Holzer Motorsport is service provider for new brand cup
Michelin supplies tyres for world’s first brand cup for electric rally cars
Opel Corsa-e Rally test programme enters second phase
New Opel Corsa-e Rally
Opel Motorsport has extended the long-standing cooperation with Holzer Motorsport. The race and rally specialists from Augsburg will provide the technical support and the on-event parts service for all teams competing in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. Tyres for the first electric rally brand cup in the world will be supplied by Michelin.
Development of the Opel Corsa-e Rally for the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup continues at a fast pace. Two development vehicles of the 100 kW (136 hp) electric car have been undergoing durability testing since the end of last year at the Dudenhofen Test Center. The next step will be performance tests on rally stages.
“This is good news for our teams”, says Opel Motorsport Director, Jörg Schrott. “The continuation of our 20-year-long cooperation with Holzer Motorsport further enhances the status of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. Günther Holzer and his crew have been skilled and reliable partners for all teams in the ADAC Opel Rally Cup since 2013. The same goes for Michelin. After the successful cooperation in the ADAC Opel Rally Cup, Michelin will now equip all the Opel Corsa-e Rally cars.”
New all-electric brand cup featuring Opel Corsa-e Rally will begin on August 21-22 with the ADAC Saarland-Pfalz Rally.
Better control: New AGR certified seats with high lateral support and comfort
Quicker: GSi leaves more powerful OPC predecessor behind on Nordschleife
Center stage: World premiere at Frankfurt International Motor Show mid-September
Sharper: New Opel Insignia GSi with sporty front and rear design plus eye catching 20 inch wheels.
Sharper, more precise, even more efficient. The new Opel Insignia
GSi is a sports sedan for those who like something special. A driver’s
car for maximum fun on all kinds of roads. The chassis with its very
dynamic set-up and the particularly high level of grip, in combination
with all-wheel drive, ensures a rewarding driving experience as well as
maximum safety. The new eight-speed automatic transmission can be
operated via shift-paddles at the steering wheel – like a racing car –
for an even more active driving experience. Typical of the new
Insignia-generation is the combination of lightweight design, low center
of gravity and 2.0-liter turbo power. This results in excellent balance
and a very good power to weight ratio. Such internal values deserve a
special exterior. With large chrome air-intakes at the front and a neat
rear spoiler for the necessary downforce on the rear axle, the GSi’s
looks perfectly match the performance. The leather upholstered,
integrated sports seats (specially developed for the GSi), the leather
sports steering wheel and the aluminum pedals add the finishing touches.
Fine tuning in the best Opel tradition has led to the most efficient
Insignia ever that makes the new GSi dynamically different to the
already agile Insignia Grand Sport. A new level of modern sportiness
characterized by superb grip and razor-sharp precision – talents that
fans of sporty midsize sedans will appreciate, which can also be seen on
the stop watch. “The new Insignia GSi is clearly quicker over one lap
of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife than the more powerful Insignia
OPC of the previous generation” concluded Director Performance Cars
& Motorsport, Volker Strycek after testing. One of the reasons is
that the GSi is 160 kilograms lighter than a comparable Insignia OPC 2.8
V6 Turbo. Just like a lean athlete.
“It is this combination of low weight – especially on the front axle –
low center of gravity, easy handling, high power over a wide rpm-band
and best traction which makes the GSi so fast” says an enthusiastic
Strycek. “That is pure efficiency. The high grip level is perfect for
the Nordschleife and a fun-to-drive as well as safety advantage on public roads.”
On the “Green Hell”: the toughest race track in the world
The finishing touches were put to the Insignia GSi on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
Here in the Eifel mountains Opel runs a test center for setting up its
performance cars. The Opel engineers have developed an all-new chassis
for the GSi on the Nürburgring, which triple F1 world champion Jackie
Stewart famously described as the “Green Hell”. Shorter springs lower
the GSi by 10 millimeters and special sports shock absorbers reduce body
movements to a minimum. The powerful Brembo four-cylinder brakes
(diameter 345 millimeter) and the already direct steering were adapted
accordingly. The Insignia GSi is equipped as standard with the
mechatronic FlexRide chassis. It adapts shock absorbers and steering in
fractions of a second; the control unit also changes the calibration of
the accelerator pedal and the shift points of the eight-speed automatic.
The driver can choose between Standard, Tour and Sport modes. Subject
to the chosen mode, steering and throttle-response is then even more
direct. Exclusive to the GSi is the Competition mode, which is activated
via the ESP button. A double-press allows skillful drivers more yaw and
switches off traction control – for a fast lap of the Nordschleife, for example
The sports-chassis, developed in combination with the extra grippy
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires and big 20-inch wheels, offers almost
limpet-like levels of adhesion. A major contribution comes from the
all-wheel drive with torque vectoring fitted as standard, which is
unique in this segment. In this high-tech system a conventional
differential on the rear axle is replaced by two clutches, which can
accelerate each rear wheel individually in fractions of a second,
depending on the driving situation. Annoying understeer, where the front
wheels push towards the outside of the corner, is therefore almost
banished from the Insignia GSi. In other words, the GSi takes a neat
line through a series of turns.
The sports sedan is powered by an impressive gasoline turbo engine
that combines fuel efficiency with performance. The powerful 2.0 liter
turbo produces 191 kW (260 hp) and develops generous torque of
400 Newton meters (NEDC fuel consumption: 11.2 liters per 100 km urban;
7.1 l/100 km extra-urban; 8.6 l/100 km combined; 197 g/km CO2).
The four-cylinder unit is mated to an all-new eight-speed automatic
transmission. The driver has the option of shifting gears via paddles at
the steering wheel. With the transmission shifting automatically the
driver can even preselect the shift points in Standard and Sport modes.
In addition to the 2.0-liter gasoline turbo, the GSi will also offer a
powerful new diesel engine.
Sporty features: From new Opel performance sport seat to rear spoiler
The sporty capabilities of the Insignia GSi are matched by design
cues, technology-highlights and accessories. At the top of the list is
the new sports seat developed by Opel, which provides increased lateral
support as well as long-distance comfort. The premium sports seat is
AGR-certified (Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V.) and therefore ergonomically
ideal. Just like in the Insignia Grand Sport it offers ventilation,
heating, massage and adjustable side bolsters. In the GSi the tall
seatback also features an integrated head restraint. The routing of the
seatbelt at shoulder level is ideal, which is not a given for integral
seats. The customer can choose from two leather combinations, each
decorated with a GSi emblem. The logo also proudly adorns the rear of
the car, which carries an efficient spoiler for the required downforce
on the rear axle. The rear apron looks similar to a diffusor and
features two chrome-edged exhaust pipes. Similarly chrome-edged
air-intakes are located ahead of the front wheels. Fans will also
appreciate the appropriate ambience in the interior, such as in the
flattened lower area of the leather-wrapped steering wheel, the aluminum
pedals and the black ceiling – in the best style of a very special
sports sedan.
33-year tradition: GSi models from Opel
The Insignia GSi continues a long tradition of sporty Opel cars named
GSi. The first to stir up excitement were the Manta GSi and the Kadett
GSi (115 hp from 1.8-liters) in 1984. Only four years later the
2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve engine in the Kadett 2.0 GSi 16V delivered 150
hp. The first Astra also featured this engine and in 1993 there was a
1.8-liter 125 hp alternative in the Astra GSi. There was also a GSi with
various generations of the Corsa, beginning with the 100 hp Corsa A
(1988) that has become a much sought-after classic. At the
(provisional!) end of the line was the Corsa D in August 2012.
But now the new Opel Insignia GSi will make its world premiere at the IAA
Frankfurt International Motor Show (September 14-24, 2017) and will be
available to order in Germany in mid-October.
