Traction Master: Opel Insignia Country Tourer with High-Tech AWD

• Pure safety: Intelligent all-wheel drive system for exemplary directional stability and outstanding traction
• Pure reaction: Torque vectoring with perfect torque distribution to each rear wheel
• Pure driving pleasure: Opel flagship with 4x4 technology on icy alpine pistes

Fun, but safe: Opel Insignia Country Tourer with innovative Twinster torque-vectoring all-wheel drive technology.

The ground is icy and exhaled breath is freezing. Snow as far as the eye can see. Perfect conditions to get behind the steering wheel and complete some really fast laps – in Austria’s deep-freeze. People who want to have fun on snow and ice only need one thing: the Opel Insignia Country Tourer with Twinster all-wheel drive and torque vectoring. It is the ideal match for the icy, snowy condition in Thomatal where the Opel Winter Trainings take place. The programme not only includes braking and accelerating, finding out the adhesion limits or safely mastering extreme driving conditions, it is also a lot of fun. This is made possible by Opel’s flagship model, the Insignia, with the top of the range Insignia Country Tourer, leading the way for touring in comfort. 

With its additional ground clearance of 25 millimetres and protective cladding, the Opel Insignia Country Tourer awakens the desire to leave smooth asphalt roads and instead head for rougher surfaces. The secret for unrestrained driving pleasure is hidden under the bodywork: The Twinster all-wheel drive with torque vectoring. “The extremely good cornering and directional stability, even in extreme surface conditions, characterise the most modern Opel all-wheel drive system,” said Andreas Holl, Director Controls and All Wheel Drive Development at Opel.

High-tech 4x4 system for safe driving pleasure at all times

The innovative all-wheel drive is based on pure high-tech: On the Twinster system with torque vectoring, twin clutches replace the conventional differential on the rear axle. As a result, the system can apply torque to one or both of the rear wheels individually in a split second,” explained Holl. This means that the power is transmitted optimally at all times. “Twinster enables an extremely high torque distribution capacity ranging from 0 Nm on the one to side to 1,500 Nm on the other. In addition, torque distribution can be set independently from wheel slip and wheel speed. And then there is the compact construction: As there are two clutches in front of the drive shafts, the rear axle differential is omitted. That saves space and weight,” he continued.

This technology also enables the Insignia Country Tourer to be more agile and precise when cornering. It offers outstanding directional control for maximum stability and shines with exemplary traction on all surfaces – even ice and snow. In general, higher torque is sent to the outside rear wheel, the vehicle is stabilized and the Insignia turns in with more precision, responding more spontaneously to inputs from the driver. Torque vectoring therefore means an increase of active safety.

Going for a quick one in the Opel Insignia Country Tourer: With the help of Twinster torque-vectoring all-wheel drive technology.

The participants of Opel’s Winter Training can experience this increase first hand. All they need to do is temporarily switch off the torque vectoring, which is connected to the ESP system. “The before-and-after comparison is dramatic. If you had everything under control until then, without technical support your drive will be over at the second pylon,” said Holl. This is a borderline experience that nobody normally wants to have.

For comfort-conscious cruisers and experienced, sporty drivers

The mechatronic FlexRide chassis provides the foundations for optimal, situation-based handling. It adapts shock absorbers, calibration of the accelerator pedal and shift points (on cars with automatic transmission) automatically or based on the Tour and Sport modes that can be selected by the driver. Subject to the chosen mode, steering and throttle-response is then softer or even more direct and ESP intervenes earlier or later.

Those looking for a somewhat sportier ride with ESP and all-wheel drive should therefore select “Sport” mode. In this mode, the system permits strong movement around the vertical axis (low yaw damping) and simultaneously supports the agile character of the Opel Insignia Country Tourer. Those who prefer comfortable cruising should press the “Tour” button”. The central ‘Drive Mode Control’ software is the heart and soul of the adaptive chassis. It continuously analyses the information provided by the sensors and setting and recognises the individual driving style.