► New 2017 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport spied
► See new hatch and estate without any disguise
► Caught on location on promo duties ahead of debut
In an embarrassing move for GM, the new 2017 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport has leaked early – and even Santa’s helpers couldn’t prevent this surprise.
A Christmas hat-toting guard on a promotional shoot wasn’t enough to stop spy photographers pouncing to capture the moment the new family car stepped out without camouflage.
These photos confirm why the Insignia will soon be called the Grand Sport: it’s very grand indeed, stretching well into executive car territory at nearly five metres long.
Vauxhall Insignia: a growth spurt
This flagship car is based on the Buick Lacrosse and is built around GM’s new Epsilon 2 architecture, bringing the option of front- or all-wheel drive with niceties such as torque vectoring and a kerbweight up to 175kg lighter than its predecessor’s.
From our earlier prototype drive, we know that the new Insignia Grand Sport is a whopping 55mm longer than today’s car at 4897mm from tip to toe.
Space inside is understandably cavernous – the newcomer is easily the match for a Skoda Superb in the echoingly huge stakes.
You can see every one of those extra inches in these undisguised photographs; even the upturned ‘tick’ along the car’s flanks and the stylised chrome windowline can’t mask the large dimensions.
A five-door hatchback and estate only
The four-door notchback Insignia is no more, since saloon sales have never been the range’s forte. But our spies have also caught the whopping Insignia Grand Sport Tourer too – and it looks to pack a huge boot (see below).
This pair of cars were caught on a photoshoot in the US, despite being European Opel-badged models.
Interestingly, they also sport OPC branding and beefier 20-inch alloy wheels, extra aero addenda and Brembo brakes. However, this is a styling pack, not the full VXR model.
Expect to see the full Insignia range formally unveiled later in December 2016 ahead of a planned world debut at the 2017 Geneva motor show.
We drive a prototype of the new 2017 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport
