Vauxhall Insignia VXR Sports Tourer (2009) first pictures

Published: 20 May 2009 Updated: 26 January 2015

This is the third and final iteration of Vauxhall’s hot Insignia range, the VXR Sports Tourer, with a turbocharged 2.8-litre V6.

Will the Vauxhall Insignia VXR make my dog feel sick?

Definitely. The turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 produces 321bhp, enough for a six-second 0-60mph time (0.2sec behind the saloon and hatch) and a 155mph limited top speed.

Beyond the extra grunt, the Insignia VXR features Vauxhall’s Adaptive 4×4 system, an electronic limited slip differential and the company’s new HiPerStrut suspension, which is similar in set-up to the RevoKnuckle system on the Focus RS. The ride height has been lowered 10mm compared to the standard Sports Tourer, and there are new bushes and dampers. Multi-spoke 19-inch alloys are standard (with 20in rims as an option), and they hide vented and drilled Brembo brakes.

Other tweaks include rectangular exhausts and a body kit that takes its cues from the GTC concept, while inside there are Recaro front seats, and a gearstick, steering wheel and dials unique to the VXR.

But you also get the regular Sports Tourer’s practical parts too. There’s a 540-litre boot, or 1530 is you fold the rear seats, while the electric tailgate opens to different heights in case you’re in a tight space.

The VXR Insignia goes on sale in the autumn, and while Vauxhall hasn’t announced prices, expect the Sports Tourer to cost around £31,500

>> Click ‘Add your comment’ and let us know whether you’d take an Insignia VXR over a BMW 335i or Audi S4.

By Ben Pulman

Ex-CAR editor-at-large

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