Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport GSI

Faster than the old VXR, the petrol-engined GSI aims to add some pizzazz to the Insignia range

IT’S INEVITABLE THAT WHEN approaching just about any car you care to mention you’ll have certain preconceptions, and in the case of the Insignia Grand Sport GSI I expected it to be commodious, packed full of kit, yet ultimately lacking sparkle when it comes to the driving experience. A solid family car, then, but not one to set the pulse racing.

The ‘commodious’ box is ticked off, as is the one for the level of equipment, but what about the third box? Vauxhall has made a big deal of the Gsi’s ability to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife 12 seconds faster than the outgoing, more powerful Insignia VXR, so what better place to put it through its paces?

For anyone who has witnessed me bouncing from one Armco barrier to the next on Gran

Turismo, this might not seem like a wise idea, but at the wheel is Volker Strycek, Vauxhall’s director of performance cars and motorsport, and once he’s danced his way down Hatzenbach and blitzed the rest of the lap, I can’t help feel I may have misjudged the GSI.

Impressions from the passenger seat are all well and good, and the Insignia feels exceptionally planted as it makes light work of the dips, crests and kerbs, but how will it feel out on the road when driven by a mere mortal?

Before we come to that we should have a look at what you get for your £33,965. Two GSI models are offered – a biturbo diesel (see Driven, 246) and the 2-litre petrol turbo that we have here. It’s the same 256bhp/295lb ft four-cylinder used in other Insignias, and it will soon be replaced by a new petrol unit, but for a few months it’s here in the GSI, paired to an eight-speed auto with paddles. Vauxhall quotes a 0-62mph time of 6.9sec, which is 0.4sec fleeter than the diesel, if not the sort of figure to set the world alight.

There’s four-wheel drive, with a twin-clutch rear diff that offers a proper torque-vectoring system featuring a unique set of calibrations. The chassis has also come in for some attention, with a 10mm lower ride height and stiffer spring rates. The standard-fit Flexride system features adjustable dampers with their own specific valve and hydraulic tuning that’s determined by Standard, Sport and Tour settings. Within each mode the driver can choose different settings for ride, throttle response, steering and gearbox. Bespoke 20-inch rims, 245/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S rubber and a set of four-piston Brembo brakes back up the obvious intent.

While the GSI impresses on the Nordschleife, its abilities on the roads around the circuit are a more relevant test, and it soon proves its ground-covering prowess. Despite being 175kg lighter than the old VXR there’s still over 1600kg to get going, but once on the move this car feels more fleet of foot than the figures would suggest. There’s very little lag, and if you keep the engine spinning in its sweet spot it feels eager and has decent mid-range shove.

The Sport setting tightens the chassis, giving less lean in the corners, while the sharper throttle map and quicker-witted gearbox settings help make the Insignia more agile. It turns in well and grips hard, but there’s not a huge amount of feedback. The ride is pretty well judged, even in Sport, and in Standard or Tour it’s perfectly comfortable and makes for a good motorway cruiser.

And ultimately that’s what most folk will buy it for. The GSI hasn’t shattered my preconceptions, but it’s certainly altered them. As a well-equipped and roomy saloon with a sporting bias it ticks a lot of boxes, even if it doesn’t quite nail it as a sports saloon.