Vauxhall’s multinational Insignia debuts with sporty looks and less weight

General Motors’ England-based Vauxhall division has introduced the brand-new Insignia Grand Sport. The Insignia is a monumentally important model for GM because it will wear at least four different emblems over the course of its life. It will be sold as the Vauxhall Insignia in the United Kingdom, as the Opel Insignia in continental Europe, as the Holden Commodore in Australia, and as the Buick Regal in the United States. Specifications, equipment, and basic styling cues will vary from market to market, of course. Largely designed in Germany by Opel, the Insignia is nearly 400 pounds lighter than the outgoing model thanks in part to a new platform. It looks sportier, too; it’s slightly lower and wider than the last Insignia, and its overhangs have been noticeably reduced. The new proportions help give it a 0.26 drag coefficient, a figure that makes it one of the most aerodynamic models in its segment. The Insignia’s look is loosely inspired by the Monza concept that debuted during the 2013 edition of the Frankfurt Auto Show. The front end gets sharp-looking headlights with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights, and a grille that’s positioned low on the front fascia. Around back, Vauxhall’s newest sedan bears some resemblance to the current-gen Holden Commodore, which is known as the Chevrolet SS on our shores, but the tail lamps wrap around the body and stretch into the quarter panels. While the design department of many automakers is stuck in an evolutionary rut, Vauxhall has gone for a full-blown revolution. Read more