New Videos of Opel Insignia OPC at the Nurburgring and on the Road

Here's the latest batch of videos of Opel's new high-performance model, the 325HP Insignia OPC or if you live in the UK, the Vauxhall Insignia VXR. Along with a promotional film that shows the sedan and estate (Sports Tourer) versions of the OPC on the road, Opel also published a video of the range-topping Insignia at the Nurburgring race track.

The most powerful production model in Opel history ever will be available for sale in Europe this fall in all three body styles - four-door sedan sedan, five-door liftback and Sports Tourer.

As you may have already figured out by now, any chance of seeing the Insignia OPC making its way to the States was washed out after GM's collapse (okay, okay, bankruptcy) and the company's decision to sell the Saturn brand as well as part of its European operations.

More Reader Spy Shots: Kia's Small MPV Snapped in the Czech Republic

Carscoop readers Vladimir Pekulas and Jan Mlejnek bagged these shots of Kia's forthcoming mini-MPV on the highway near Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic. If you take a closer look at the pics after the jump, you'll see that the man sitting in the passenger's seat of the Kia test car retaliated against our readers by taking or pretending to take, photos of them also... But anyways, let's refresh our memory on Kia's new model which has yet to be named.

The five-seater MPV is in effect the production version of Kia's No3 Concept study that was shown for the first time in Geneva earlier this year. The Korean automaker's retort to the likes of the Honda Jazz, Opel Meriva and Citroen C3 Picasso uses the same architecture as the Kia Soul and Hyundai i20.

It is anticipated that the small MPV's engine range will comprise of 1.6-liter petrol and diesel units, both producing an output of 126HP, while certain markets may also receive a 115HP 1.6-liter diesel along with a range-topping 2.0-liter gasoline engine making 142HP.

Kia will most probably swoop the covers off the mini-MPV at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with European sales set to start before the end of the year. Like the European market Cee'd, the MPV will be produced at the Hyundai Group's new plant in the Czech Republic.

"Děkuji" Vladimir Pekulas & Jan Mlejnek for the pics!

GM gets World's Fastest Man to Drive Insignia OPC at Goodwood

General Motors' Vauxhall division announced today that World Land Speed Record holder, Andy Green, will be behind the wheel of the all-new, 325HP Insignia VXR (OPC for the rest of Europe) at this weekend's Goodwood's hillclimb course. Andy Green, a British Royal Air Force pilot, is the first and only person to break the sound barrier on land when he recorded a top speed o 763mph or 1,227km/h in 1997 driving Richard Noble's Thrust SSC (SuperSonic Car).

"The Festival of Speed is one of the highlights of my year," said Andy. "So when I was offered the chance to drive Vauxhall's new high-performance Insignia up the Hill, it was just the icing on the cake! Fast road cars are the essence of the Festival and I am really looking forward to giving the Insignia a good run up the Hill this weekend."

Insignia VXR to Make UK Debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The high-performance version of the Opel /Vauxhall Insignia will make its first appearance in Britain at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed that runs from July 3-5. The 325HP Insignia VXR (OPC for the rest of Europe) will run the famous hillclimb course twice a day. Joining the Insignia will be the most powerful production model in Vauxhall's history, the rear-wheel-drive, 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engined VXR8 Bathurst S Edition 560HP that will be performing a 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' display in front of the Goodwood House.

GM's British arm will also showcase two concept studies from the past, the gullwing-door XVR that was displayed at the 1966 Geneva Salon and the SRV that made its debut at the 1970 Earls Court Motor Show.

Opel Insignia OPC Completes 10,000km Testing Around the 'Ring

It's no secret that most automakers hone and further develop their sportiest models on Nurburgring's Nordschleife, which is considered the toughest and most demanding race track in the world. Of course, General Motors' European unit, Opel, is no exception. The German automaker said that all vehicles in its OPC lineup (VXR in the UK) complete a painstaking 10,000km (6,219 mile) testing around the 20.8km (12.9 miles) Nordschleife of the Nurburgring before they go on sale. While 'ze' Germans did not disclose any lap times, the company said that a few days ago, the Insignia OPC sedan completed its final 10,000km 'Ring challenge with no problems.

"The Insignia OPC sedan raced 487 laps for 12 days at some top speeds flawlessly. This kind of performance and quality is what we expect from all our Opel cars," said Hans Demant, Managing Director of Opel.

Over the next few days, the Insignia Sports Tourer OPC will also complete its final 10,000km testing around the Nordschleife. Both versions of the Insignia OPC boast a 325HP, 2.8-liter V6 Turbo engine as well as Opel's Adaptive 4x4 transmission with an electronic rear limited slip differential (eLSD) and purpose-built Brembo brakes. The OPC models are due to go on sale in Europe later this year.

VIDEO: Opel Shows Off New Insignia Sports Tourer OPC in Promo Film

For those of you who want to see more of the new Opel Insignia Sports Tourer OPC, General Motors' soon-to-be-sold European unit has released the first video footage of its Audi S4 Avant rivaling estate. Like the Insignia OPC sedan, the Sports Tourer combines a 325HP and 435 Nm 2.8-liter V6 Turbo engine to Opel's all-wheel drive system and an electronically controlled rear limited slip differential. Click here to check out our detailed post on the Sports Tourer OPC or hit the jump to watch the film.

Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer: High-Res Gallery and Details on 325HP Estate

What we have here are the first official photographs of the more practical, estate version of GM's Opel Insignia OPC. Aimed squarely at the Audi S4 Avant and the BMW 335i Touring, the Insignia OPC station wagon or as Opel prefers to call it, the Sports Tourer, shares the same mechanical underpinnings with the four-door sedan model introduced earlier this month. It comes with a four-wheel drive chassis mated to a 2.8-liter V6 equipped with a twin-scroll turbo cranking out 325 horsepower and 400Nm or 295-lbs/ft of torque.

The hot Insignia Sports Tourer that will be sold in the UK with the VXR badge send power to all wheels through a six speed manual gearbox. Like its sedan offspring, the transmission is coupled to an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) claimed to reduce wheelspin.

Performance-wise, Opel give a zero to 60mpg (96km/h) sprint time of 6.0 seconds, or 0.2 seconds slower than the Insignia OPC sedan, while the estates top speed is electronically governed at 250km/h or 155mph.

Other than that, the Sports Tourer features the same mechanical upgrades as the sedan including a lower suspension and beefier Brembo brakes with cross-drilled discs all around.

Same goes for the visual enhancements with the Insignia Sports Tourer OPC boasting a new front fascia with tear-like air scoops at both corners, side skirts and a redesigned rear bumper that integrates the chromed exhaust pipes. Inside, the hot Insignia estate sports Recaro buckets, a new three-spoke steering wheel with a flattened bottom, leather gear knob, sill plates and a sportier instrument cluster.

Opel's sportyliscious estate will go on sale across Europe this fall.