I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I bid farewell to the Opel Insignia. The Insignia was a flagship model of the German automaker Opel and has been a defining car in the D-segment for the past 14 years. From its first appearance in 2008 to its discontinuation in 2022, the Opel Insignia has remained a popular choice among car enthusiasts and commuters alike.
The Opel Insignia was designed with a sleek and fluid body emphasizing German precision and sculptural art. Its aerodynamic profile and excellent drag coefficient (Cx 0.27) made it an efficient and eco-friendly car. Opel's commitment to sustainability was evident in the fact that more than 250 components were made from recycled materials, and 85% of the car could be recycled when it was eventually scrapped.
Its innovative technology set Opel Insignia apart from its competitors. Opel Insignia boasted features such as the adaptive suspension FlexRide, intelligent all-wheel drive Adaptive 4x4, adaptive headlights AFL+, and the Opel Eye device. The managing director of Adam Opel GmbH, emphasized that Opel Insignia set new technological standards in its market segment. The car was designed, developed, and built-in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and highlighted the work being done at Opel's headquarters in the country.
The first generation of the Opel Insignia was introduced in 2008 and was an instant hit with the public. It was named Car of the Year for 2009 and sold around 930,000 units over the next nine years. The success of Opel Insignia can be attributed to its versatile range of engines, all of which were Euro 5 approved. The range included three petrol engines with 140, 180, and 220 HP and two 2,000 turbodiesel engines with 130 and 160 HP. In 2017, the second generation of the Opel Insignia was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. The second generation maintained the general layout of the previous series but reinterpreted the lines in a more modern key, becoming more angular and sharp.
The Opel Insignia range included the Grand Sport, Sports Tourer, Country Tourer, and the top-of-the-line sports car Opel Insignia GSi. The GSi version boasted a 210 PS (154 kW) biturbo diesel engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The car's particular sports set-up allowed it to travel glued to the asphalt, with a fundamental contribution from the all-wheel drive with "torque vectoring." In this highly technological system, the traditional differential on the rear axle was replaced by two clutches capable of transmitting torque individually to each rear wheel, modifying it within fractions of a second, according to the driving situation.
The Opel Insignia with torque vectoring was voted "All-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2019" by the German magazine "Auto Bild Allrad" readers in the category reserved for cars priced up to 40,000 EUR. This important award showed that readers and customers valued Opel's immersive driving experience and maximum safety, especially with the advanced all-wheel drive.
I appreciate the Opel Insignia's reliability and durability, which are qualities every car owner looks for in their vehicle. As a traveler, I can't help but be reminded of the countless road trips and adventures that Opel Insignia has made possible.
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