve significantly during their life cycles but they just never do.  Look at the rate in which Kia and Hyundai have improved their whole model ranges in the last 3-6 years; that to me really illustrates how poor the current crop of Vauxhalls are. 

The new VW CC will be out next year and that will move the game on again.  I had the current CC about 4 years ago and it was a fantastic car and still looks good now but the interior and in car tech is now dated.  

 

The Superb and Passat now seem to have cemented their 'junior exec' status and whilst the Mondeo, Mazda 6, etc are still good cars, Skoda and VW have moved the game on and are now snapping at the heels of Audi and BMW.  GM have a huge task ahead of themselves and I think they should have binned the Insignia model name altogether in order to give themselves a chance.  The current Insignia is dire in every respect and I think that may put people off this new model. 

 

Given the size and budget of GM I would really expect their cars to improve significantly during their life cycles but they just never do.  Look at the rate in which Kia and Hyundai have improved their whole model ranges in the last 3-6 years; that to me really illustrates how poor the current crop of Vauxhalls are. 

I completely agree.  The whole game has moved on significantly in recent years and manufacturers have to do a lot more these days than just update their previous model, throw it back on to the market and expect customers to buy it.  While I'm not a bad fan, I have to admit that the Koreans are leading the way in many respects these days and that can only be positive for the car industry in general as it shifts expectations up a few notches. Opel/Vauxhall have been wandering for many years as a brand and they really need to find some unique selling point with their cars as opposed to being another bland me-too manufacturer with nothing exceptional on offer and that doesn't really cut it anymore.

The issue with the Vauxhall brand in the UK is their residual value falls off a cliff as soon as you drive them out of the showroom, even new models are offered at huge discounts which does nothing to bolster resale values, I liked the look of the Insignia and this hasn't diminished with the look of the revamped model above, I just don't like how fast they drop in value.

Funny how the 194cm skinny guy barely fits in driver's seat. He visibly dwarfs the seat. If he'd lean a bit in to look in the side-windows - he'd hit his head in the roof. It's hard to find a more toady and cheap marketing material. Ford made some really good videos ...

 

It's hard to understand the design choices that made the Insignia ... big car, for small people maybe?

 

Also, bigger wheels on 2.0 petrol but not faster than skoda's 2.0 tsi?

After myou last experience with an Insignia, I wouldn't touch another one, ever!

100k and I'd been in the garage about 20 times for non service based items, also didn't help that the local Vauxhall garage was terrible.

Mpg was also terrible (45 average for the 2.0 diesel)

@BillyJim

 

Mercedes E-Class basic model costs as full option Superb.

 

I don't think Mercedes is so expensive only because of the brand, the car simply has higher quality materials, components, suspensions, acoustic Insulation etc. but the question is if it is worth it to pay 2 times the price for a car. If you buy a Superb and the car breaks down then it might end up costing as much as a Mercedes E-Class that doesn't break down and doesn't need repairs as often.

 

Competition is good. Since GM took Chevrolet out from Europe now they focus on their primary brand Opel for new products.

 

@Corbu33

 

If the Insignia Grand Sport has 4897 mm (>4,861 mm) and they state that its front and rear overhangs have been considerably reduced meaning bigger wheelbase AND the trunk is only 490 liters it means the interior space for passengers should be bigger than a Superb that has 625 liters. But the space for passengers also depends on how well they squeezed the engine room and front board and how short the seats are.

 

Insignia Sports Tourer would then simply add boot space, since i am not sure they increase passenger space in combi versions except for the head. However, they say this version will increase significantly the interior space, especially at the rear seats and in the trunk.

 

While Insignia Country Tourer would be a 4x4 with probably higher ground clearance.

 

@penguin17 + @Superb170

 

You are well aware that VW and Skoda is the same group that makes Audi, right ? They are basically the same cars made with cheaper or more expensive components. The philosophy of the group is to make similar cars for different budgets while not competing in terms of design and size of the car models, within the group.

 

Kia and Hyundai are now the same company. I am not sure if they changed only the design or if they actually use better components. It could be just nicer exteriors/interiors and same cheap crap underneath + lots of marketing.

 

@Prykey

 

Drop of resale value can be, because Opel doesn't spend a lot of money on marketing and despite the fact that their cars are made in Germany, they didn't look that great and selling cars is like selling a dream, feelings and emotions not rational things.

 

If the manufactured cars don't produce emotions and look cool you as a customer will not fall in love and the cars will have no resale value even if they have a diamond engine that never breaks.

 

@ionelmc

 

The Skoda Superb hatchback is worse. I am 178-179 cm and if i stay straight in the backseat, my head hits the ceiling all the time. What a bad design ! You are forced to get the combi to be able to stay properly in the back.

 

My father who is 188 cm can't even have his neck straight in the Superb hatchback on the passenger seat !

 

So a 194 cm person in the back of the new Insignia looks good. The only question i have is if he tried staying perfectly straight to see if he hits the ceiling.

 

@teebs

 

This new Insignia has nothing in common with the old one since it is a completely new architecture.

The old Insignia was the first to use the old Epsilon 2 Platform : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Epsilon_platform#Epsilon_II

 

I am trying to find out if Insignia Grand Sport uses the new E2XX or the also new P2XX

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Epsilon_platform#E2XX

 

P2XX being a longer variant of the E2XX platform, probably to be used for the Tourer (combi) version for cars at least 5 meters in length.

 

 

GM E2XX platform
- Description: currently under development, the E2XX will replace the GM Epsilon II architecture. The GM Lambda platform will be phased out in favor of the GM C1XX (Chi) platform, believed to be derived from the E2XX. The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu (and next-gen Opel/Vauxhall Insignia) are underpinned by the E2XX.

- Features: nobody really knows what’s in store for us with the GM E2XX. General Motors declared that the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu has a wheelbase that is “nearly four inches longer than the ongoing model.”

Additionally, the front-wheel and all-wheel drive E2XX will improve the Chevrolet Malibu by a huge margin. In GM’s own words, the 2016 Malibu is “expected to be 300 pounds lighter than the current model, which benefits the sedan’s fuel economy and handling,” due to a high-strength steel structure and other goodies.

- Most important applications (current and future models): 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 2016 Opel/Vauxhall Insignia and the next-gen Buick Regal. A derivative known as the GM P2XX architecture is rumored to arrive in the future as a stretched variant of the E2XX. The P2XX could be used for future full-size vehicles.

 

GM P2XX platform
The longer variant of the GM E2XX is believed to be the backbone of the 2016 Buick LaCrosse, as well as the next-gen Chevrolet Impala full-size sedan. All that is known at the present moment is that it will be lighter and more rigid than the GM Epsilon II architecture.

Edited 20 December, 20169 yr by umbral

@ionelmc

 

The Skoda Superb hatchback is worse. I am 178-179 cm and if i stay straight in the backseat, my head hits the ceiling all the time. What a bad design ! You are forced to get the combi to be able to stay properly in the back.

 

My father who is 188 cm can't even have his neck straight in the Superb hatchback on the passenger seat !

 

So a 194 cm person in the back of the new Insignia looks good. The only question i have is if he tried staying perfectly straight to see if he hits the ceiling.

 

 

I have a superb Hatchback and as Driver, Front passenger or rear passenger I am absolutely fine in terms of head room - I am 196cm or something. 

 

Perhaps you need to lower the seat height of the front passenger seat for your father?

I´m 202 cm and fits (also height-wise) in the backseat of a Superb (Combi).

 

For me, this is not a competition. Simply because it´s an Opel (or Vauxhall, if you prefer tea and cucumber sandwiches), it doesn´t stand a chance against the Superb IMHO.

I have a superb Hatchback and as Driver, Front passenger or rear passenger I am absolutely fine in terms of head room - I am 196cm or something. 

 

Perhaps you need to lower the seat height of the front passenger seat for your father?

 

I am talking about rear passenger seats for both of us.

 

Rear passenger at my 178 cm, move your butt as close as you can to the backrest, try to stay as tall as you can with your spine perfectly vertical and with your head perfectly straight you will reach the ceiling easily in one area.

 

On a Skoda Superb hatchback the only way to not touch the ceiling if you are over 178 cm is to have your butt in the middle of the seat and your legs moved forward.

 

This issue can be found on this forum from other users so it's not something new. You should do the test i mentioned above.

 

I don't even want to imagine hitting a bump and then hitting my head.

 

I´m 202 cm and fits (also height-wise) in the backseat of a Superb (Combi).

 

For me, this is not a competition. Simply because it´s an Opel (or Vauxhall, if you prefer tea and cucumber sandwiches), it doesn´t stand a chance against the Superb IMHO.

 

As i said the combi ceiling is higher and you don't reach it no matter what you do.

 

VW. Skoda, Audi, Seat they all have their problems just like other brands, because the VW group can't help itself from using low quality components with limited life, in order to make even more money, while they cheat emissions tests.

 

For example on a VW Passat after 100 000 km the gearbox won't enter the first gear at all. That car needed fix because it has bad ( cheap ) gearbox.

 

Does that make it a crap brand/group, according to you , yes it does.

Edited 20 December, 20169 yr by umbral

No, it doesn´t. Opel/Vauxhall are dull, boring looking cars IMHO. I did not talk about the quality; the cars does not appeal to me at all, so because of that, I would never own one.

 

And just FYI; my old Superb 3T had covered 130.000Km when it was sold. The gearchange was smooth as new.

Quite apart from previous poor driving experience with GM's, this particular model I don't like the front end and the rear lights look out of proportion. He talks about how spacious the rear legroom is but doesn't show us, any decent filming would show the view from the rear seat not the front passenger and as for the dashboard all we get is a still shot. The whole thing is pretty pointless.

The Vauxhall/Opel cars are actually good, despite the Corsa and Zafira fires. .. have you seen and driven the new Astra, its easily as good as the Octavia.

The problem in the UK is the brand image and hence 50% depreciation in the 1st year.

Best thing they could do is ditch Vauxhall in the UK...rebadge as Opel and major on the 'German' quality in adverts.

Sad as the Vauxhall brand has a rich heritage, but its not selling.

Despite the high depreciation I wouldn't be surprised to see decent lease deals, it's squarely aimed at the fleet/taxi market not the street punter, and it's a new model there are always good incentives for new models in the first 2 quarters of release

I was curious about Umbral's rear passenger bumping his head, so I actually went out to my Superb and measured the clearance above my head when I was sat on the left hand side in the rear with my spine vertical against the backrest and my head straight as he says. The seat is not used normally so would not be subject to any excessive compression.

 

I measured 5 inches, that's 13 cm, clearance above my head. As my height is just over 5 foot 10 inches (178 cm), that makes a total of 191 cm. So where the idea that a person of 178 cm would bump their head comes from, I do not know. Having said that the head clearance for a fifth person sitting in the armrest position is much less than 191 cm. But that is a problem most, if not all, cars have and most manufacturers would have real problems designing it out .

Apart from the overall height of a person there are also other factors like the relative length of legs and torso so I do believe that the different story outcomes are not necessarily contradictions.

 

We will be getting this Insignia in Australia, replacing our currently locally built RWD large vehicle called the Holden Commodore.

The new Astra has been imported/released here as well (also rebadged as a Holden) and local reviews about it are not terribly enthusiastic, certainly not considering its European car of the year status.

In my Country the Astra costs 30% less then a Octavia with the same equipment, both Automatic and diesel...

 

Had a Insignia before my Superb and would never think of going back to Opel. So many little details that i just thought "what the f*** did you think here..." The same i said with the Astra when i was driving with a friend who had one for 2 days 

 

Think that's the problem with Opel, that the Americans decide how and what will be built, even if the Germans create or designe it, it just lacks that feel of refinement and tested to the end

The Vauxhall/Opel cars are actually good, despite the Corsa and Zafira fires. .. have you seen and driven the new Astra, its easily as good as the Octavia.

The problem in the UK is the brand image and hence 50% depreciation in the 1st year.

Best thing they could do is ditch Vauxhall in the UK...rebadge as Opel and major on the 'German' quality in adverts.

Sad as the Vauxhall brand has a rich heritage, but its not selling.

I think you misplaced the quotation marks ;)   But anyway why does being made by a German manufacturer endow quality?  Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

I think you misplaced the quotation marks ;) But anyway why does being made by a German manufacturer endow quality? Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

Unfortunately that's what the average British punter believes, and has done for the last 30 years. ..

Hence we have no very little car industry left, well British owned ones anyway.

All Skoda does is redesign German platforms and use VW components.

The only Czech thing is the styling and assembly. Oh no actually Jozef Kaban is Slovak...lol

Edited 21 December, 20169 yr by glosrich

I think you misplaced the quotation marks ;)   But anyway why does being made by a German manufacturer endow quality?  Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

Mmmm, let me think, it's simple really look at the crap Austin/Morris/Leyland produced in the 70's/80's compared to their German counterparts who took the mantra evolution not revolution to car manufacturing. Couple that with what you learn as a child tends to stick with you. Then in the last 10 years when they looked down from a lofty height at other car manufacturers (granted Mercedes were late to the party) and decided to introduce design and style there is no doubt if you want a solidly built, beautifully engineered and styled car look no further than BMW, Mercedes, Audi/VW.

Agreed UK cars were crap in the 70/80s but no need to go into the sociopolitical reasons behind that.  But i do think there is a whole load of blather about German "efficiency" and German "quality".  A bit emperor's new clothes almost but the marketing teams have had great results.

Yes indeed it is partly marketing rubbish that people believe.

The Rover Hondas were actually good cars and in case of the 600 very well styled.

When I used to sell Rovers in the 90's the 214 and 216 were vastly superior to the Golf. Nicely trimmed, handled well and powerful 16v engines.

However people would still pay more to drive a nasty mk3 golf with its hard black plastic interior, terminal understeer and ancient 8v engines dating from the mk1.

In fact Japanese cars are better built and more reliable. And they tend to have a more ethical approach to their warranty claims, rather than VW who try to cover up and get out of paying.