Power + Comfort: Opel Insignia OPC with 6-speed Automatic Gearbox

RÜSSELSHEIM, GERMANY – December 17, 2010: The Opel brand’s top model, the Insignia OPC with output of 239 kW/325 hp, is now also available with six-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel drive high-performance model offers exciting driving dynamics and handling that meet the highest standards while providing great value for money. Prices for the new transmission variant start at 48,665 euros for the four-door notchback (five-door hatchback 49,055 euros; Sports Tourer 50,140 euros, both including VAT).

The adaptive transmission control unit is connected to the mechatronic FlexRide chassis system which adapts damping and other driving functions to drivers’ preferences. OPC drivers choose between a default standard mode, for all-round performance ideal for everyday driving or a special Sport mode, in which the chassis suspension stiffens and reduces body roll for more agility. When the OPC mode is selected, steering gets more direct, the throttle is more responsive, and the chassis is in high-performance mode. To add to the sporty feeling, all dials are illuminated in red. The OPC automatic transmission’s shifting character is tuned for even more driving fun and adapts to prevailing driving conditions in the standard and sport modes. The OPC mode is even more uncompromisingly sporty: shifting points are around maximum rpm during heavy acceleration and downshifting is very dynamic when braking heavily, for instance before heading into a curve.

The new transmission variant’s driving performance, consumption and emission levels are practically identical to the manual version. The Insignia OPC versions with automatic transmission cover the sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6.3 to 6.6 seconds for the sedans or the Sports Tourer, and the maximum speed (restricted) for all variants is 250 km/h. Consumption and CO2 emissions in the combined cycle with the new gearbox are 10.7 l/100 km and 251 g/km (notch and hatchback) and 11.0 l/100 km and 259 g/km (Sports Tourer).

As is the case with all OPC models, a separate 10,000 km test program was conducted on the Nürburgring Nordschleife for optimal fine-tuning of the new transmission variant. 10,000 high-speed kilometers on the Nordschleife mean a stress factor times 18 on the car: they translate to around 180,000 km of driving on normal roads.

“Our customers often told us that they would like an automatic transmission version,” says Michael F. Meyer, Product Marketing Director at Adam Opel GmbH. “So we responded to this request and expanded the Insignia OPC drive train offer with this alternative – and offer it at a great price.”

The response from media and car enthusiasts is uniformly positive. In the fall of 2010, the Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer won the “Best Sports Car of the Year” award for the second time in a row from Auto Bild SportsCars, a sister publication of the German car magazine Auto Bild. Around 68,000 readers voted for their favorite model from a total of more than 170 vehicles. The Sports Tourer dominated the station wagon category, relegating the German premium brand competitors to second place and lower.