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The Opel Insignia is a
large family car The D-segment is the 4th category of the European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size car category use ...
(
D-segment The D-segment is the 4th category of the European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size car category us ...
in Europe) developed and produced by the German car manufacturer
Opel Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Grou ...
since 2008. Taking its name from a 2003 concept car, the model line serves as the flagship Opel car line, slotted above the Astra and Corsa in size. The Insignia serves as the successor for both the Signum and Vectra model lines, replacing both vehicles under a single nameplate. Currently in its second generation, the model line is offered in four-door sedan/saloon body styles, five-door liftback, and as a five-door station wagon/estate. Sold worldwide, the Insignia is marketed under multiple nameplates. Under Opel tradition, the model line is marketed by
Vauxhall Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
in the United Kingdom, taking on the Vauxhall Insignia name. Both generations of the model line have been marketed in Latin America and North America as the Buick Regal (sales of the Regal continue in China). GM Australia marketed the second-generation Insignia as the
Holden Commodore The Holden Commodore is a full-size car that was sold by Holden from 1978 to 2020. It was manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of the locally manufactured versions in Australia endi ...
through 2020 (until discontinuing both the model line and the Holden brand). The launch vehicle of the GM Epsilon II platform, Opel produces the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia in Adam Opel AG Werk Rüsselsheim in Rüsselsheim, Germany. SAIC-GM produces the Buick Regal in
Shanghai, China Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
(exclusively for the Chinese market). __TOC__


History

In December 2006, ''
What Car? ''What Car?'' is a British monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Huntingford and published by Haymarket Consumer Media. Other team members include deputy editor Darren Moss and test editors Will Nightingale, Neil ...
'' announced that Vauxhall was to ditch the Vectra nameplate from the previous model. Then General Motors Europe president, Carl-Peter Forster, leaked the news to ''BusinessCar'', explaining that the all new car would be "a radical departure" from the current model, and that the "Vectra" name would be dropped to reflect this change. In March 2007, ''What Car?'' reported the car would première at the 2008
British International Motor Show The British International Motor Show is an annual motor show held by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders between 1903 and 2008 in England, and as The British Motor Show since 2021 by Automotion Events. Initially held in London at T ...
. Previously, it was thought it would première at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. In October 2005, ''
Auto Express ''Auto Express'' is a weekly motoring magazine sold in the United Kingdom published by Autovia Limited. The editor-in-chief is Steve Fowler. History and profile Launched in September 1988, its 1,000th issue was published on 20 February 2008. ...
'' produced computer generated images, which showed an unused design. In September 2007, ''What Car?'' produced computer generated images, showing what the replacement would look like. That month, ''What Car?'' gave an update, confirming the car would première in London, thanks to the success of the Corsa C. In November 2007, ''What Car?'' announced that Vauxhall had confirmed that the successor's name would be Insignia.


First generation (G09; 2008)

The Insignia debuted as the Vauxhall Insignia at the 2008
British International Motor Show The British International Motor Show is an annual motor show held by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders between 1903 and 2008 in England, and as The British Motor Show since 2021 by Automotion Events. Initially held in London at T ...
in London on 23 July. It then went on sale in European dealerships in October 2008 for the 2009 model year as a five-door
liftback A liftback is a variation of hatchback with a sloping roofline between 45 and 5 degrees. Traditional hatchback designs usually have a 90 to 46 degree slope on the tailgate or rear door. As such the liftback is essentially a hatchback with a more ...
and five-door estate dubbed Sports Tourer – a departure for Opel which traditionally used the "Caravan" name to denote the estate bodystyle. It was the first production car to be based on the Epsilon II platform, which was also used on other models such as the 2010 Saab 9-5 and the
Chevrolet Malibu The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet from 1964 to 1983 and again since 1997. The Malibu began as a trim-level of the Chevrolet Chevelle, becoming its own model line in 1978. Originally a rear-wheel-dr ...
. Design wise, the Insignia offers more knee room than the Vectra. The saloon and liftback variants have the same length and
wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (fron ...
of . The estate version is slightly longer at on the same wheelbase. The Insignia was the first car to debut redesigned badges for both the Opel and Vauxhall brands. For Vauxhall, it was the first car to dispense with the characteristic "V" grille that has adorned Vauxhall models since 1994, which differentiated them from the otherwise identical Opel models. The Insignia was also the first Opel to debut many new and improved safety features, including: * (an improved) Adaptive Forward Lighting
bi-xenon A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term fo ...
, gas discharge headlamps with variable light beam distribution in width, direction and range. Advanced Front-Lighting System (AFS), static cornering light, complemented by daytime running lights with
LEDs A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (cor ...
. Sensors and software monitor the surroundings, traffic and weather conditions so that the system can activate the appropriate lighting function. * Opel Eye – This uses a camera at the top of the windscreen to monitor the area in front of the vehicle. Information from the camera is continuously analysed to identify road markings and traffic signs. Road markings are used as the basis of the first of Opel Eye's two functions: lane departure warning. Traffic signs are recognised and indicated to the driver in the second function: traffic sign memory. At speeds above , Opel Eye warns the driver if the car is about to veer inadvertently out of the lane in which it is travelling. The system can detect road markings and, if they are sufficiently distinct, unmarked road edges. The Insignia was the first
production car Production vehicles or production cars are mass-produced identical models, offered for sale to the public, and able to be legally driven on public roads ( street legal). Legislation and other rules further define the production vehicle within part ...
to feature a dual function frontal camera with
traffic sign recognition Traffic-sign recognition (TSR) is a technology by which a vehicle is able to recognize the traffic signs put on the road e.g. "speed limit" or "children" or "turn ahead". This is part of the features collectively called ADAS. The technology is b ...
.


Pre-facelift

File:Opel Insignia 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI Sport OPC Line-Paket – Heckansicht, 3. April 2012, Velbert.jpg, Opel Insignia saloon (2008–2013) File:Opel Insignia CDTI rear 20100926.jpg, Opel Insignia liftback/fastback (2008–2013) File:Opel Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTI – Heckansicht, 3. Juni 2011, Wülfrath.jpg, Opel Insignia Sports Tourer (2008–2013) File:Opel Insignia Sportstourer Edition Pannacotta Interieur.JPG, Interior


Markets

File:2009 Vauxhall Insignia Exclusiv 130 CDTi 2.0.jpg, Vauxhall Insignia (United Kingdom; pre facelift) File:2011 Buick Regal -- 07-04-2011.jpg, Buick Regal (North America) File:Chevrolet Vectra 2.0 Turbo.jpg, Chevrolet Vectra (South America)


OPC

In early 2009, Opel revealed the Insignia OPC, a high performance variant of the Insignia. Like the preceding Vectra OPC, it is powered by a 2.8 litre turbocharged V6 (Manufactured in Melbourne, Australia). The updated engine makes and . Of this 435, are available from 2,000 rpm. It is paired with a six speed manual transmission / six-speed automatic transmission and Saab's (
Haldex Haldex AB (originally Halda Fickurfabrik AB, then Svenska AB Bromsregulatorer, SAB), also known as Haldex Group, is a Swedish public company operating in the commercial vehicle industry. It is listed on the OMX Stockholm Stock Exchange (Mid Cap), ...
) active all wheel drive system. The Insignia OPC has a modified
MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...
front suspension called HiPerStrut which reduces torque steer. Also standard is an electronic
limited slip differential A limited-slip differential (LSD) is a type of differential that allows its two output shafts to rotate at different speeds but limits the maximum difference between the two shafts. Limited-slip differentials are often known by the generic tr ...
for the rear wheels and Opel's ''FlexRide''
adaptive suspension An active suspension is a type of automotive suspension on a vehicle. It uses an onboard system to control the vertical movement of the vehicle's wheels relative to the chassis or vehicle body rather than the passive suspension provided by large sp ...
, which has three settings (OPC, Sport, and Normal). An OPC version of the Insignia Sports Tourer wagon has also been unveiled and is currently on sale. In April 2011, Opel launched the Insignia OPC Unlimited, with no speed limiter. File:Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer 2012.jpg, Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer (pre-facelift) File:Opel Insignia Sports Tourer OPC – Heckansicht, 13. März 2011, Wuppertal.jpg, Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer File:Opel Insignia OPC 2015 (15805462541).jpg, Opel Insignia OPC (facelift) File:2015 Holden Insignia (GA MY15.5) VXR sedan (20104110092).jpg, Holden Insignia VXR sedan (Australia; facelift)


Country Tourer

The Opel Insignia Country Tourer made its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013 as a crossover-styled station wagon. File:Opel Insignia Country Tourer 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX 4x4 (Facelift) – Frontansicht, 24. Oktober 2015, Münster.jpg, Opel Insignia Country Tourer File:Opel Insignia Country Tourer 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX 4x4 (Facelift) – Heckansicht, 24. Oktober 2015, Münster.jpg, Opel Insignia Country Tourer


Facelift

A major facelift was introduced in June 2013, with new exterior and interior styling, new engines, and new safety features. The car officially premiered at the September 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, before going on sale later in 2013. The new design includes a newly designed cockpit with a simplified control panel and two eight inch colour displays, a four way infotainment system via new a
touchpad A touchpad or trackpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on the operating system that is made output to the screen. Touchp ...
in the centre console, an eight-inch
touchscreen A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is ofte ...
, steering wheel controls, voice command,
radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...
and camera based
driver assistance An advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) is any of a groups of electronic technologies that assist drivers in driving and parking functions. Through a safe human-machine interface, ADAS increase car and road safety. ADAS uses automated technol ...
and safety systems, such as full speed
adaptive cruise control Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an available cruise control advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As of 2019, it is also called by 20 u ...
and
imminent collision braking A collision avoidance system (CAS), also known as a pre-crash system, forward collision warning system, or collision mitigation system, is an advanced driver-assistance system designed to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision. In its ...
,
rear camera A backup camera (also called a reversing camera or rear-view camera) is a special type of video camera that is produced specifically for the purpose of being attached to the rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up and to alleviate the rear blind s ...
, lane change assistance,
blind spot alert The blind spot monitor or blind-spot monitoring is a vehicle-based sensor device that detects other vehicles located to the driver’s side and rear. Warnings can be visual, audible, vibrating, or tactile. Blind spot monitors may do more than ...
, and rear cross traffic alert. The second generation Insignia was revealed in December 2016, and was reported to be renamed ''Insignia Grand Sport''. File:Opel Insignia 2.0T Cosmo 2017 (43153786675).jpg, Opel Insignia (facelift) File:2016 Opel Insignia saloon (2).jpg, Opel Insignia (facelift) File:2016 Vauxhall Insignia Design 1.4.jpg, Vauxhall Insignia (facelift)


Engines


2008–2013

From launch, the Insignia was offered with four petrol engines: :1.6 L ; 1.8 L ; 2.0 L Turbo ; 2.8 L V6 with – and three diesel engines (all derived from the Fiat/GM JTD engine), all displacing 2.0 litres: :2.0 L ; 2.0 L ; 2.0 L . In 2009, a 1.6 L Turbo petrol , the ecoFLEX diesels, and the OPC versions were introduced. From September 2010, the 2.0 CDTi diesel engine gained Adaptive 4x4 as an option. A 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI developed with the help of Saab, with , was expected to begin production in 2010. Due to the sale of Saab, production was delayed until 2012. The BiTurbo CDTI was offered with front- or four-wheel drive. All engines have a six speed
manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...
as standard, with some engines having an
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
as an option. Since launch, all diesels have improved their emissions. In 2011, some engines gained Start/Stop, all diesel engines have this option, with more petrol engines expected to gain the technology in the future. A 1.4 Turbo , with S/S as standard, became available - replacing the 1.8 - and the 2.0 Turbo with four-wheel drive was upgraded to ; the front-wheel drive 2.0 Turbo still had . In 2009, a new range of ecoFLEX diesel engine offered same amount of power, but less CO2-emission (g/km) and fuel consumption. The 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX with and have emission of only 114 CO2-emission (g/km), as well as a version with 2.0 CDTI 4x4. The Bi turbo diesel engine has 129 CO2-emission (g/km).


2013–2017

Alongside the facelift of 2013 came a new range of engines – some existing, some tweaked, and some brand new. Diesel engines available at launch include the 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX (also with Start/Stop), with outputs of 120 PS, 140 PS, and 163 PS and the existing 195 PS BiTurbo. There is also a non ecoFLEX engine with 130 PS which is only available with automatic transmission. Petrol engines include the existing 1.4 Turbo and 1.8 (only on some markets), and the all new 1.6 SIDI Turbo engine introduced in the Cascada, and new 2.0 SIDI Turbo. All engines come with a six speed manual gearbox as standard, with a six speed automatic available as an option on the 1.6 and 2.0 SIDI turbo petrol engines, and the 2.0 CDTI 163 PS and 195 PS diesel engines. All petrol and diesel engines have a Start/Stop system except the 2.0 CDTI with 130 PS. In September 2014, Opel introduced its all new generation of engines – large diesel engine, starting with 2.0 CDTI engine with 170 PS and 400 Nm, which is a part of new strategy in which Opel will introduce 17 new engines in a period from 2014 to 2018. The new engine became available from the end of 2014/beginning of 2015.


Awards

Since making its début, the Opel Insignia has won more than fifty national and international awards, including 'Best Executive Car' in the United Kingdom and
Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...
, 'Best Family Car' in Ireland twice, and best car for fleet customers in the United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark, and Portugal. * The Insignia was voted 2009
European Car of the Year The European Car of the Year ("ECOTY") award is an international Car of the Year award established in 1964, by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organising companies of the award are '' Auto'' ( ...
. * The Insignia scored a five star rating in
EuroNCAP The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven (Belgium) formed in 1996, with the first results released in Februa ...
. * In 2011, German institute DEKRA gave Opel an award for the Insignia as a car with the fewest flaws in its class. * In 2012, Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung mbH/Association for Technical Supervision evaluated Opel Insignia as number one in terms of used car quality.


Production and sales

Production started at the end of 2008 on all major markets in Europe. At launch, the Vauxhall versions were produced in Exclusiv, S, SE, SRi, Elite, and VXR specification levels. It was a popular choice with British buyers, being the nation's ninth best selling car in 2009 – its first full year on sale, outselling its direct competitor the
Ford Mondeo The Ford Mondeo is a large family car manufactured by Ford since 1993. The first Ford model declared as a " world car", the Mondeo was intended to consolidate several Ford model lines worldwide (the European Sierra, the Telstar in Asia and Aus ...
, but just falling short of the sales achieved by the more upmarket BMW 3 Series. At the beginning several trim levels were available, depending on the market: Essentia, Edition, Sport, Cosmo, OPC. Later on others were added, such as the Business edition, Selection, Active, 150 years of Opel, and Innovation. By August 2011, over 400,000 Insignias had been sold, and on 26 April 2012, the 500,000th Insignia was produced. The last vehicle rolled off the line in April 2017, in time for the release of the Insignia II.


Second generation (Z18; 2017)

First leaked on public in December 2016, and finally Insignia had its public debut at the International Motor Fair in
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; names in other languages) is the capital and largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. Nearly 1,166,763 mi ...
in March 2017. The design took design cues from the 2013 Opel Monza Concept. From this point, the traditional four door
notchback A notchback is a design of a car with the rearmost section that is distinct from the passenger compartment and where the back of the passenger compartment is at an angle to the top of what is typically the rear baggage compartment. Notchback cars ...
saloon version was officially removed. The vehicle was officially revealed on 26 June 2017. The car is based on a moderately updated version of Epsilon II platform and was wholly developed by
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
. After the sale of Opel to
PSA Group The PSA Group (), legally known as Peugeot S.A. (Peugeot Société Anonyme, trading as Groupe PSA; formerly known as PSA Peugeot Citroën from 1991 to 2016) was a French multinational automotive manufacturing company which produced automobiles ...
and later
Stellantis Stellantis N.V. is a multinational automotive manufacturing corporation formed in 2021 on the basis of a 50–50 cross-border merger between the Italian-American conglomerate Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the French PSA Group. The comp ...
, it is continued to be produced under license. Opel dropped the OPC designation for its performance Insignia, instead reverting to their older GSi nameplate, last seen on the third generation
Opel Vectra The Opel Vectra is a mid-size car ( large family car) that was engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel from 1988 until 2010. Available in saloon, hatchback and estate body styles, the Vectra was also sold by the Vauxhall marque ...
. The GSi nameplate also replaces VXR, on the Vauxhall version of the Insignia. This version of the Insignia is badged as the Holden Commodore ZB in Australia and New Zealand, and as the sixth generation Buick Regal in the Americas and Asia. After a 2020 facelift, only the 2-liter four-cylinder petrol engine remained available in Europe, while a new 1.5-liter three-cylinder and a 2.0-liter four cylinder diesel replaced the earlier 1.6 and 2.0. The new diesel engines share their dimensions with the new Duramax inline-six diesel engine. In 2022
Vauxhall Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
announced that they will drop the Insignia from their range as the result of the brand moving towards a fully electric lineup and the decline of the
D-segment The D-segment is the 4th category of the European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size car category us ...
in Europe which also lead to the discontinuation of the
Ford Mondeo The Ford Mondeo is a large family car manufactured by Ford since 1993. The first Ford model declared as a " world car", the Mondeo was intended to consolidate several Ford model lines worldwide (the European Sierra, the Telstar in Asia and Aus ...
and the sedan versions of the Volkswagen Passat. Vauxhall later said that the Insignia nameplate will be resurrected as a
Crossover SUV A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
in 2024. Opel also announced in the same year that the production of the Opel Insignia will also end in 2022, ending the company's tradition of
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive di ...
and flagship cars once popularized by the
Opel Rekord The Opel Rekord is a large family car which was built in eight generations by the German car manufacturer Opel. Between 1953 and 1986, approximately ten million were sold. In 1986, the Rekord nameplate was replaced by the Opel Omega. Naming ...
and
Opel Kapitän The Opel Kapitän is a luxury car made in several different generations by the German car manufacturer Opel from 1938 until 1970. Kapitän (1938–1940) The Kapitän was the last new Opel model to appear before the outbreak of the Second ...
. File:Opel Insignia Grand Sport 1.6 Diesel Business Innovation (B) – Heckansicht, 5. Mai 2017, Düsseldorf.jpg, Grand Sport File:Opel Insignia Sports Tourer 1.5 DIT Innovation (B) – Heckansicht, 12. Mai 2017, Düsseldorf.jpg, Sports Tourer File:Insignia B Country Tourer.jpg, Country Tourer File:2018 Vauxhall Insignia SRi NAV Turbo 1.5 Front.jpg, Vauxhall Insignia (United Kingdom) File:2019 Buick Regal Sportback Essence in White Frost Tricoat, Front Right, 07-31-2022.jpg, Buick Regal Sportback (North America) File:2018 Vauxhall Insignia SRi Interior.jpg, Interior


GSi

File:Opel Insignia B GSi Classic-Days 2022 DSC 0288.jpg, Opel Insignia GSi (pre-facelift) File:Opel Insignia B GSi Classic-Days 2022 DSC 0287.jpg, Opel Insignia GSi (pre-facelift) File:2018 Buick Regal GS Sportback, Front Left, 09-26-2021.jpg, Buick Regal GS (pre-facelift)


Facelift (2020)

File:Opel Insignia B FL IMG 4456.jpg, Opel Insignia (facelift) File:2020 Vauxhall Insignia SE NAV CDTi facelift 1.5 Front.jpg, Vauxhall Insignia (facelift) File:BUICK REGAL GS China (2).jpg, Buick Regal GS (facelift)


Engines


Holden Commodore (ZB)

The Opel Insignia B was marketed in Australia and New Zealand as the
Holden Commodore The Holden Commodore is a full-size car that was sold by Holden from 1978 to 2020. It was manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of the locally manufactured versions in Australia endi ...
ZB; the fifth generation of the Commodore. This was Holden's first and only imported model to be sold under the Commodore nameplate. The range included the five door
liftback A liftback is a variation of hatchback with a sloping roofline between 45 and 5 degrees. Traditional hatchback designs usually have a 90 to 46 degree slope on the tailgate or rear door. As such the liftback is essentially a hatchback with a more ...
and five door
station wagon A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
bodystyles. Holden previously sold the first generation Insignia under the Opel brand (Opel Insignia) in 2012 and 2013, as well as under the Holden brand (Holden Insignia) from 2015 to 2017. It is the first Holden Commodore model to be manufactured outside of Australia, following the closure of Holden's Australian car manufacturing facilities at
Elizabeth, South Australia Elizabeth is an outer northern suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as par ...
and
Fishermans Bend, Victoria Fishermans Bend (formerly Fishermen's Bend) is a precinct within the City of Port Phillip and the City of Melbourne. It is located on the south of the Yarra River in the suburb of Port Melbourne and opposite Coode Island, close to the Melbourne ...
on Friday 20 October 2017. It is the first Commodore in thirty years to come with a
four-cylinder engine The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...
as standard, and controversially, the first in its forty year production not to have a V8 powertrain option. GM made the decision to discontinue Australian manufacturing of the Holden Commodore due to falling sales and losses. The ZB Commodore has proven to be unpopular in Australia resulting in cuts to the production schedule and the lowest unit sales per month on record since the original VB Commodore was released in 1978. November 2019 was the lowest month recorded with only 309 Commodores sold. On 10 December 2019, it was announced that the ZB Commodore, and the Commodore nameplate, would be discontinued at the end of 2020, citing worsening sales. Two months later, GM announced that the Holden brand would be retired altogether by 2021.


Development

Development for the ZB Commodore started in 2012, with Holden helping Opel design and develop the next generation Insignia, catering it to Australian conditions. Once the car was ready, prototypes were sent to Australia for testing. Holden completed over 100,000 km of testing, with engineers bracing the cars to withstand local roads and make it feel similar to previous Commodore generations.


Safety

Akin to its VF Commodore predecessor, the ZB achieved five stars in the
ANCAP ANCAP may refer to: * ANCAP (commodity standard), based on ammonium nitrate, copper, aluminum and plywood * Australasian New Car Assessment Program * ANCAP (Uruguay) ANCAP (Administración Nacional de Combustibles, Alcoholes y Portland, Englis ...
safety ratings. Originally, the ZB ANCAP rating was awarded based on the
Euro NCAP The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven (Belgium) formed in 1996, with the first results released in Februa ...
test of a 1.6 litre model which is not sold in Australia. ANCAP conducted an audit test on specification of Australia V6 and confirmed its rating.


Powertrains

The ZB Commodore is available with a range of engines including a
four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...
petrol, four cylinder
diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engi ...
and six-cylinder petrol engine.
Front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
and
all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one ...
are available across the liftback and wagon body styles.


Models

Compared to the VF Commodore, Holden rearranged the specification levels and model nameplates, with only the Calais (and Calais-V) surviving into the ZB series, this name having originated in the VK-series of 1984 as a luxury focused model. Various price cuts were made and
wagon A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...
variants are more expensive. Commodore LT The LT is the new entry level Commodore, replacing the previous generation's Evoke model, which is also $3,935 cheaper than the predecessor's drive away price. It features a front wheel drive 2.0L Turbo four cylinder engine with a nine speed automatic, or an optional 2.0L diesel, with an eight speed automatic. It comes with 17" alloy wheels, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Keep Assist, a 7" MyLink system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto and Passive Entry & Push Button Start as standard. The model is available as liftback or wagon. Commodore RS The RS is a visually sportier improvement over the LT model, with an upgraded interior featuring different seats and steering wheel. It also possesses more safety features, including Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The RS has two drivetrain choices, a front wheel drive 2.0L Turbo four cylinder engine with a nine speed Automatic, or an All Wheel Drive 3.6L V6 (available as an exclusive option with the liftback body style). It comes with 18" alloy wheels. The model is available as liftback or wagon. Commodore RS–V The RS–V is similar to the RS Model but includes more features such as an upgraded 8" MyLink system incorporating satellite navigation, wireless phone charging, Hi Per Strut Suspension and an Adaptive AWD system. Only the V6 AWD powertrain is offered in liftback and wagon forms. Commodore VXR The VXR is Holden's new flagship model following Holden's decision to rest the well known SS nameplate along with the V8 Engine configuration. The VXR nameplate was originally used for the British Vauxhall VXR. It features 20" alloy wheels, sportier lavishings and leather seats with a massage function. Safety features include a 360 degree camera and Continuous Damping Control Suspension. It is only available in liftback with the V6 powertrain. Commodore Calais Retaining the previous generation's familiar name, the Calais is the base premium model. Standard equipment includes 18" alloy wheels, leather seating with a heating function, wireless phone charging, Blind Spot Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and an 8" MyLink system. Available as a Liftback or Tourer, the former receives the 2.0L petrol four cylinder engine, or an optional diesel engine, while the wagon is exclusively fitted with the V6 powertrain. Commodore Calais–V Carrying over the previous generation "V" flair, the Calais–V is the flagship premium model. Standard offerings include 20" alloy wheels, an Adaptive AWD system, a 360 degree camera, and massaging driver seat. It is available in either a liftback or wagon bodystyle, with the V6 powertrain being the only on offer.


Motorsport

For marketing purposes, the ZB Commodore will be raced in various motorsport disciplines, however, the race cars generally have no physical or mechanical relationship with the production model, other than similar looks, as an exterior shell is built to resemble the road going cars, with a rear wheel drive tube frame chassis underneath.


Supercars Championship

The ZB Commodore is used by teams running Holdens in the
Supercars Championship The Supercars Championship is a touring car racing category in Australia, running as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations, governing the sport. Supercars events take place in all Australia ...
. Powered by the same
V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and u ...
as used in the VF, a turbo charged V6 engine was under development for use in
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, however the project was cancelled in April 2018 amid engineering concerns that the V6 would not be competitive.


Sales

Sales of the new Commodore commenced in February 2018. The ZB is the first Commodore produced outside of Australia since the nameplate's induction in 1978, leading to much public backlash. Consumer uptake and acceptance have been the lowest for any Commodore branded vehicle in the history of Holden manufacturing, however, this has also come at the same time as the nameplate has shifted market segment and competition, with the ZB outperforming all but the
Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...
in the Medium/Large segment, including the
Mazda6 The Mazda6 (known as the Mazda Atenza in Japan and China, derived from the Italian '' attenzione'') is a mid-size sedan produced by Mazda since 2002, replacing the long-produced Capella/626. The Mazda6 was marketed as the first example of the c ...
and
Ford Mondeo The Ford Mondeo is a large family car manufactured by Ford since 1993. The first Ford model declared as a " world car", the Mondeo was intended to consolidate several Ford model lines worldwide (the European Sierra, the Telstar in Asia and Aus ...
.


Future developments

When the decision was made to cease vehicle production in Australia and source the ZB Commodore from Europe, Opel and Vauxhall were still subsidiaries of GM. On 1 August 2017, both were sold to
Groupe PSA The PSA Group (), legally known as Peugeot S.A. (Peugeot Société Anonyme, trading as Groupe PSA; formerly known as PSA Peugeot Citroën from 1991 to 2016) was a French multinational automotive manufacturing company which produced automobiles ...
, who announced that it will transfer the Opel Insignia platform to PSA platforms as early as 2021, which means the current model would be discontinued as PSA plans to export PSA-based Opel models globally from 2018 onwards. On 17 October 2018, Holden halted imports of the Commodore due to slow sales, and an increasing number of unsold cars at its dealerships. On 10 December 2019, Holden announced the Commodore range of vehicles is to be discontinued in Australia and New Zealand, with GM Holden shifting focus to concentrate upon SUV sales in 2020.


Motorsport

The Thorney Motorsport team first ran a Vauxhall Insignia VXR in the last round of the
2011 British Touring Car Championship The 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was the 54th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. Cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) specification were allowed to compete in the championship for the fir ...
to prepare a two car team for the season of
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
. Only one car was run in four rounds – 1 and 2 driven by John Thorne, and 6 and 9 driven by
Tony Gilham Anthony "Tony" Gilham (born 19 May 1979) is a British auto racing driver. He is the founder and owner of Team HARD. Racing, who currently compete in various championships including the British Touring Car Championship. Racing career Early ye ...
. Tony's Team HARD bought the two Insignias from Thorney Motorsport, and raced one of them himself in the last round of the 2012 season. Driving both cars for the season of 2013 were James Cole and
Jack Goff Jack Goff (born 6 March 1991) is a British auto racing driver. He was the 2012 Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom champion. He made his debut in the British Touring Car Championship on 31 March 2013 at Brands Hatch, driving for RCIB Insurance Ra ...
, running under the RCIB Insurance Racing team name. RCIB Insurance Racing/Team Hard sold the cars to BMR for the 2014 BTCC season, and would be driven by Jack Goff and Warren Scott. The Insignia was not as competitive as hoped and the cars were replaced mid season with
Volkswagen CC The Volkswagen CC, originally marketed as the Volkswagen Passat CC in its first generation, is a variant of the Volkswagen Passat that trades headroom and cargo space for a coupé-like profile and sweeping roofline. The CC debuted in January 2008 ...
s.


Other rebranding

In Chile, the Insignia was introduced in 2008 as the Chevrolet Vectra. In 2013, the model line dropped its Chevrolet name, adopting the Opel Insignia nameplate. In August 2012, the Opel Insignia was introduced to Australia; following the 2013 withdrawal of Opel from Australia by GM, the model line was dropped from the market. For 2015, the Insignia returned to Australia (and for the first time, New Zealand) under the Holden marque, slotted slightly under the Commodore range in market position.


2003 Insignia concept

The Opel Insignia nameplate saw its first use on a 2003 concept car. For the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, Opel debuted a concept car previewing a potential mid-2000s full-size
luxury car A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars. The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and the ...
( F-segment) for the brand. Derived from the rear-wheel drive GM V platform used by the VY Holden Commodore, the Opel Insignia concept vehicle was styled as a fastback 5-door liftback. The engine was sourced from the
Chevrolet Corvette C5 The Chevrolet Corvette (C5) is the fifth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette sports car, produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1997 through 2004 model years. Production variants include the high performance Z06. Racing ...
, pairing a 344 hp LS1 V8 with an all-new 7-speed automatic transmission. The Insignia debuted several notable features, including a reconfigurable rear seat (changing between 5-passenger seating and a 2+2 layout with a rear center console), LED headlamps (powered by 405 LEDs), a reconfigurable dashboard and center console (with air-conditioned storage and humidor). The rear sliding doors were fitted with pantographic hinges, allowing for the deletion of external guide rails. Intended primarily as a debut of the design language of the Opel brand for the mid-2000s, the Insignia was not officially intended for production. In the beginning of 2005, Opel officially announced that it would not build a production version of the vehicle, claiming it would be too heavy and expensive. Elements of the Insignia concept design were eventually adopted by other GM vehicles, including the 2015
Buick Avenir The Buick Avenir is a concept car manufactured by Buick. The name of the vehicle ''Avenir'' means 'future' in French. In October 2017, Buick made Avenir a premium top-of-the-line sub-brand, similar to GMC’s Denali and Chevrolet’s Signature se ...
concept (sharing a similar fastback/4-door coupe configuration) and the 2008-2017 Opel Insignia/Buick Regal (rear fascia) and the 2010-2016
Buick LaCrosse The Buick LaCrosse is a mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed by Buick since 2004. The LaCrosse is now in its third generation, slotted above the Buick Regal as the brand's flagship vehicle. The first-generation LaCrosse replaced the Century ...
(roofline); its liftback configuration was adopted by the 2018 Insignia/Regal/Commodore. File:Opel Insignia rear.jpg, Opel Insignia Concept at the 2003
Frankfurt Motor Show The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
File:IAA 2003 003 - Flickr - Axel Schwenke.jpg, Rear
sliding door A sliding door is a type of door which opens horizontally by sliding, usually horizontal to a wall. Sliding doors can be mounted either on top of a track below or be suspended from a track above. Some types slide into a space in the parallel w ...
s File:IAA 2003 004 - Flickr - Axel Schwenke.jpg, Rear view


Notes


References


External links


Official international Opel Insignia website
{{Opel timeline
Insignia An insignia () is a sign or mark distinguishing a group, grade, rank, or function. It can be a symbol of personal power or that of an official group or governing body. On its own, an insignia is a sign of a specific or general authority and is ...
Insignia An insignia () is a sign or mark distinguishing a group, grade, rank, or function. It can be a symbol of personal power or that of an official group or governing body. On its own, an insignia is a sign of a specific or general authority and is ...
Front-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Mid-size cars Full-size vehicles Luxury vehicles ANCAP large family cars Euro NCAP large family cars Compact sport utility vehicles Crossover sport utility vehicles Sports sedans Station wagons Hatchbacks Cars introduced in 2008 Touring cars 2010s cars ZB