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Styling & Design Score: 8/10
In some aspects the Insignia is a real head turner but in others Opel really could have done a bit better. We love the coupé roofline and pinched rear end but the front is a little bland and the sculpted bodywork down the flanks a little tacked-on and contrived. Still the class looker, though.
Engine Spec Score: 9/10
The Insignia’s engine range is all-encompassing. The basic 1.6-litre petrol is slow and a Band E CO2 producer. The 1.8’s faster but the 2.0 turbo is a flier – shame about their CO2. The real winners are the diesels – both are smooth and punchy but the low carbon, 160hp 2.0CDTi is the one to have.
Performance Score: 8/10
The 1.6 is plain slow but the 1.8 is acceptably nippy although Band E emissions make them hard to enjoy. The 2.0-litre turbo is proper fast but too costly to run. The low power diesel offers decent, low-cost pep while the high-power version is surprisingly fast, refined and cheap to run.
Ride & Handling Score: 8/10
The Vectra was a decent drive so the Insignia’s fine chassis isn’t that surprising. Its ride quality and stability are exceptional and it’s grippy and sure footed even in bad conditions, but the steering’s just a touch too slow so turn in isn’t as keen as the Mondeo. Lots of feel though.
Interior & Ergonomics Score:8/10
The Opel’s cabin has an appealing layout and is largely intuitive to use but if you go mad with the options it turns into a button-fest. The driving position is perfect and major controls are well located but the gearbox is longwinded and the sat-nav is poor.
Space & Practicality Score: 6/10
Against the likes of the Ford Mondeo and VW Passat, the Insignia doesn’t stack up well – the rear is cramped, the door aperture is small and the roofline is so low it’s awkward getting in and out. The boot’s long but shallow and the saloon’s opening is small. It’s roomy up front, though.
Safety Score: 9/10
Not only does the Insignia cover all the basics – 7 airbags, ESC, ISOFIX etc – it also boasts some (optional) innovations such as speed limit recognition, lights that can see up and down hills as well as left and right and blind-spot warning systems. LED daytime running lights are standard.
Value & Running Costs Score: 7/10
The Insignia is right on the money compared to its rivals but apart from Opel’s reluctance to fit alloys (the wheel trim is a convincing stand-in) it’s better equipped than its rivals. Diesel running costs will be low but resale remains an unknown quantity here.
Quality & Refinement Score: 9/10
There’s no denying the Insignia is a quiet car on the move and a natural motorway muncher. It’s also great over rough backroads, where its suspension and diesel engines remain pleasingly subdued. Cabin quality is decent but not up to the Mondeo’s – the plastics are hard and cheapy in more places.
Equipment Score: 9/10
The base S gets ESC, cruise, A/C, a leather steering, auto lights & LED DRLs. SE adds 17” steel wheels, chrome, climate & arm rests while the SE adds 18” alloys, CD changer + DAB & auto wipers. SRi gets sports suspension & seats while Elite adds electric leather seats, 2-zone climate & park aids.

Mercedes E-class W212

he new W212 E-Class will arrive on the market in 2010 as the first of a total of three Mercedes-Benz models to offer the unique combination of BLUETEC, 7G-TRONIC and hybrid technology. The modular technology concept of the E 300 BLUETEC HYBRID consists of a new four-cylinder diesel that develops 204 hp and a maximum torque of 480 Nm from 2.2 litres of displacement, plus a compact hybrid module delivering an additional 20 hp. However, due to diesel-specific advantages in terms of torque and consumption, this BLUETEC/Hybrid combination is here an even more efficient unit than all petrol hybrids know up till the present.

With the high combined torque of 560 Nm of its 4-cylinder engine, the E 300 BLUETEC HYBRID surpasses many 6-cylinder diesels upwards of 3 litres displacement, displaying effortless superiority convincingly. Fuel consumption of 55.4 mpg, corresponding to CO2 emissions of just 134 g/km, make the BLUETEC HYBRID the cleanest and most economical business saloon in the world.

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class: all-round safety, outstanding comfort and up to 23 per cent fuel savings; from 53.3 mpg and 139 g/km CO2

With more than 20 new or further technical developments, this saloon further consolidates the leading position of Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class. They include trailblazing innovations for safe driving that are available from no other manufacturer worldwide in this combination. Examples include the standard Attention Assist, optional Adaptive High Beam Assist and automatic emergency braking, which is activated when there is acute danger of a collision.

Mercedes-Benz has improved the already exemplary long-distance comfort of the E-Class even further in the new saloon, including intelligent bodyshell technology with up to 30 per cent greater rigidity, further improved seats and a newly developed suspension whose shock absorbers automatically adjust to the current driving situation. The optional airmatic suspension now works together with an electronic damping system.

The outstanding safety and comfort of the E-Class are matched by its environmental compatibility and economy: the nine available engines are direct-injection units, and consume up to 23 per cent less fuel than before. The combined consumption of the new four-cylinder diesel engines is 53.3 mpg, which corresponds to 139 grams of CO2 per kilometre. All the engines for the new E-Class meet the EU5 emission standard.

Apart from the engines, the BlueEFFICIENCY (standard on all UK cars except the V8s) package for the E-Class is largely responsible for an average fuel consumption improvement of 3 mpg. Engineers from every development department have worked together to optimise numerous assemblies and components, to save fuel by means of reduced weight, a new shape, improved functioning or efficient energy management.

The work done in the wind tunnel was particularly successful, resulting in a drag coefficient of only 0.25, making the new E-Class the world’s most aerodynamically efficient luxury saloon. It betters the already good Cd figure of the preceding model by another four percent.

Other BlueEFFICIENCY measures include newly developed tyres with up to 17 per cent lower rolling resistance, need-related and therefore energy-saving control of the alternator, fuel pump, air conditioning compressor and power steering, and the ECO start/stop function (from late summer 2009) which switches the engine of the new E 200 CGI off when idling. Displays in the speedometer inform the driver how much fuel is being consumed (mpg), and when they should shift to the next higher gear in the interests of an economical and environmentally conscious driving style.

Engines: new CDI-four-cylinder units with a fuel consumption of 53.3 mpg and 139 grams of CO2 per kilometre

With three completely newly developed four-cylinder engines, the E-Class also remains one generation ahead where diesel technology is concerned. These engines feature latest-generation common-rail direct injection, fast piezo-electric injectors, improved exhaust gas recirculation and an innovative twin turbocharger, making for improved responsiveness and good performance characteristics. To express this in figures, the E 250 CDI with 204 hp and 500 Nm sees an improvement of 60 Nm of torque over the previous E 280 CDI V6 diesel engine, but uses around 23 per cent less fuel returning 53.3 mpg (combined NEDC consumption). This corresponds to 139 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The new four-cylinder diesel engine also powers the E 220 CDI with 170 hp and the E 200 CDI with 136 hp which also have combined fuel consumption figures of 53.3 mpg (available late summer 2009).

The top model in the new E-Class diesel range is the six-cylinder E 350 CDI with an output of 231 hp, which returns 40.9 mpg on the combined cycle, a 2 mpg improvement over the previous E 320 CDI.

Petrol engines: 20 per cent fuel saving thanks to direct injection

The E 200 CGI and E 250 CGI are equipped with the newly developed four-cylinder direct-injection engine with a displacement of 1.8 litres, turbocharging and variable intake and exhaust camshafts. The E 200 CGI (184 hp) is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and the ECO start/stop function as standard, and returns 41.5 mpg of petrol (combined NEDC consumption, provisional figure). This equates to 159 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

In the E 250 CGI (204 hp), which has a five-speed automatic transmission as standard, maximum torque is now 310 Nm, which represents an increase of more than 26 per cent over the previous V6-engine.

At the same time the NEDC fuel consumption is reduced by over 20 per cent to 38.1 mpg, equating to 175 grams of CO2 per kilometre (provisional figures).

As before, the E 350 CGI with direct petrol injection (292 hp) and the top-of-the-line E 500 (388 hp) are included in the range of engine variants in the new E-Class. Developments have improved the fuel economy on these V6/V8 models by up to 1 mpg. As a product from Mercedes-AMG, the new high-performance E 63 AMG develops 525 hp.

The V6 and V8-models are equipped with the seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission and steering wheel Direct Select lever as standard.

W212 E 63 AMG announced 1-4-2009 with a newly developed AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension with electronically controlled damping and a new front axle, and with its autonomous exterior and interior design. Reduction in fuel consumption by almost 12 percent. Power output of 525 hp and a torque figure of 630 Nm. AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission, which dispenses with a torque converter and uses a compact, wet start-up clutch. E 63 AMG accelerates from 0-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph (electronically limited). A newly designed water cooling system ensures maximum endurance even under the enormous dynamic stresses of the racetrack. W212 E 63 AMG returns 22.4 mpg, 2.6 mpg more than then previous car.

The AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension copes equally well with the agile manoeuvres of the racetrack and more comfortable, sedate driving. High performance and typical Mercedes-Benz long-distance comfort go together as an extraordinary synthesis in the E 63 AMG. This is made possible by the newly developed AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension. While new steel spring struts are used on the front axle, the rear suspension features AMG-specific air springs. The advantage of this solution, which is exclusive to AMG, is that the front spring struts ensure more sensitive responses while the rear air struts with their automatic level control system keep the vehicle at a constant height irrespective of the load. A new, electronically controlled damping system automatically varies the damping characteristics according to the driving situation, reducing the roll angle of the body. The result is instant adjustment to provide the best possible ride comfort together with the greatest possible agility. In addition the driver is able to choose between the three suspension modes of Comfort, Sport and Sport plus at the touch of a button. The E 63 AMG is also equipped with a newly developed, dedicated front axle with a 56 mm wider track, a tubular stabiliser, new control arms, new wheel bearings, new elastokinematics and new wheel location for more negative camber – thereby providing more grip when taking bends at speed. The AMG-specific kinematics also ensure significantly more precision. This is a highly sophisticated axle design whose principle has already proved its worth in the C 63 AMG. The rear axle likewise has more negative camber, optimised elastokinematics and a new subframe mounting for greater stability at the physical limits.

For more direct responsiveness, the speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering is also a new development. The steering ratio of 14 : 1 is 22 percent more direct than in the standard production models, while a more rigid steering column plus the reconfigured characteristic mapping of the speed-sensitive servo assistance ensure better steering precision and improved road contact. The 3-stage ESP® enables individual settings to be selected – with clear benefits in terms of driving pleasure combined with the same, high level of handling safety. The ESP® key in the AMG DRIVE UNIT allows the driver to choose between “ESP ON”, “ESP SPORT” and “ESP OFF” – with the currently active mode shown in the central display of the AMG instrument cluster. Perfect deceleration even when driving extremely briskly is ensured by the AMG high-performance braking system with 360 mm, internally ventilated and perforated brake discs all-round. Particularly resistant, motorsports-tested composite technology is used at the front axle. Outstanding grip is ensured by the 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels with a width of nine and 9.5 inches and mixed tyre sizes of 255/40 R 18 at the front and 285/35 R 18 at the rear.