New Insignia sets class benchmark

Vauxhall has abandoned generous fleet discounts in favour of a lower list price for the new Insignia, which goes on sale today.

The new pricing strategy sees on-the-road prices fall by £3,500 on average across the range with reductions of £4,000 on top-end models.

Paul Adler, fleet marketing manager at Vauxhall, said:  “If you lower the list price you have to lower discounts. The transaction price will effectively remain very similar but it’s much more transparent.”

The Insignia’s range has been simplified from 14 equipment levels to eight. The ES and Exclusiv models have been replaced by an entry-level Design model, while SE Nav has been dropped in favour of Tech Line.

There are four new engines, including a class-leading 99g/km 140bhp 2.0 CDTi which offers significant savings for companies and high-mileage drivers.

Tech Line prices have increased as it is now built on the same trim as the SE and Cosmo rather than the lower Exclusiv trim level.

The current 130bhp Ecoflex Tech Line, which costs £20,545, is not part of the new line-up. Instead, fleets can choose the new 120bhp Ecoflex Tech Line (£21,399) or the new 140PS Ecoflex Tech Line (£21,649), which both offer 99g/km.

Adler said: “Tech Line already had a competitive P11D price. What we’re seeing now is the whole range effectively being ‘Tech Lined’.”

The new entry-level Design model starts at £16,279 – nearly £2,000 less than the ES on the outgoing line-up – and is fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels instead of the 17-inch fitted to the Exclusiv, saving £300. Further improvements to service maintenance and repair are in the pipeline.

Residual value uplift

The changes have resulted in a £500 residual value uplift from CAP, based on three years/60,000 miles.

RVs are boosted by £625 for the 120bhp Ecoflex versus the 130bhp Ecoflex and £750 for the 140bhp Ecoflex versus the 130bhp Ecoflex.

Supply to the rental sector will continue in a “controlled way” in order to protect RVs.

“We have worked really hard to improve RVs and we want to make sure those are maintained,” Adler said.

Significant savings from 99g/km models

Existing Insignia customers that opt for one of the 99g/km models will save approximately £500 in National Insurance Contributions, £800 in fuel and £5,000 in wholelife costs over three years/60,000 miles. A company car driver will save approximately £1,500 in BIK over the same cycle.

There are also savings against key rivals. The Insignia Design 2.0 CDTi (120bhp) Ecoflex with start-stop saves drivers £992 in BIK over a three-year period against a Ford Mondeo Edge 1.6 TDCi (115bhp) and £1,118 over a Volkswagen Passat Bluemotion Tech S 1.6 TDI (105bhp).

A company will save an estimated £3,028 in wholelife costs against a Ford Mondeo Edge 1.6 TDCi (115bhp) and £2,926 over a Volkswagen Passat Bluemotion Tech S 1.6 TDI (105bhp).

The new Insignia is available as a five-door hatch, four-door saloon and Sports Tourer estate.

Looks-wise, the exterior has had a few styling tweaks that make it appear wider and lower, despite the dimensions remaining the same.

The headlamps have been redesigned with the option of bi-xenon lamps with Advanced Forward Lighting (AFL) on Elite models.

Two new exterior colours – Emerald Green and Aurum Green – are now available.

Inside, changes have been made to the car’s instrument cluster and centre console design with fewer buttons and more intuitive operation.

There is an all-new infotainment system that is compatible with a driver’s smartphone. It incorporates Bluetooth-operated internet connectivity, an eight-inch touchscreen and 3D navigation and voice control. A touch pad controller is also available.

Standard equipment includes digital radio, Bluetooth, cruise control and trip computer, leather covered steering wheel, electronic climate control, electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors and Electronic Stability Control.

New leather and cloth trims are available.

Vauxhall says that improvements have been made to the car’s ride and handling. Damper and anti-roll bar settings have been revised for better ride and comfort, while the electronic power steering system has been reprogrammed for improved feels.

Sales boost

Adler is confident that the new Insignia will see Vauxhall’s share of the D segment increase and could tempt drivers out of alternative vehicles in the lower medium segment.

“Our overall volume and share will go up in 2014 as the new Insignia beds in and becomes more widely known among company car drivers and fleet decision-makers,” he said.

“In true fleet, we anticipate sales going up 5%, related to our repositioning work.”

Adler is hoping to “carry that momentum forward to other models” with the new pricing strategy applied to “salient cars” in the future.

Demand for the new Insignia will also have an important part to play in improving General Motors profitability, according to Adler.

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