First-class Ride: New Opel Insignia Sports Tourer and Country Tourer also Cuts Fine Figure as Taxi

• New taxi models: Opel flagships Insignia Sports Tourer and Country Tourer
• Pays off: Generous space, top workmanship and economical consumption
• Large ex-works taxi offer: New Opel Insignia models join Vivaro and Zafira

Good looking and practical: Up to 1,665 litres of luggage space and up to two metres of load-length for bulky goods – the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer as taxi.

“Taxi!” Those looking for a spacious and elegant means of transport can now hop in the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer or, for an even more individual ride, the Insignia Country Tourer. The flagship estates from Rüsselsheim are now also available as taxi models in the characteristic light ivory lacquer and as chauffeur service rental cars – with top comfort for passengers and plenty of room for luggage. With these qualities, the newcomers enrich Opel’s portfolio of very spacious taxis.

The Opel Insignia enables taxi companies to offer their customers a lot of room and highest comfort. In the entry-level model Insignia Sports Tourer Taxi Selection already available from €22,639 (RRP excl. VAT in Germany), driver and front passenger enjoy the multi-stage adjustable comfort seats. The standard air conditioning system ensures a constantly pleasant temperature including footwell heating in the rear passenger cabin. And with a luggage compartment volume of 560 to a maximum of 1,665 litres as well as a load-space length of over two metres, even large and bulky cargo can be easily stowed in the Insignia Sports Tourer. The driver benefits from top connectivity with the standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible Radio R 4.0 IntelliLink.

For a net entry-level price of €26,046 the Taxi Dynamic variant already comes with Navi 900 IntelliLink including an 8-inch colour touchscreen and integrated navigation on board. Both the driver and front-seat passenger make themselves comfortable in the ergonomic seats certified by the independent AGR (Campaign for Healthier Backs) experts – the best basis for a relaxing ride. The AGR seat also makes the taxi even more pleasant as a workplace for the driver. With its multi-stage adjustments for the contours of the spine, the seat is a true back champion.

Thanks to state-of-the-art production methods, lightweight construction as well as powerful and fuel-efficient engines, the flagship estate is very economical. For instance with the 100 kW/136 hp 1.6 litre Turbo diesel and six-speed automatic transmission it consumes just 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres (NEDC fuel consumption with Start/Stop: urban 6.1 l/100 km, extra-urban 4.6 l/100 km, combined 5.2 l/100 km, 137 g/km CO₂).

At the same time, the Insignia Sports Tourer comes with all the prerequisites to be able to quickly and easily transform it into a fully equipped taxi: the basic taxi equipment is available for a net price of €1,790. It includes a taxi alarm system, electrical connections for the taximeter and roof sign, an on and off switch for the roof sign, power supply for the radio as well as protective foil on the door and boot sills. Various roof signs and mounts as well as taximeter installation preparation kits can be ordered for the Insignia. And last but not least, taxi companies can equip their Sports Tourer model right at pick-up with the Hale SPT 02 taximeter that is perfectly integrated into the rearview mirror housing.

With these special features, the Insignia Sports Tourer and Country Tourer now expand the Opel taxi portfolio available ex-works. The major advantage of the works solution is that the customer gets everything from one source, there is a full works warranty on all modifications and the fixtures are integrated in the car according to highest Opel quality standards. In addition to both newest-generation flagship estates, the extremely flexible Opel Zafira with space for up to six passengers and the large Opel Vivaro van are also available to meet practically all transport needs.

Ready, Steady, Go: Order Books Open for New Opel Insignia GSi

• Top-class sports feeling: Be an Opel Insignia GSi pilot from prices starting at €45,595
• Powerful engines: Choice of BiTurbo diesel or turbocharged petrol unit
• Like clockwork: FlexRide chassis and all-wheel drive with torque vectoring
• Exciting appearance: Bumpers, side sills and rear spoiler in GSi design
• Top comfort with touring car flair: Newly developed, AGR-certified integral seat
• Tailored flagship: Opel Insignia Grand Sport and Sports Tourer available as GSi

The Opel Insignia GSi celebrated its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. And now everybody who wants to experience the car for themselves can do so with the opening of the order books for Opel’s dynamic flagship. Prices for the GSi start at €45,595 (all prices RRP including VAT in Germany) for the Grand Sport variant. The car promises maximum driving pleasure on all roads. Families eager to experience the sporty feeling together can look to the spacious GSi Sports Tourer variant for prices starting at €46,595. It offers an equally rewarding driving experience plus additional space and practicality.

“The Insignia GSi already impressed with its uncompromising styling at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Our customers can feel that certain something as soon as they get behind the sport steering wheel,” said Peter Küspert, Managing Director Sales and Marketing, Opel Automobile GmbH. “This is the time to change. Because as of now, all sport drivers can now order their Insignia GSi. They will receive a sports machine for connoisseurs – sharp, precise and efficient.”

The entry-level Opel Insignia GSi Grand Sport is already equipped with the 154 kW/210 hp 2.0 litre BiTurbo diesel that delivers a hearty 480 Nm of torque at 1,500 rpm (Official fuel consumption GSi 2.0 BiTurbo in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle: urban 8.9 l/100 km, extra-urban 6.1 l/100 km, combined 7.3 l/100 km, official specific combined CO₂ emissions 192 g/km).

People who prefer a powerful turbocharged petrol unit for the Opel  Insignia GSi can choose the 191 kW/260 hp 2.0 litre engine (Official fuel consumption in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle: urban 11.2 l/100 km, extra-urban 7.1 l/100 km, combined 8.6 l/100 km, official specific combined CO₂ emissions 197 g/km) for prices starting at €47,800. The 2.0 turbo delivers maximum torque of 400 Nm from 2,500 to 4,000 rpm. It propels the Insignia GSi Grand Sport from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and gives it a top speed of 250 km/h.

In addition, both powertrain versions come with an especially dynamic set-up of the FlexRide chassis, adaptive all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, especially grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres along with a new eight-speed automatic transmission which also enables manual shifting via the paddles on the steering wheel.

It really gets stuck in …

The all-new GSi chassis is the base for maximum driving pleasure and effective power output: Shorter springs lower the GSi by 10 millimetres and special sports shock absorbers reduce body movements to a minimum. You can feel exactly where the Opel Insignia GSi received its fine-tuning in every corner and in every movement – on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, the toughest racetrack in the world.
 

The mechatronic FlexRide chassis 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 skilful drivers more yaw and switches off traction control. Insignia GSi pilots who truly want to control everything themselves can also change gears via the steering wheel paddles.

Elsewhere, the Twinster all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring – unique in the segment – is the ideal match for the sports chassis. The 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, this results in the Insignia GSi following the line its driver wants to take. Furthermore, Brembo brakes ensure outstanding braking performance even at high speeds.

… and immediately gives a race-driver feeling

These ingredients create a highly active driving experience which is matched by the Insignia GSi’s sporty looks. Large chrome air intakes at the front, GSi bumpers and side sills along with the optional prominent rear spoiler for the Grand Sport clearly show: here comes a real sports machine. Furthermore, drivers can enjoy the standard AGR-certified ergonomic seats or alternatively choose the optional integral leather performance seat developed especially for the GSi. It comes with the customary comfort features such as ventilation, heating, massage function and adjustable side support along with a high back rest with integrated head rest. The standard aluminium sport pedals provide additional sporty flair. With these features the Opel Insignia GSi delivers unparalleled driving pleasure both as a Grand Sport and as a Sports Tourer.

Groupe PSA and Nidec to set-up a leading joint venture for automotive electric traction motor

Groupe PSA and Nidec Corporation (the “Nidec”), through Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding (the“Nidec Leroy-Somer”), intend to work together in the field of electric traction motor. For this purpose, Nidec Leroy-Somer and Groupe PSA entered into a joint venture agreement on December 4, 2017. Closing of such transaction remains subject to antitrust clearance and employee representative consultation. Groupe PSA makes the strategic choice to anchor in France the design and production of the main components of the electric traction powertrain.

Nidec Leroy-Somer and Groupe PSA have acknowledged the strategic importance of traction motor in coming electrification age and agreed mutual cooperation for developing state of the art high-performance and competitive electric traction motor range for electrified vehicles (Mild-hybrid (MHEV), Electric Vehicles (“EV”) and Plug-in Hybrid (“PHEV”) to meet the needs of Groupe PSA and other OEMs.

The aim of the partnership is to design, develop, manufacture and sell a range of efficient electric traction machines. The joint venture will then engage R&D, manufacturing and sales for high-performance electric traction motor mainly to Groupe PSA, and to other OEMs, by combining PSA’s automotive OEM strengths and Nidec Leroy-Somer’s leading expertise of motor and related electrical equipment.

1.    Purpose and Background of the Transaction

As an anticipation of energy transition towards a cleaner mobility, electrification is the key to both solving global warming and controlling air quality with a well to wheel approach. Given the above trend, OEMs are accelerating their shift towards electrified vehicle technologies. Along with this trend, electrification of automobiles has been expanding and the market of electric motor for automotive is foreseen to double its size to JPY 6 trillion (€ 45 billion) in 2030. Nidec has been also active in this trend and developing products with its superior motor expertise.

Nidec has been actively developing a new growth platform with particular focus on automotive business. In its midterm strategic goal Vision 2020 it has targeted to achieve JPY 700 billion to 1 trillion (€ 5,4 to 7,6 billion) of sales in automotive sector in 2020.

Nidec Leroy-Somer, acquired by Nidec on February 2017, is the leading electric motor company in France serving all industry sector and renowned for its high quality products providing the best value to customers.

Groupe PSA, which is a European champion with the second position on the European market, has been actively accelerating its shift to electrified vehicles (MHEV, PHEV, EV). As part of the energy transition process and in line with the technological offensive spelled out in its “Push to Pass” strategic plan, Groupe PSA is focused on diversifying its technological offering with plug-in hybrid petrol engines and next-generation electric powertrains.

2.    Information on the joint venture:

Foundation:     1er quarter 2018, subject to closing
Headquarters:     Carrières sous Poissy, Paris region, France
R&D facilities:     Carrières sous Poissy, Paris region, France
Production facilities:     Trémery, Metz region, France
Shareholders:     50% Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding /50% Groupe PSA
Investment:     € 220 Million

3.    Effect on Financial Performance for the Current Fiscal Year

The Transaction is expected to have no significant impact on Nidec’s consolidated financial performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018. Nidec will make additional disclosure on a timely basis in accordance with the rules of the Tokyo Stock Exchange upon determination of further details.