If you read our review of the 2011 Buick Regal, it was pretty plain to see we liked the car a lot. It's probably the most fun, nicest-looking, sporty FWD mid-size sedan in the market. And we're saying that about a Buick, not an Acura TSX or Mazda6.

The Regal is more or less exactly the same as the Euro-spec Opel Insignia, which means by commutative property, since we like the Regal, we like the Opel Insignia. When GM takes that enjoyable, 220 HP front wheel drive car and puts a stonkin' 325 HP, 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 with a six speed manual and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system in it capable of rear-axle torque vectoring, it's a fair bet we'll be giddy with excitement. Then they add 14-inch (front) Brembo binders, Recaro bucket seats, 20 inch wheels and body work so aggressive it makes one's inner hoon squeal. GM brought one along during the Regal drive and let us have a crack at it.

It might not be the fastest, hardest cornering, most extreme factory tuner in the world, but God damn it looks good. This could have the three-cylinder wheeze-fest from an old Geo Metro and we'd still want to roll around naked on it. That's not to say it isn't fast, 0-60 MPH takes 5.8 seconds, which is impressive for a car that weighs 3,990 Lbs.

But lifting off the accelerator is a high crime. Maybe it's the super-grippy Recaro buckets, the Darth Vader meets Tron interior graphics or the knowledge that you're driving one of the only OPC's to ever grace these shores, but you can't help but drop the transmission down a couple cogs and obliterate the speed limit with dangerous regularity. It's easy to find oneself hunting for even the slightest bend in the road to exaggerate into a high speed corner. The car's good, but more importantly, it's involving.

The OPC bases much of its greasy bits on the Saab 9-3 Turbo X powertrain, though it's tuned to a higher level, it makes many of the same moves. That Saab had only 280 HP, but the torque vectoring AWD system is identical.

Compared to the Regal, the Insignia OPC is more of a boy racer, such things are obvious based on the obnoxious body work and giant wheels, but it lives at an interesting intersection of hooligan and grown up. The car is tighter in corners, but doesn't punish you over jarring bumps, turn-in is faster, but it isn't tiresome. Should you lose your mind and want a more sedate experience, you can turn the car down a couple notches with three different suspension settings, each progressively softer until its throttle response and damping rate is rather pedestrian.

The fact that GM brought this car to a Buick Regal media launch is not a signal lost on us. We aren't saying GM is preparing a version for the United States, but the shoulder shrugs and veiled smirks from GM engineers say they're at least thinking about it. Although there was much talk of the letters "G," "N," and "X" but none of it coming from anyone wearing a GM badge — and unfortunately, GM's CEO's already nixed the idea. Still, a car fan-boy can dream, can't we?

Steinmetz has essentially taken its Insignia package and applied it the the much more (in our opinion) desirable SportTourer body style, including a hopped up engine performance tune. They've added a Klasen-Motors diesel performance upgrade to the stock 2.0-liter CDTI, which brings a 3-inch exhaust, sportier catalyst, intercooler and a re-tuned ecu. The entire package bumps the stock numbers up from 220 horsepower to 295 horsepower and 310 lb-ft or torque, or enough to excite even the most hardened family man.

Not content with just a performance boost, Steinmetz also added some tasteful kit to the SportTourer, including an agro lower front spoiler and a murdered-out grille, two-piece roof spoiler, chrome exhaust tips. The whole package is lowered down 1-inch to ride on big-boy 20-inch ST7 rollers which are available in either black or white.

If you're so lucky as to be in Germany from April 30th - May 3rd, you'll be able to see the Steinmetz Insignia SportTourer in person at the Bodenese Tuning World 2009 exhibition.

[via Steinmetz]

With the Buick Regal proving to be a huge sales success here in China, and the Regal 2.0 Turbo planned for a reveal at the Shanghai Auto Show next week, the chances of a high-performance version being developed (or badge swapped) is entirely within the realm of possibility.

As strange as it may sound, Audi is Buick's biggest competitor here in the People's Republic of China and the A4 is the Regal's main foe. Audi also sells the high-performance S4 model here, which is also the Opel Insignia OPC and Vauxhall Insignia VXR's performance target. Why not slap a Buick waterfall grille and a GNX badge on this biatch and call it a day? We've seen stranger things happen.

It's still an unsure thing, but the Opel Insignia could still land on our shores as the next-gen Saturn Aura and if that's true then here's the first look at what the Redline variant could look like. We've already shown you shots of the 2010 Opel Insignia OPC running around the Nürburgring like the mad hatter, but this is the first time that we've seen the car without it's bra on and like our first time, we are delightfully surprised. The front bumper design appears to have taken a lot of cues from the Opel GTC Concept from 2007 and integrates them nicely with the Insignia headlamps.

The 2010 Opel Insignia OPC is suspected to by powered by a twin-turbo version of the 2.8 liter V6 that can be found lurking under the hood of the standard Opel Insignia, but with the added boost upping output to at least 300 horsepower. It's likely that the OPC will be badged the Vauxhall Insignia VXR in Britain and (if Saturn's still around) the Saturn Auro Redline here in the States. We'll get our first full glimpse of the production 2010 Opel Insignia OPC at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

[via autoblog.it]

We're assuming powertrain choices will be pretty similar to those offered for the Opel Insignia, except probably sticking with gas engines over the oil-burning options. Expect to see the re-born Buick Regal see an official reveal at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November. Unfortunately, despite our excitement over Buick's new hotness, we won't be there in person. [via China Car Times]

Usually we're not advocates of badge-engineering, but these spy photos of what absolutely appears to be a new Insignia (check out that cut-line on the side of the car) rebadged as a Buick Regal for the Chinese market somehow make sense to us. Buick is a hugely popular brand in China for GM and although Opels are sold there, it probably will sell better under the Buick lineup. Kind of like over here with the Chevy Malibu, the car you can't ignore and the Saturn Aura, the car everyone did. Could this possibly mean the US will get a Buick-branded Insignia rather than one badged as the new 2010 Saturn Aura like we'd expected? Probably not. But now we're even more jealous of those spiffy Chinese Buicks. Who knew a Buick could look hot? Well, your grandparents, for starters. Us, we're only hoping we can get our hands on a "Grand National" version — but we're not holding our breath. [via ChinaCarTimes]

Spy Report
We just caught a prototype for the Opel Insignia OPC testing on the roads around the Nürburgring. The Insignia OPC is the hot version of Opel's new sedan—which leaves us wondering if this car could come across the pond as the next Saturn Aura Redline. It's becoming quite clear now that the Insignia will make the expected transition to Saturn with very minimal changes, so an Aura Redline based on this OPC is a logical possibility.

This prototype—featuring the expected high-performance cues (mesh grille-work, more aggressive front bumper, greater breathing capacity, and revised rear bumper with dual exhaust)—was affixed to the upcoming Insignia hatchback. Whether Saturn dealers will get to peddle an Aura hatchback is unclear at this time. However, the same OPC treatment will also be given to the normal Insignia sedan, which still leaves a high-performance Aura in the cards, regardless of Saturn's decision on the hatchback version.

PREMIUM FEEL AND STUNNING DESIGN DEFINE NEW INSIGNIA'S INTERIOR

These are the very first official shots of the soon-to-be-launched Insignia's interior, showing the immense attention to detail Vauxhall's designers have lavished on the car's cabin. Highlights include chronometer-inspired instruments, use of high-quality fabrics and materials, and a unique instrument lighting system.
First impression is of Insignia's bold, wrap around interior, dominated by the signature 'wing' that flows from the front instrument panel and dives into the door panels. The surfaces from the exterior's 'blade' feature are echoed in the shape of the interior grab handle, where the bright accent material sweeps dramatically into the door armrest.
The cabin's interior lighting gives Insignia a unique night-time appearance. Vauxhall's designers have added a warm amber-coloured ambient light to enhance the night driving environment. The instrument cluster is illuminated white, but on pressing the 'Sport' button, the lighting turns red to match the surrounding illumination.
"This is a paradigm shift for Vauxhall," says John Puskar, Executive Director of Interior Design at GM Europe. "We wanted to create interior environments for all our future vehicles that are warm, inviting and sporty. The Insignia is the first evidence of this philosophy."
Cabin practicality will also raise the bar in Insignia's market sector. The centre console offers flexibility and intelligent design solutions, such as a space-liberating e-brake and separate multi-function control on certain models. Both the steering wheel and front seats have a huge range of adjustability to suit all shapes and sizes, while adjustable armrests, ergonomically placed controls, a multi-use storage box and MP3 connectivity will reinforce Insignia's appeal to private and business drivers.
"Every detail was meticulously thought through," says Jochen Werner, Insignia's Assistant Chief Interior Designer. "We even tipped the infotainment centre at a 30 degree angle to allow the centre console to flow and give the car's cabin a greater feeling of spaciousness."
Many of Insignia's interior design features will provide the DNA for future Vauxhall designs. Variations on sculptural artistry - the wing, flowing sculptural forms and a sporty dynamic environment - will be used moving forward, as Vauxhall refines and evolves its new-found design language.

Based on the Epsilon-2 platform, this version should sport the usual mix of diesel and gas engines that most D-segment European cars get, including a 2.8-liter V6 good for 250 horsepower and a 1.9-liter turbodiesel good for up to 150 horsepower. More as people feel compelled to leak information. [AutoWeek.nl]

If you look at some of the photos you learn an important lesson about taping (other than you apparently need to wear overalls while doing it). It seems as though there is an actual pattern to all of it as opposed to just random nonsense. [Opel via CarScoop]

New Opel Insignia: New Name for a New Era

World premiere of new mid-size Opel in July 2008

Rüsselsheim. Opel's next-generation range of mid-size cars promises a radical step forward. The new model family, which makes its world premiere at the London Motor Show in July 2008, sets technology and design standards for the Opel brand and mid-size segment. To lead off the proceedings, Opel today announced the new model's name: Opel Insignia. The new Insignia family will be built at Opel's home plant in Rüsselsheim, one of the most state-of-the-art automobile production facilities in the world.

"Dynamic performance is one of the Opel brand's core values. In the new Opel Insignia, this defining characteristic is realized by sophisticated powertrain technology, active safety and the interface between driver and car. The Insignia's level of comfort and environmental friendliness is unrivaled even among considerably more expensive competitors," says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer, General Motors Europe. With the Insignia, Opel continues pursuing its strategy of making advanced technology affordable for more customers.

When it comes to the new car's design, Visser says, "A closer look at our groundbreaking GTC concept car gives a good idea of how exciting Opel's new design language will be."

The beginning of Opel's modern mid-size heritage dates back to 1970 with the launch of the Ascona, which sold 4.4 million units over three generations. This was succeeded by the Vectra in 1988, heralding a new era of innovative models from Opel. With almost 5.5 million models sold to date, the Opel Vectra is one of the key players in the mid-size segment.