Test drive Opel Insignia sedan since 2008 sedan

When Opel is cooler than BMW

Opel Insignia And what is new there, why write about it now? - This issue during the editorial assembly caused malicious grin on the faces of some of our employees. But in fact, telling about what. After all, not only the usual Insignia came to us, but also the charged version of the OPC. And not just OPC, but its last modification called Opel Insignia OPC Unlimited. There is another news. And it is she who is the most important now Opel Insignia is collected in Russia.

From the latter and it is worth starting. After gaining Insignia Russian registration, its price decreased immediately by 70 thousand rubles. And now a simple Insignia can be taken for 777 thousand rubles. The engine, however, will be a power of only 115 hp, but the equipment will be at the level (full set of pillows, alarm, air conditioning, music and even ESP).

True, Opel is a little cunning, saying that after the start of the assembly in Kaliningrad, Insignia became cheaper. This model could be bought before 777 thousand rubles, but it was the so -called seasonal action. Now the discount has been removed, but at the same time reduced the price. And this is good, because an honest price list is better than a cunning. In addition, there is a hope that in the future Opel will announce some new discount that will be repulsed from 777 thousand rubles.

And now I want to understand why Insignia, despite the mass of its advantages, is still quite rare on our roads. In Europe, this is a real hit, and Opel Vectra, her predecessor, enjoyed the love of Russians. But Insignia did not work out in Russia in Russia. Last year, we sold only 1526 cars of this model. For comparison, the leader of the Ford Mondeo segment dispersed in 2010 in the amount of 10,961 pieces.

Insignia seems to have everything. And an interesting adult appearance, and a pleasant interior, and a wide range of engines. Moreover, the latter includes not only gasoline motors with a capacity of 115 hp. Up to 325 (!) horses, but also a diesel unit. While we have only one two -liter, with a capacity of 160 hp. But soon a more affordable 130-horsepower InSignia diesel will appear, which will cost cheaper than a million rubles.

Yes, and the Insignia interior is not bad, although it is annoying that when using the menu or navigator to confirm the choice, you should not press on the central washer, but to drain the silver ring on the side. From the habit, this decision looks very strange. Although in fairness it should be noted that the buttons here are large and understandable. Not bad and comfort for this indicator is a strong middle peasant in its class.


Opel Insignia OPC can now be ordered with a machine gun. The surcharge for it is the same as on the civil versions of Insignia - 47 thousand rubles.

So why didn’t insignia take root with us? It seems that the answer was found by gasoline Insignia Automatic gearbox is laid only with 220-, 260- or 325-horsepower engines (yes, from now on, even the InSignia OPC has an automatic transmission). And buyers of large cars in Russia for a long time do not want to switch the programs manually. And often they are simply forced to buy Insignia with a diesel engine, which just has a machine gun due to this, the share of diesel engines in the total sales volume of Insignia reaches very decent 20%for Russia. And that is why a special configuration for Russia called Business Edition was also created on the basis of a diesel machine.


In Russia, all civil versions of Opel Insignia will be collected, including station wagon and cars with diesel engines. From Germany, only the 325-horsepower version of Insignia OPC will come to us.

We studied the price list for a long time and, it seems, Opel marketers do not deceive us. Insignia Business Edition is a really rather profitable offer, especially if you want to take a diesel car. From August 1, its price is 1 195 700 rubles. At first glance, a lot. But do not forget that such a machine is noticeably richer than Cosmo, which has always been considered topova. Indeed, in Business Edition there is skin, navigation system, an electric drive of chairs, very decent music, parking sensors, bi-ksenon and much more. As a result, the Germans do not even offer any options for the Business Edition. It is believed that everything is already there. Including the same machine.

Insignia Business Edition made a good impression. The car did not amaze with some new level of comfort or breathtaking dynamics. But for all, without exception, the characteristics of Insignia corresponds to the level of the modern class D. And the diesel engine even pleased. Its 160 horses are quite enough to drive at reasonable speeds, thanks to a huge torque from the bottom (350 N ∙ m at 1750-2500 rpm), the machine is very easily accelerated, and tractor rammed, which can still be distinguished on the spot during movement I just don't hear.


We did not have a diesel Opel Insignia Sports Tourer on the test. However, if you want to buy yourself a large station wagon, then take a closer look at this model, which, by the way, is also collected in Kaliningrad. Indeed, now the minimum price of a universal Insignia with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine (115 hp) and mechanics is 822 thousand rubles. And the 160-horsepower diesel machine in the Elegance average configuration is sold for 1,045,000 (with automatic transmission for 1,092,000 rubles). For comparison, the Citroen C5 station wagon with a diesel engine with a capacity of 140 hp. and automatic transmission costs 1,169,000 rubles. or for 77 thousand rubles. more expensive (but let's not forget about the famous Sitroen hydropneumatic suspension).
The Ford Mondeo diesel station wagon in a good set of Titanium is sold for 1,042,450 rubles. (This is taking into account the current discounts in the amount of 90,000 rubles). But the motor in this case gives out not 160 hp, like Insignia, but 140 hp.

In my opinion, this 160-horsepower Insignia is one of the best diesel offers in the classroom. Especially if you look at the price-power ratio (the simplest InSignia diesel with mechanics can now be bought for exactly one million). After all, say, Volkswagen Passat with a more powerful 170-horsepower diesel for almost 200 thousand rubles. The InSignia Business Edition is more expensive (and you will have to pay extra for the skin when buying Passat), and the 204-horsepower Citroen C5 diesel in the maximum configuration comparable to the InSignia Business Edition costs more than 1.4 million rubles. There is, however, Ford Mondeo with a capacity of 200 hp, but it is also more expensive than a sophisticated Insignia (the price of such mondeo is 1,319,950 rubles, although in fairness it should be noted that now you can buy Mondeo with a 140 -horsepower diesel engine and Automat for only 903 950 rubles).

However, the test of diesel Insignia was only a prelude to what I, in fact, arrived. I was waiting for the fastest serial machine in the history of this German company, which was called Opel Insignia OPC Unlimited. By and large, it is no different from the usual Insignia OPC. She has the same 2.8-liter turbocharged engine under the hood, which produces 325 hp, the drive here is still full, and already in the standard the car has a sophisticated Opel Mechatron chassis Flexride. And the appearance here is the same evil - Insignia OPC is more like a concept than a serial car.

But the OPC Unlimited modification has several important differences. This is not only a slightly different speedometer and a tachometer. The main thing is that this model can accelerate to 270 km/h, and even the most powerful BMW M5, Audi RS6 and other animals are able to gain only 250 km/h. No, Opel did not come up with a new fuel with an octane number of 1000, and did not install a reactive motor on the Insignia. The Germans simply removed the electronic speed limiter, which the companies install on their cars voluntarily. That is, Opel did what only Panikovsky was capable of before. Opel, like the third son of Lieutenant Schmidt, violated the Convention. Panikovsky was beaten for this, but Opel managed to get out of the water dry.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. Insignia OPC Unlimited brake calipers are painted blue. Rather, not even the caliper itself, but the inscription Brembo. But it has long been known that the blue color not only reduces the braking distance, but also in the most positive way affects controllability and dynamics.


In addition to the fact that Opel Insignia OPC has a predatory appearance, all -wheel drive and 325 hp. Under the hood, this car also sounds cool. The engine is such that the heart begins to beat faster, and associations with car races instantly appear in my head

But when it comes to prices, it is no longer possible to jokes for the Modification of Insignia OPC Unlimited only 15 thousand rubles. more expensive than standard Insignia OPC. And the latter costs only 1,574,500 rubles. (Moreover, the Germans sell not only a charged sedan and hatchback, but also a station wagon, which is 45 thousand rubles more expensive). Why everything? Yes, it is very easy to find a more powerful car of class D, which would cost cheaper than Insignia OPC, is simply impossible! After all, let's say, the same Ford Mondeo has a maximum of 240 hp. (The rest of the competitors do not have this), and the Insignia OPC, recall, under the hood of 325 horses. There are, of course, premium sedans of the BMW 335i type with an engine with a capacity of 306 hp. Or Audi S4. But this, you see, is already a slightly different flight and at a slightly different price (335i is almost 670 thousand rubles more expensive, and the Audi S4, which has 333 hp under a hood, costs more than 830 thousand rubles)) .

Moreover, if more recently, the Insignia OPC could only be bought with a mechanical box, then an automatic machine is also available. Of course, someone will say that buying a rocket with a machine gun is wrong. Like, if you take a herd of 325 horses, then you need to feel the car with all the fibers of the soul. But the last statement is still extremely controversial, especially when you consider that acceleration 0-100 km/h is automatic insignia OPC only 0.3 s slower. In addition, the work of the mechanics on the Insignia OPC did not like the lever moves a little longer than we would like. Plus, the automatic transmission on the Insignia OPC has a manual mode, delayed gear density is minimal.

The fact that 325-horsepower InSignia is traveling better than ordinary cars was clear from the very beginning. And a small test drive at the airfield near St. Petersburg proved this once again. The difference even in comparison with the 220-horsepower gasoline InSignia is noticeable: the OPC version accelerates noticeably faster, better inhibits, clearly prescribes the trajectory and behaves perfectly when performing the decrease maneuver. But to understand why you really need to remove the speed limiter, to admit, it was very difficult. Well, there are few tracks in Russia where you can safely ride even at a speed of 250 km/h, not to mention 270 km/h (we are generally silent about traffic rules). Although on the other hand, the knowledge that you can, if you wish, make some BMW M5 on the highway is very pleasant. Well, is it worth 15 thousand rubles. Or not, everyone decides for himself.


In Russia, the 325-horsepower Opel Insignia OPC is much cheaper than the BMW 335i with a 306-hp engine. But in Germany, the situation is different. There, 46,890 euros are asked for Insignia OPC, but the BMW 335i with all -wheel drive transmission can be bought for 45,750 euros. The price of the 333-horsepower Audi S4 in Germany from 51,800 euros. That is, the price difference between Insignia OPC and Audi S4 is less than 5,000 euros or in terms of about 200 thousand rubles. For comparison, in Russia the price of Opel and Audi differs by almost 830 thousand rubles!

For in any case, Insignia OPC has a fantastic motor. Thanks to him, the car shoots forward at any speed, at any speed. Moreover, in order for you to smear along the chair, it is not at all necessary to drive the tachometer arrow into the red zone. The engine reacts perfectly to gas even at average speeds, there is no mention of any turboyam, so Insignia OPC has no hysterical notes that are present on many charged machines.

In general, the InSignia OPC, regardless of the presence or absence of a package of Unlimited, is a very fast and pleasant machine, which can be operated without any problems every day (the suspension is, of course, it is harder than on the civilian insignia, but there is no stool syndrome here ). In addition, in Russia, unlike Europe, the prices for Opel Insignia are very attractive compared to other sedans of the segment of more than three hundred horses.

As for ordinary Insignia, then the situation is dual. Gasoline machines with basic motors clearly lack a machine gun. And the prices would like a little less. After all, if the price list to the same Mondeo start from the mark of 699 thousand rubles, then Insignia is at least 777 thousand and even if you compare powerful models with machine guns, it turns out that the Insignia sedan with a 220-horsepower engine in the average configuration of Elegance is 1 057 000 rub. And Mondeo with a 240 hp motor with and PowerShift gearbox with two clutches in a decent Titanium configuration of 36,550 rubles. cheaper. And 20 hp more powerful.

On the other hand, 160-horsepower insigne Insignia is a great offer. Especially if you need a station wagon, or you agree to buy a sedan or hatchback in the rich equipment of Business Edition with an automatic gearbox.

Denis Smolyanov
photo by the author and Opel





 

Source: Auto.mail.ru