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The 2014 Insignia Also Sports The Revised “Wing” Design Element

A few days following Buick’s unveiling of the freshened 2014 LaCrosse and Regal, we highlighted a new design element that adorns the luxury sedans’ headlamps. Called The Wing by GM designers, it stretches horizontally (across the top) of the headlamps and then runs vertically (down the side) into the headlamp cluster, all while wrapping the main HID jewel lamp and serving as the LED-based daytime running light. For a while, we wondered whether The Wing (in the 2014 iteration) would remain exclusive to the Buick brand, or whether Buick’s cross-ocean cousins Opel and Vauxhall would adopt it as well. Well, Opel did adopt it, as we found out during yesterday’s unveiling of the updated 2014 Insignia.

We should note that the actual shape of The Wing isn’t that new, as it has been present in some way on existing Buick and Opel models such as the Insignia (the first Opel to sport it), Regal, Verano/Astra/Cascada, Encore/Mokka, Meriva, Zafira Tourer. But it’s the 2013 Enclave, along with the 2014 Insignia/Regal and 2014 LaCrosse, that bring The Wing to the “next level”, if you will, by making it more accentuated.

Perhaps the decision to give Opel The “revised” Wing (Wing 2.0?) shouldn’t come as a surprise, since GM is aligning Buick and Opel/Vauxhall on a global level… but we did wonder about it nonetheless.

Here’s to a bright Buick-Opel-Vauxhall future, courtesy of The Wing.

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Comments

  1. The first hint of this design element might be found in the “saber-toothed coupé”, the GTC concept which Opel presented at the 2007 Geneva auto saloon, which is also to be found in the Insignia OPC and its trans-pond twin Buick Regal GS. See also the front of the Opel Ampera, which is differentiating from its twin, the Chevrolet Ampera.

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  2. Opel´s design language is called sculptural artistry meets German precision and the so called ” The Wing” signature is nothing new to Opel. This design element was first shown on the Opel GTC Concept and the Insignia was the first model from Opel with “The Wing” signature, which was introduced in 2008. But Buick adopt it for its own models in this case LaCrosse and Enclave, so that they fit to the rest of the range which includes the rebadged Opel models.

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    1. How about this view: GM adopted this design element for both their Opel/Vauxhall as well as Buick USA and Buick China lines.

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  3. I am just wondering that Alex didn´t notice the wing element on the pre-facelift Insignia and maby on the GTC Concept. Mark Adams explains the headlight design in the Video (1:25).

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  4. I am also confused about this thread! This wing was introduced by Opel/Vauxhall with the Insignia in 2008!? When the Opel Insignia launched there was no Regal, no Verano and no LaCrosse yet. The fact that Buick also uses this wing is perhaps the result that Mark Adams is now working for Cadillac and Buick.

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    1. The Wing as a design element was indeed introduced roughly five years ago on the Insignia, but the 2014 Regal, 2014 Insignia, and 2014 LaCrosse bring “The Wing” in line on a global level.

      So, I was specifically referring to the most recent iteration of the design element as seen on those 2 models, with the emphasis being that now for the first time, both the Regal, Insignia, and the LaCrosse share The LED-based Wing globally, thereby aligning the Opel-Vauxhall and Buick brands even further.

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  5. I still wish we could buy the wagon here in the states, but heres hoping we at least get that green color it’s shown in.

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  6. whether the new Insignia is now possible to get those lights

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