The latest addition to the new Insignia range - Vauxhall’s all-wheel drive Country Tourer - will be revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.
The Country Tourer is more spacious and ‘considerably lighter’ than its predecessor, thanks to an all-new architecture. It comes with all-round black protective cladding and silver front and rear skid plates for a 'tough and rugged' off-road appearance.
The new model comes with a choice of engines including a brand new top-of-the-range diesel unit as well as a new eight-speed automatic transmission. Additional ground clearance of 20mm, plus the all-wheel drive with torque vectoring system and new five-link rear suspension, cater for those who want to venture off road. Instead of a traditional rear differential, the Insignia Country Tourer has two electrically controlled multi-plate clutches that enable a more ‘individual and precise transmission of power’ to each wheel. To stabilise the vehicle and counteract understeer on tight corners taken at higher speeds, the system can send more torque to the outside rear wheel without further driver intervention.
The improved FlexRide chassis adapts the dampers, steering, throttle response and shift points (on automatic models) independently or based on the ‘Standard’, ‘Sport’ or ‘Tour’ modes, which can be selected by the driver. New ‘Drive Mode Control’ software sends messages to the adaptive chassis, continuously analysing the information provided by the sensors and settings, recognising the individual driving style.
Styling wise, the Country Tourer model features a prominent landscape grille and slim headlamps. Moulded black protective cladding in the lower fascia, wheel arches and along the lower body side emphasise the rugged appearance as do the skid plates. At the rear there are silver-coloured skid plate and dual exhaust bezels reinforcing a lower, wider impression.
The new model is described as 'extremely practical' - to make loading as easy as possible, the tailgate can be opened without touching the car. In combination with Keyless Open & Start, a simple kicking motion under the rear bumper is enough to open the tailgate (a vehicle silhouette projected onto the ground shows the correct area), with another kicking motion required to close it.
To increase loading space to 1,665 litres, 135 litres more than the outgoing version, the new Insignia Country Tourer comes with optional 40/20/40 foldable rear seats, enabling even more flexible loading space configurations. The standard roof rails allows the Tourer to carry roof loads of up to 100kg.
The wheelbase has been increased by 92mm, enabling a more spacious cabin. The new Insignia Country Tourer comes with AGR-certified premium ergonomic front seats and the heated outer rear seats, heated windscreen and the heated steering wheel like its Grand Sport and Sports Tourer siblings.
As with its Grand Sport and Sports Tourer siblings, the Insignia Country Tourer comes with plenty of technologies and assistance systems. LED matrix lights now have 16 LED segments integrated into each of the slim headlamps, and come with an active curve lighting function and dedicated LED spotlight with a range of up to 400 metres. Further additions include the head up display, adaptive cruise control (ACC) with automatic emergency braking, Lane Keep Assist with automated steering correction and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
The latest Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible IntelliLink systems are also onboard, while smartphones can be charged wirelessly and integrated with the infotainment system. Vauxhall's OnStar system offers a service portfolio ranging from automatic crash response to stolen vehicle assistance. Two updates to the OnStar system are the booking service, and parking search, both of which can request OnStar advisors to book hotel rooms and/or search for suitable carparks for you.
The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show runs from September 14-24.