Business First Issue2 Vol5 CH11:Layout 1 23/10/2009 15:53 Page 72
Motoring
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
by Ian Beasant, motoring correspondent
I
always wonder how long it takes a car oncoming vehicle. The car automatically dips
designer to use the phrase size matters? I the headlights then, when it is clear again,
asked a few in the know and the reply was a returns the headlights to full beam. Add this to
resounding three minutes! Apparently that’s rain sensitive wipers and automatic headlight
nearly always top of the list when designing a levelling if you are carrying a few passengers,
car, any car! and I think Vauxhall get full marks for the
Vauxhall have not had an easy few years, but safety aspects of the Insignia.
with the launch earlier in the year of the very And the designers have not forgotten about
attractive Insignia things are looking up. The the passengers either, as the interior is very
Insignia scooped European Car of the year sumptuous and would easily carry four in
2009 and demand is high – which is good. comfort.
So rather than rest on their laurels Vauxhall If you want more room easy – just drop the
set their designers a challenge; keep the rear seats and you have a massive flat space for
Insignia’s good looks but on the same chassis the DIY run!
build a practical, sporty, premium quality and The Insignia Sports Tourer I had the pleasure
desirable tourer, (or estate car). of testing was fitted with a 260 BHP 2.8 V6
Well, when I first had glimpse of the Insignia turbocharged petrol engine which was mated
Sports Tourer, it was obvious that the to a six-speed automatic gearbox and all held
designers have done a pretty good job. They together with four-wheel drive. It was an
have retained the rakish front end and at the absolute joy, the engine is so smooth in its
rear created a distinctive tailgate with large, power delivery and with no turbo lag. The
fully integrated taillights that curve around the gearbox is, I found, best left in drive and then
sides of the car: very smart and classy. And all set to sport mode which makes everything
of this sitting on 18 inch, three spoke alloys. react that little bit sharper.
Add dark tinted glass and this is a very smart The Insignia has a good chassis and the
car indeed. Sports Tourer proved to be every bit as
Once on board the Insignia Sports Tourer, it's capable as the original car, add on the four –
obvious that Vauxhall has really lifted its' game. wheel drive system and this is a real sporting
The cabin design and quality was easy to see drive, superbly sure footed with suspension
especially from the extremely comfortable and that is tuned to be sporty but handles our
easy to adjust seats with lumber support and bumpy roads with ease. The steering is pin-
all electronically adjusted with a touch of a point sharp as are the brakes.
button. The Insignia will do 154 mph and sprint to
The Insignia Sports Tourer has a well laid out 60mph in just seven seconds. Fuel
dashboard which has buttons and switches to consumption is around 24 miles to the gallon. I
control everything from the radio to the know it sound a lot, but this is a lot of car and it
climate control and a whole lot else. really is a Sports Tourer.
One feature on this car - which I think is If Vauxhall keeps coming up with cars like
brilliant and a great safety feature - is an the Insignia Sports Tourer it has a bright future.
automatic headlight dipping system. This The Insignia Sports Tourer starts from just
works if you are driving the car with the under £20,000
headlights on full beam and you meet an
www.vauxhall.co.uk
72
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84