Next Opel Insignia heading the MPV-styled crossover route

In an apparent contradiction of claims made by his CEO earlier this month, the Managing Director of Opel’s UK sister company, Vauxhall, has indicated that the Insignia will become a crossover when it debuts in around two to three years’ time.

Speaking to Auto Express, Stephan Norman said that the “industry is asking what happens after the SUV and we think the new Insignia will be it. It’s the biggest metamorphosis of what we’ve seen so far from Vauxhall”.

His comments are in stark contrast to those of Opel/Vauxhall boss Michael Lohscheller, who confirmed to Automotive News Europe less than three weeks ago “that the era of the very large SUV is over” and that no alternative to the Insignia will be offered.

Despite Norman declining to reveal any further details, the publication claims that the Insignia will not become a full-on SUV, but rather an MPV-styled crossover along the lines of the Renault Espace and the soon-to-be discontinued Ford S-Max that will make way for a high-riding model bearing the Mondeo nomenclature.

In addition, and following in the wheel tracks of the all-new Astra confirmed to arrive in 2021, the next Insignia will move to PSA’s EMP2 platform and therefore serve as Opel’s flagship crossover above the Grandland X that rides on the same architecture.

Dimensionally, the Insignia could measure beyond the current 4.7 m in overall length, while the expect powertrain options will include both turbo-petrol and turbodiesel motors, as well as plug-in hybrids with an all-electric likely to be added at a later stage.

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