Opel Insignia GSi. Versatile sports player
The Insignia GSI sports liftback or estate is available as one of the second generation versions of the popular Insignia model by Opel (Germany). The model premiered at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The ‘charged’ Insignia GSi is a real versatile sports player, a dynamic vehicle that steers well and has only a four-wheel drive system from the Insignia family. Its main competitors are Skoda Superb, Mazda 6 and Volkswagen Passat.
Exterior and interior
The new Insignia GSI is a long, low, aerodynamic and light vehicle, moderately aggressive, unpretentious, modern and sporty. Its rear end, doors and windows look balanced or even too mathematically verified. The advanced headlamps, which use matrix LED technology to automatically turn on the high beam segment by segment, make the vehicle stand out.
The GSI’s interior features patented Genuine heated and ventilated racing seats. Considering the long wheelbase, the rear end is very spacious. Moreover, the model has one of the largest trunks in its class, reaching almost 0.5 cubic meters. The dashboard is considered is perfectly simple and ergonomic. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is fully integrated into the dashboard.
Engine and chassis
The 2020/2021 Insignia GSI is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that produces 230 hp and develops a torque of 350 Nm. The 4-cylinder unit is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. By the way, the transmission can be controlled using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel, as befits a real racing car. With automatic gear shifting, the driver can preselect the shift mode in standard and sport modes. The sports liftback is capable of driving at a speed of 237 km/h (the estate can do it at 235 km/h). Acceleration to the first 100 km/h occurs in 7.4 seconds (7.6 for the estate).
Steering
According to reviews, the new Insignia GSI is surprisingly dynamic, as the designers managed to achieve a low weight especially on the front axle, a low center of gravity, easy handling, high power in a wide rpm range and strong road adhesion.
The GSi has a completely new chassis that was tested on the Nürburgring track. Flawless road adhesion is ensured by the standard torque vectoring system, unique for this segment. This system replaces the usual differential on the rear axle by two clutches that can accelerate each rear wheel individually in a split second, depending on the road situation, making cornering flawless in any situation.
