World premiere of the Opel Insignia Grand Sport took place at the Geneva Motor Show

THE official world premiere of the Opel Insignia Grand Sport took place at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month.

The stylish five-door is based on a completely new architecture and has a considerably longer wheelbase (over nine centimetres longer).

But thanks to markedly shorter front and rear overhangs, it is only 5.5 centimetres longer than its predecessor.

The one-centimetre wider track and three-centimetre lower roofline emphasise the Insignia Grand Sport’s dashing presence. These altered proportions give the next generation of Opel’s flagship a look that is more athletic and striking than ever before.

But the Insignia Grand Sport doesn’t simply look more athletic – it delivers on this sportiness too. Space efficiency and weight-savings were at the top of engineers’ specifications: by using lightweight materials, they were able to shave up to 175kg off of the new model.

Optimised packaging allows for a much roomier interior and of course a great range of top technologies is on board.

‘The name Opel Insignia Grand Sport says it all. It reflects the efficient dynamics of a Monza Concept as much as it does our pride in the magnificent Opel classics Kapitän, Admiral and Diplomat,’ says Opel Group CEO Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann.

‘Our future flagship represents a new dimension – elegance, lightness and sportiness blend to create an extremely attractive combination.’

With the new Insignia Grand Sport, the company is starting the next chapter in the history of its top-of-the-line models.

In 2008, the predecessor founded a new Opel era in terms of development and design – and was a huge hit with the public.