Opel Insignia OPC 2013: Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $59,990
Options fitted (not included in above price): Metallic Paint $695; 20-inch Alloy Wheels $1000
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 98 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 10.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 255
Also consider: Subaru Liberty GT Premium (from $52,990); Volvo S60 T6 R-Design (from $75,490)

Opel's Insignia OPC has arrived in Australia to fill a role that might have been the preserve of HSV once upon a time. Except... in the post-WRX era, all-wheel drive and turbocharging are de rigeur for high-performance, budget-brand sedans from Japan and Europe.

We covered off the key elements of the near-$60,000 Opel Insignia OPC in our launch review, and a seven-day test on local roads has now confirmed most of the findings from the earlier report. The turbocharged Insignia has a certain presence (both visual and aural), but is more a tourer than a road-burner.

Even with 239kW and 435Nm the 2.8-litre V6 delivers leisurely performance. Above 4000rpm it revs out a little faster, but it's linear up to that point. The engine's bass reverb at lower revs and cruising at 100km/h (roughly 2000rpm in sixth) is enjoyable, but not backed by any sense of urgency. It is refined though, albeit with some belching and burping from the exhaust with the car's dynamic OPC mode selected.

Over the week the trip computer posted an average of 14.0L/100km. Without an extra 80km of freeway travel the fuel consumption would have been up beyond 15 litres per hundred kay.

Performance and driveability were not helped to any great degree by the six-speed automatic transmission with its shift paddles. Unlike other cars similarly equipped, the Insignia OPC's shift lever must be pushed across to the Sport detente before the shift paddles can be used. And then, with the OPC mode selected, they're not especially responsive. Using full throttle the driver needs to be grabbing the right paddle for an upshift about 500rpm earlier than in other cars fitted with shift paddles -- failure to do so will trigger the engine rev limiter at the 6500rpm redline.

Nor is the auto transmission as smooth or as intelligent as ZF's six or eight-speed units. It only holds a lower gear downhill for so long before shifting back up again. Changes are slurred and slow, and it will cling to lower gears too long -- up to 4000rpm, even on light throttle settings. It hunts around and makes unexpected changes or refrains from shifting when expected. We're not fans.

Ride comfort and roadholding work in the Insignia OPC's favour. The test vehicle had a flat-spotted tyre, which meant an uncomfortable ride right on the open-road speed limit of 100km/h, but the Pirelli P-Zero tyres on standard 19-inch alloys soaked up minor bumps at other speeds while the suspension handled the tough stuff. Ground clearance was inadequate over speed humps. Tackling one at just 10km/h grazed the exhaust under the car.

In standard mode the Opel rode exceptionally well, given its character. Even switched over to hard-core OPC mode the ride was bearable, although a bit jiggly on country roads. And the Opel's roadholding limits are pretty high in OPC mode; the car understeers with power on through corners -- with a distinct transition from neutral to understeer once the power is applied -- but not unless reaching speeds well beyond the means of most sedans on the road.

Steering response was good without being great, given the OPC's sporting aspirations. Feedback felt a little bereft, on-centre, but was acceptable otherwise. Weight through the wheel was light to suit many prospective owners, becoming heavier above 60km/h. Most owners would appreciate the combination of weight and feedback in this car's steering.

The Brembo brakes performed well in adversity, and did halt the car in normal braking situations with a gentle stopping action, but squealed lightly as they did.

Not only did the OPC button on the left side of the centre fascia firm up the dampers and steering, it also shifted the transmission back a gear and changed the shift points. Instrument backlighting changed colour from white to red too.

The adaptive xenon headlights and the static cornering lights were literally brilliant. A bright, far-reaching spread of light illuminated not only the immediate inside of the corner whenever the indicator operated, but also a little further down the road.

As a mid-size sedan the Opel felt small. Luggage capacity was rated at 500 litres, which is up to scratch, but it came at the expense of rear-seat accommodation. There was plenty of room for toes under the front seat and the kneeroom was adequate for adults, but actual legroom was no better than some small cars. And headroom was marginal for adults of average height too.

In the front the Recaro bucket seats certainly looked the part and provided a very good mix of comfort and support, with additional features the likes of an extendable cushion and integrated airbags. They were easy to leave as well.

The design and layout of the interior (including dash and centre fascia) was generally stylish, but little things like the archaic trip computer read-out and the plastic housing for the shift lever lock-out trigger let the car down. In the case of the readout, it was the same orange dot-matrix appearance first seen in Opels from the late 90s. The trigger on the shift lever squeaked as it grazed the plastic sides of the sleeve in which it sat. It felt tacky to use. The same certainly can't be said for the Opel's body. Doors shut tight as a drum -- with the same aural quality -- and the car felt solid and free of squeaks, creaks and rattles.

But more than most cars the Insignia OPC leaves me feeling ambivalent after a week. It's hard to justify $60K for the Opel, when just $5000 more can put you in the seat of a Volvo S60 T6.

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