Vauxhall Insignia GSI
Yes, the big GSI still exists. But what kind of car is it these days? A stint on the Fast Fleet will reveal all
EVO’S REMIT IS UNASHAMEDLY FOCUSED on performance cars, but the church is a broad one. New and old, iconic and quirky, road and race, hot hatches and hypercars – we drive them all. Yet still there are cars that remain at the periphery of our world. Cars like the new Insignia GSI.
Big, fast Vauxhalls have long held some cult appeal. At least round these parts. I blame John Barker and his love for the Carlton GSI 3000 24v that he ran as a long-termer on Performance Car magazine back in the early ’90s. Since then the GSI badge has been attached to a succession of lusty six-cylinder Vectra and Insignia models.
This being 2021, big Vauxhall saloons powered by snorty six-pot petrol engines have long since gone the way of Loaded magazine and smoking indoors. In their place, smaller-capacity turbocharged four-cylinders provide cleaner, more efficient and – inevitably – less characterful means of propulsion. That’s progress for you.
Yet in hardware terms this new, £40,455 GSI is more intriguing than you might imagine. Its 2-litre motor is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission and ‘Twinster’ switchable all-wheeldrive system, it rides on adaptive dampers and 20-inch rims shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres, and it is stopped by big Brembo brakes.
To be completely honest I’m not sure why it was felt the GSI Insignia needed a switchable allwheel-drive system, not least because 227bhp and 258lb ft are hardly taxing for modern front-wheel drive. Still, there’s a dedication to duty with the Gsi’s development that smacks of an engineering team keen to explore some ideas before this Iceonly five-door hatch is inevitably transmogrified into some sort of hybrid-powered SUV crossover.
There’s also a sprinkle of Nürburgring fairy dust, with the Gsi’s adaptive dampers receiving a tune developed during extensive mileage on the Nordschleife, like so many GSI/VXR/OPC models before it. Those Ring miles doubtless justified signing-off expensive Brembo brakes, Michelin tyres and a twin-clutch torque-vectoring rear differential, much as you’ll find in Golf Rs and the like.
First impressions? Well, like all mainstream cars, even niche performance derivatives such as the GSI, it does the everyday effortlessly. It’s also hugely spacious, truly comfortable and generously equipped, so there’s very little to criticise in terms of the driving environment. Likewise the infotainment system is straightforward from the get-go – a big plus in my book.
Performance-wise it feels brisk rather than quick, though I’ll concede I haven’t properly gunned it down some favourite roads yet to see if it can usefully raise its game. Likewise I’ve yet to have a play with the allwheel drive, or fully explore the Touring, Normal and Sport dynamic modes. It’ll be interesting to see how different the GSI feels with all its wheels being driven.
What’s immediately apparent is that there’s a poise and polish to the way the GSI goes down a decent A- or B-road. Its capability suggests plenty of effort has been put into the chassis. It’s not an overt or extreme character, but the evidence thus far points to a car that likes to go about its business in a quietly effective manner. A bit of a sleeper, in other words.
This doesn’t necessarily fit with my experience of past GSI models, which at their best have been pleasingly ballsy characters, if not class-leading material. Still, early indications are there should be some interesting layers to be peeled back and explored over the coming months.
Date acquired April 2021 Total mileage 2004 Mileage this month 1171 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 27.7