Vauxhall Insignia GSi revealed ahead of a Frankfurt debut with 4WD and 257bhp

The Vauxhall Insignia GSi is the latest edition to Vauxhall’s ‘Posh’ Insignia range, with 257bhp and 4WD to create a performance Insignia. Debuts at Frankfurt.

Vauxhall want you to think of the new Insignia as a ‘Premium’ car, and have been busy delivering variants which match that desire with the new Insignia Grand Sport, followed by the Insignia Sports Tourer and then the Insignia Country Tourer. Which just leaves, for now, a ‘Performance’ option.

And this, the Vauxhall Insignia GSi, is the performance version of the Insignia, although it only boasts 257bhp from its new 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol turbo, less than half of what Vauxhall’s real performance car – the VXR8 GTS-R – delivers.

Still, the Insignia GSi is the sportiest of the Insignias, complete with a makeover consisting of a body kit, chrome air intakes, rear spoiler, leather sports seats, leather steering wheel and aluminium pedals.

The underpinnings have also come in for some fettling, with shorter springs, sports shocks and Brembos, with Vauxhall’s FlexRide chassis adapting to suit.

 The driving modes consist of Standard, Tour, Sport and Competition, 18″ alloys (20″ if you don’t care about the ride), and the GSi’s 4WD is delivered through an eight-speed automatic with torque vectoring on the back axle.

The 257bhp 2.0 litre turbo delivers official economy of 32.8mpg, although Vauxhall seem disinclined to reveal performance figures just yet. 

Officially debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the Insignia GSi will be on sale in the UK in 2018.