The next-generation Vauxhall Insignia will introduce new advanced driving technology to the family car when it launches during the summer of 2017.
Vauxhall’s new Insignia, which is called the Insignia Grand Sport to give the car its full name, aims to be a more luxurious family hatchback than its predecessor and hopes to rival popular executive cars as a result.
Now it has emerged that the new Insignia will debut new driving features to give it the grip levels and handling to rival the best executive cars around. All-wheel drive and torque vectoring will be available for the Insignia Grand Sport which will allow the car to effectively apply high power onto the road, whether the conditions are dry, wet, icy or snowy.
Non-conventional torque vectoring used
Torque vectoring technology allows a car to vary the amount of torque applied to individual wheels, benefitting acceleration while also giving the driver better and safer control of their car. Vauxhall has however opted not to use a conventional torque vectoring system due to their weight and complexity.
Instead, the new Insignia will be available with an all-wheel drive system with a rear-drive module that employs a twin clutch system without differential. This system can apply torque to one or both of the rear wheels independently.
When cornering, higher torque is sent to the outside rear wheel, ultimately leading to more precise turning and better responsiveness to the driver’s inputs. Drivers will be able to adjust this feature with various setting to best suit their driving style.
While the new Insignia can be expected to use more typical front-wheel drive powertrains as standard, specifications with the new all-wheel drive and torque vectoring technology should serve a credible rival to the likes of the Jaguar XE AWD and the BMW 3 Series xDrive.