The Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer is a more rugged crossover version of the regular Insignia Tourer estate that we saw in facelift form last month.
We’ll find out how much extra you’ll pay for the Country Tourer when it’s shown off at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2013. We’re expected a price tag of £31-32k, compared to £28.5k for a standard Tourer with the same engine.
>> Click here for CAR’s A-Z guide to the 2013 Frankfurt motor show
What are the differences between a Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer and the regular car?
The Country Tourer gets a 20mm ride height boost, taller tyres wrapped around a new alloy wheel design, and mandatory plastic body cladding, much like Audi’s Allroad models.
Under the bonnet there’s a choice of two 2.0-litre diesel engines: a 163bhp/280lb ft turbodiesel mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox, or a faster twin-turbo model with 192bhp/295lb ft that’s automatic only.
Will the Country Tourer actually go off-road?
It should be handy off the beaten track, thanks to a Haldex part-time electronic all-wheel drive system and a limited-slip differential on the rear axle.
The Country Tourer runs as a front-driver most of the time to save fuel, but if slip is sensed by the car’s ECU, torque can be shuffled between the axles and even to individual wheels, depending where most grip can be found.
With the arrival of the Country Tourer, there are now four bodystyles of Insignia to choose from: this SUV-alternative, plus saloon, hatchback and estate. For more on the new Insignia range, click here.
