The first generation Opel Insignia was manufactured from 2008 until 2017 with a facelift in 2013. Our Changchun car is an original pre-facelift example. ‘Sports Tourer’ was a fancy name for the station wagon version.
Interestingly, the sedan version was made in China by SAIC-GM and marketed under the Buick Regal nameplate, but the wagon was sold as an official import under the Opel brand. The OPC line was a sporty trim level, not to be confused with the high-performance Insignia OPC sedan.
The OPC line was loaded with luxuries like black leather seats with red stitching and a racy instrument binnacle. It had a CD player with a 6-CD changer, a panoramic sunroof, and automatic air conditioning all as standard. The center stack was stacked to the max with buttons and switches, which, in those old days, was a sign of expensiveness.
Selling the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer in China was quite a daring move, as wagons were not popular and Opel was an unknown brand. Opel sold it in two trim levels: OPC Line and Luxury.
The OPC Line got a 2.0 turbo with 250 hp and 400 Nm. Power went to all wheels via a six-speed automatic. Top speed was a proper 233 km/h. The Luxury had the same motor but with only 220 hp and front-wheel drive.
Price for the OPC Line was 375.000 yuan. That was actually quite a good deal for an import with so much power and luxury on board. However, the unpopular body style and the unknown Opel brand made it a hard sell and it is therefore a rather rare car in China.