We’ve seen the Opel Insignia Wagon on U.S. shores before and have proposed an educated guess that it will eventually be available as the Buick Regal Wagon in the States. But, thanks to new spy shots, we now have concrete evidence of this being the case.
We expect the wagon to be powered by the same choice of 4-banger Ecotec engines as the Regal sedan, specifically the 2.4L LAF good for 182 horses as well as the up-level 2.0L turbo Ecotec making an estimated 220 ponies.
The Regal Wagon will most likely be available sometime at the end of 2010, making it a 2011 model year vehicle. GM will most likely produce the Regal Wagon at its Russelsheim plant in Germany, as it will the US-bound Regal sedan until the first quarter of 2011. After that, The General will move production of the Regal sedan to its Oshawa plant in Ontario. Hit up the source for more spy pics of the wagon, dressed in white!
[Source: Left Lane News]
Comments
f you are fortunate enough to get your hands on a Euro Spec version of this care you wont go wrong. Get while the getting is good, I for one owned an Opel Calibra 2.0 16V AWD turbo during the mid 90’s this was a fun car. If the Insignia comes to the state with the 2.8L Turbo, it will definitely make for one heck of a sleeper. Wake up GM, think of the world as a market and quit dividing your products into what you feel belongs in each division of the world market. For far too long you have neglected the American market and now you are forced to borrow from your own divisions in Germany and Australia. If I want AWD, give me AWD, If I want a turbo on it Dammit give me a turbo. It’s not difficult to please your customer. Give us what we want or we’ll continue buying Honda’s and Toyota’s. WAKE UP!!!!!
Whoa! What do Honda and Toyota have that comes even remotely close to an Insignia OPC or an Insignia Tourer? Nothin’! Heck, most Hondas and Toyotas don’t even offer AWD, let alone turbocharged engines. So it’s safe to say you won’t be cross-shopping any Honda or Toyota (even in the Euro market) with a Regal/Insignia OPC.
Now, I don’t think the Insignia Wagon or Insignia OPC will sell in high volumes here in the States. We’re talking 325 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque with an AWD setup for the OPC… In just half a year, you’ll be able to get a Caddy ATS with AWD and just as much power as the OPC for way less money… and the ATS will be a better sports car.
Secondly, Buick isn’t headed in the direction of wagons or uber-performance luxury sedans. The performance aspect is Caddy’s turf. Buick is (kind of) for going after Lexus, which doesn’t do performance luxury anywhere near as well as BMW — Caddy’s primary target. And a wagon doesn’t belong in a luxury lineup — at least that’s what Americans have let automakers (such as BMW, Audi, MB, and Lexus) know over the years.
Seems that GM is perfectly awake from where I’m sittin’ 🙂
Once again, Step out of the narrow box that most Americans live in. Having lived in Europe for eight years and enjoying the delight of pushing an Opel Calibra turbo to 250 kilometers per hour on the German autobahns is a rather unique felling. I have placed a left blinker topped with a double flash of the headlights on many GM products which were manufactured in the states, Camaro, Corvette and Cadillac’s that just could not cut the mustard on what is produced overseas. The question here is “WHY?” Why do all the other countries around the word get better products? Opel has and always will be tops in my books. I don’t want a caddy, I want an OPEL. Do you work for GM? I want what I want.
In Europe, Opel is placed against BMW, Audi, Alpha Romeo. As you have stated that’s Caddy turf, GM is flipping retarded to say that only caddy’s will be the sport luxury for the states. then again why compete against yourself by making that an issue.
It seems that we will all have to be senior citizen to enjoy that. After all, caddies are for older people as well as Buick, however the Regal could be re-rebadged to be an Opel. LOL!!!
Opel on the other hand is driven by all. Just saying…
As for the Hondas and Toyotas, just to let you know I lived in Japan as well, the story is the same. So until GM pulls its head out of its proverbial ass, I will stick with the Nissans for now. But I am looking closely at the Regal, that’s if it comes with the 2.8L V6 Turbo. I want what I want.
Let’s establish some ground rules for the sake of our conversation:
1. How much are you willing to pay for a Buick Regal OPC/GNX (2.8 turbo AWD)?
2. Saying that “everyone drives [insert brand name here] doesn’t mean anything. Brand target markets change more frequently than many imagine. So today, Buick is considered a vehicle for “older people”. Even Caddy may have that stigma. That doesn’t mean that GM should just quit trying and go home.
By making a different type of vehicle that attracts a different type of buyer, both brands have seen and continue to see a transformation in their buyers and the average age of their customers. So since we’re not talking cold, hard data here, let’s not even get into the “this brand is for x and this brand is for y.”
3. I, too, have lived in Europe. Actually, I was born and raised there. So let’s not even go to the “narrow American box” mindset bullshit. I speak three languages fluently and have probably been to more countries than you have. How’s that for a narrow American mind? 😉
Let’s proceed from here.
OK, Wat dink ye van deze? I too speak several languages and have traveled around this tiny place called earth probably eight times, I have three empty passports to prove it. My point is this, for far too long General Motors has undeniably neglected the US market. The products produced and sold here are not stellar by any means. While GM products manufactured overseas has exceeded and surpassed that which is available here. Holden, Opel and Vauxhall are comparable to Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, Pontiac and GMC. However, the aforementioned has kept its model lines streamlined across the board. My stay in Europe was only the beginning of realizing this fact. When I lived in Japan the picture became even more evident.
Nonetheless, the real kicker was when I moved to the Saudi Arabia and a few years later to Dubai. GM offers every make and model in each of the respective countries that I visited whilst in that region. When I made the statement to step out of the American box, I am referring of tailoring the market to a specific group. This is where GM America has screwed the pooch. Case and point, Corvettes are driven by both young and old alike. If I am to understand your position clearly, this is a sports car correct? Why not let customer dictate which models they want to buy when they step onto the lot. I ordered my car and it was shipped to the Netherlands from Helsinki Finland. Now that I think about it, Opel was the number one selling brand in Europe when I was there. If I received a phone call stating that an Opel Insignia V6 Turbo AWD was on the lot here in Florida, It wouldn’t be after a five minute phone call.
Just saying, I want what I want. As a matter of fact I may move back to Europe. Hows about that price?
I agree that the market does change, however the stigma that is attached to Caddy and Buick will not fade easily. The question then becomes, why should GM rebadged and place a well built and designed vehicle into a category to where it has to suffer from the decisions of poor marketing placed on this brand. Heck leave it an Opel!