Spy Shots: Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer shows its fresh face ahead of Frankfurt debut

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Performance, Wagon, Europe, Opel

Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer - front three-quarter

Drive down the Autobahn and there’s any number of vehicles likely to pass you, and most of them are produced locally. But if you’re wondering how that Opel left you in its dust, look closely (and quickly) enough and you might make out the letters OPC on the back.

They stand for Opel Performance Center (the German counterpart to Vauxhall’s VXR line) and they adorn performance versions of the Corsa, Astra and Insignia. The latter is undergoing a bit of a refresh and is expected to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a couple of weeks, but you don’t have to wait that long as our intrepid spy photographers have caught it in the flesh outside an Opel facility in Germany.

Spied here completely undisguised in Sports Tourer (read: wagon) form, the Insignia has had a few nips and tucks performed, but we’ll be more intrigued to see what it’s got under the hood. The current model packs a 2.8-liter twin-turbo V6 driving 325 horsepower to all four wheels, but rumors suggest that the OPC (yeah you know me!) could have as much as 400 hp up its sleeve. That would make this one heck of a sleeper – especially in wagon form – and only make us pine for a more potent version of its twin Buick Regal to roam our highways, too.

Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer shows its fresh face ahead of Frankfurt debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Aug 2013 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Honda Civic Tourer to debut at Frankfurt

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Minivan/Van, Wagon, Europe, Honda

2014 Honda Civic Tourer Spy Photo

Honda will be bringing its new Civic Tourer to next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, just as we predicted in our spy shots of the new MPV from back in April. The new model, which will arrive in European dealers in 2014, will be built alongside Honda’s Euro-spec Civic hatchback, Jazz (Honda Fit) and CR-V in Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.

Honda first hinted at the Civic Tourer with a concept at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, which is set to do battle with the Toyota Auris and Volkswagen Golf in the European market. The production Civic Tourer will also be shown alongside a refreshed Civic hatchback, yet another NSX Concept variant, a McLaren MP4/4 Formula One car, and Honda’s World Touring Car Championship Civic.

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Honda Civic Tourer to debut at Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: Lotus shows off its new Grand Tourer, the Elite [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Paris Motor Show, Lotus, Luxury

Lotus Elite Concept

Lotus Elite Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lotus continues its march towards global sportscar domination with the 2010 Paris Motor Show unveiling of the Lotus Elite. The Elite represents a step away from “lighter is better” because it is a hefty, four-passenger grand tourer – it weighs in at 3,600 pounds. One of the reasons it’s so heavy? It has a retractable, folding hardtop. Don’t let the weight throw you off though, this is a good looking, aggressively styled powerhouse. Under the hood sits a modified version of the 5.0-liter V8 out of a Lexus IS-F. The unit is then massaged to produce 611 horsepower which propels the car to a sub-four-second 0-60 time and a top speed of 195 miles per hour. The Elite will also be fitted with KERS for a quick boost of recovered energy.

The front mid-engine layout should help balance the Lotus Elite and make for an exciting driving experience. We expect this car to represent a slightly softer side for the automaker, but that’s like saying we expect a bomb to hurt less than a missile. The entire Lotus lineup is poised in attack position, the Elite just happens to wear clothes from the Big and Tall store.

Lotus is aiming to bring this sporty road warrior to market sometime in the year 2014. If you invest your money wisely now, you just might be able to save the estimated $180,000 you’ll need to put one in your driveway. Check out the Elite in action with a video clip after the jump.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Lotus Elite Concept

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Gallery: Lotus Elite Concept

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Live photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

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Paris 2010: Lotus shows off its new Grand Tourer, the Elite [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Filed under: Wagon, Europe, Opel

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel Astra Sports Tourer – Click above for high-res image gallery

Opel is keeping busy, and aside from moving into a handful of new markets and pulling the sheets off of a hot concept, the German manufacturer has been whittling away on its long-roof interpretation of the company’s Astra. The 2011 Astra Sports Tourer wears the brand’s trademark nose and sculpted sheet metal, but throws in an arching roofline for good measure. Inside, buyers can look forward to a set of snappy folding seats in the rear Opel claims should help make the car appealing to both families and small businesses looking to haul goods.

Power comes from either an uber-thrifty 95-horsepower mill or a more robust 180-pony lump, and a total of three transmissions are available – a five-speed manual, six-speed manual and six-speed automatic. The company says that European buyers can expect to see a start/stop system land on its 1.3-liter turbo-diesel engine in the Astra Sports Tourer as well. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Opel Astra Sport Tourer

Photos copyright (C)2010 Zach Bowman / AOL

Paris 2010: Opel Astra Sports Tourer originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 03:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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