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(AP) - Opel's flagship Insignia won't be totally new for the 2014 model year, but the updated version of General Motors' European midsize car will see a lot of changes.
The Insignia, which went on display this week at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, offers three new engines _ two gasoline and one diesel. The interior is all-new and equipped with a touchscreen. The vehicle also gets some suspension changes, and Opel is also showing off a revamped high-performance OPC model. Opel just started building the reworked versions at its Russelsheim, Germany, factory.
INSIDE: Insignia gets a new cockpit-style interior with its first "infotainment" touch screen, a system that the company promises will be intuitive to operate.
OUTSIDE: Changes that make the body more aerodynamic include underbody covers, wider front spoiler lips and automatic shutters in a lowered front grille to cut wind drag.
UNDER THE HOOD: Two new gasoline engines, a 1.6-liter, 170-horsepower model and a 2-liter, 250-horsepower version. There's also a new 2-liter diesel engine with either 120 or 140 horsepower, and a 1.4-liter, 140 horsepower liquefied petroleum gas engine. The new motors have fuel-saving stop-start technology, which shuts off the engine at stop lights and automatically turns back on when the driver is ready to go.
GAS MILEAGE: 1.6-liter gas engine gets 39.9 mpg, while the 2-liter gets an estimated 37.9 mpg. Diesel gets 63.6 or 60.3 mpg depending on horsepower. All estimates are based on European test cycles, which generally yield higher mileage than in the U.S.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE: The 325 horsepower 2.8-liter V6 Insignia OPC gets a restyled front and rear, plus chassis modifications to make it handle better, and an all-wheel-drive model. Goes from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in 6 seconds.
CHEERS: New engines boost gas mileage, interior updates the car.
JEERS: Not all-new, so it could have trouble competing with totally reworked competitors.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
