Vauxhall Insignia sees rebirth of the GSI Range

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lightning

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Nice enough machines, and would be a great all rounder but to my mind they should be SRI not GSI.

GSI was always top of the pile horse power wise, a halo model. Think back to the 90-92 cavalier gsi red top, 150 brake, 7 second 0-60 and if you had one it was a real talking point! This car needs 350+ horse and a bit of a more lairy kit to be worthy of gsi's of old.
 

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Nice enough machines, and would be a great all rounder but to my mind they should be SRI not GSI.

GSI was always top of the pile horse power wise, a halo model. Think back to the 90-92 cavalier gsi red top, 150 brake, 7 second 0-60 and if you had one it was a real talking point! This car needs 350+ horse and a bit of a more lairy kit to be worthy of gsi's of old.
VXR has been the pinnacle for some time now, and still is, for comparison I give you the following...

Audi s-line is sri
Audi s is gsi
Audi rs is vxr
 

Steve

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I like the look of it. As above though, it would have been nice to see at least 300bhp from the petrol model to keep up with the current range of hot hatches.

edit - @Graham when you put it like that it makes sense.
 

Graham

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Sri is a trim level
Gsi is chassis enhancements, a little performance and genuinely fantastic
Vxr is the all-out model

Also this was one of the most random days in my motoring career to date, I shared a track with a BTCC Audi, a few Bentleys with lots of taped on sensors around the body and a pair of Range Rovers towing caravans flat out, such an odd place, but memorable
 

Coog

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The SRI has been greatly watered down in the last 15/20 years too.

The new insignia is a handsome car, huge improvement over the previous shape which to me always looked like it had rolled out of a Korean factory and not a European one.
 

Blackie

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The SRI has been greatly watered down in the last 15/20 years too.

The new insignia is a handsome car, huge improvement over the previous shape which to me always looked like it had rolled out of a Korean factory and not a European one.
I agree, SRi’s used to be more than just trim, they were a milder version of GSi’s.

They used to have slightly lower suspension (usually around 15mm) than lower spec models, they used to have decent “sports” seats, they used to have pretty damn decent spec inside too.

But even in my Vec C SRi it has lost “trim” or spec from Vec B SRi, silly little things such as traction control (I don’t mind the lack of traction control myself as it adds a bit of excitement and driver skill back to the drive) etc . . .

The SRi has less spec than a Design model for example. They did an SXi in the Vectra C and other models in the range which were supposed be a Trim level - basically an SRi with smaller or less powerful engines.

But it definitely seems the SRi has been watered down to nothing more than a trim level and has become the SXi which appears to have been deleted from the Insignia range. From reading the article it appears the GSi now essentially fills the role that the SRi used to!
 

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And another highlight on this one, was the run back to the airport, five-up in an insignia with the PR director driving, and the first ever DTM winner, Valker in the passenger seat, all a little surreal
 

roverspeed

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I agree, SRi’s used to be more than just trim, they were a milder version of GSi’s.

They used to have slightly lower suspension (usually around 15mm) than lower spec models, they used to have decent “sports” seats, they used to have pretty damn decent spec inside too.

But even in my Vec C SRi it has lost “trim” or spec from Vec B SRi, silly little things such as traction control (I don’t mind the lack of traction control myself as it adds a bit of excitement and driver skill back to the drive) etc . . .

The SRi has less spec than a Design model for example. They did an SXi in the Vectra C and other models in the range which were supposed be a Trim level - basically an SRi with smaller or less powerful engines.

But it definitely seems the SRi has been watered down to nothing more than a trim level and has become the SXi which appears to have been deleted from the Insignia range. From reading the article it appears the GSi now essentially fills the role that the SRi used to!

My Insignia SRI does have lower/stiffer suspension and sports seats (whether you would call them decent or not is opinion) and I think the wheels are SRI specific.

Though that's where the SRI'ness ends. It really is just a trim level now as I think you couldget it with any engine in the range.

I do like the new Insignia but it's very trim/specific as so many cars are now.

I test drove 2 petrol turbo one last (I only went in to buy roof bars ffs) was very put together and quick but felt huge.

I think it had lost some of its character (visual) but aren't all cars going that way. It's silhouette could easily be mistaken for one of the latest Volvos or Mazda 6s.

I think the facelift with vx line kit and optional 20s looked great

maxresdefault.jpg
 

Lyons

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I had one as a hire car a few weeks ago and it wasn’t bad at all. Light years ahead of the model it replaced, which is horrendous.
 

m00k

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Suppose even win he cavalier the Sri was available wi red top and sports seats etc but didn’t get the independent rear suspension which was saved for the gsi and different kits

Gsi also got the multi trip computer which was fairly slick for its age... ave consumption instant consumption fuel range temperature time and also a timer to clock your 0-60’s lol

Then the turbo came along which was initially referred to as gsi turbo as it replaced the gsi but then just focussed as 4x4 turbo

Still good to see the GSi badge return

Had a mk3 gsi Astra and Elaine had the mk4 which were both great cars

Again I had an Sri turbo Astra when she had the gsi same engine but the gsi was the bicernfinished car inside and out
 

Alexmck

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Suppose even win he cavalier the Sri was available wi red top and sports seats etc but didn’t get the independent rear suspension which was saved for the gsi and different kits

Gsi also got the multi trip computer which was fairly slick for its age... ave consumption instant consumption fuel range temperature time and also a timer to clock your 0-60’s lol

Then the turbo came along which was initially referred to as gsi turbo as it replaced the gsi but then just focussed as 4x4 turbo

Still good to see the GSi badge return

Had a mk3 gsi Astra and Elaine had the mk4 which were both great cars

Again I had an Sri turbo Astra when she had the gsi same engine but the gsi was the bicernfinished car inside and out

How does the timer work ? My computer works perfect but dont know how to start the timer lol?
 

Woodcutter

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NW200 Event Director is flying around the place in one his week, looks absolutely brilliant!
 

m00k

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Put it’s on timer mode then press the round button on that ‘control panel’ in centre console to start the timer... and then press same button to stop then press and hold to reset if I remember right
 

Chris100

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relative enough, the price of even the 'budget' cars these days is madness when you add any sort of spec

I had the original Astra VXR when they first came out, in fact I think it was the first or second Red one delivered and it was a good enough car but the new ones just aren't worth the money.

And as you say, even at £30K you have to spec it up to get any decent level of equipment in it, total madness as you are in 3 door Audi S3 money then and at least it will still be worth something after 3 years.
 

Graham

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I had the original Astra VXR when they first came out, in fact I think it was the first or second Red one delivered and it was a good enough car but the new ones just aren't worth the money.

And as you say, even at £30K you have to spec it up to get any decent level of equipment in it, total madness as you are in 3 door Audi S3 money then and at least it will still be worth something after 3 years.
A 30k vauxhall will need little to no spec added, a £30k Audi will need £10k added to make it nice

A prime example recently, Suzuki Swift Sport, launch price is £16,500 - the equivalent spec Fiesta ST is expected to run £22,000 or so, an Audi S1 (if they still make them) would be £30,000+ easily - out of them all, i'd have the Suzuki
 

Chris100

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I looked at a VXR in Ballyrobert when they first came out and it needed at Least 5k in OE, that included things liking adding nav and a decent sound system, so at 30k it was far from loaded with kit.
 

Cossers

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I’ve got the current vxr, bought it new and have a good spec about it, I can assure you I paid nowhere near 30k for it, looked at golf r, audi and the new rs, for me, the vxr beat them all hands down in the looks department and pelting on in all them on a B road your just splitting hairs.
 

genman

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new Grand Sport Insignia in all but GSi trim doesnt interest me....ive 2 of the previous model. Elite and VXR.... great value 2nd hand.
I agree Sri models arent as special as they once were but its mostly due to the fabric design and lack of chunky steering wheel as well as bog standard engines and few spoiler tweaks etc.
Gsi does need more power. Elite models have the same engine available
 
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