Perhaps the area of motoring that receives the most attention at the moment, other than emissions, is that of efficiency. And with high petrol and diesel prices here in the UK, it’s a matter that is becoming more and more relevant to the vast majority of car drivers on the roads today. It’s not just MotorMartin either that is concerned with the rising costs of motoring as all of the mainstream manufacturers are downsizing engines, adding turbos and introducing technologies such as Start/Stop and cylinder deactivation all in the name of increased efficiency.
And so, the following news from Vauxhall celebrating their achievements in this field of endeavour was most welcome as they shared with MotorMartin that the Vauxhall Insignia has proven itself to be an exceptionally frugal option in its segment, having achieved over 1,300 miles on a single tank of fuel. Yes, 1,300 miles!
The 1.6 CDTi ‘Whisper Diesel’ 136PS ecoFLEX manual model with Start/Stop was driven from the Alps in Switzerland to the North Sea and back again, clocking up 1,311 miles in total.
Vauxhall have explained to MotorMartin that while the model’s official combined fuel economy is listed as 74.3mpg or 72.4mpg (for hatchback, figures are dependent on trim level), independent hypermiler Felix Egolf recorded an impressive average fuel economy of 82mpg over the entirety of the trip, which included city and motorway driving in typical European traffic conditions. As a hypermiler, the former Airbus pilot seeks to establish new minimum fuel consumption values and surpass official economy figures.
Egolf’s tour started in Lucerne, Switzerland on 6 April. From there, he travelled to the Opel/Vauxhall headquarters in Rüsselsheim via the Black Forest. In Rüsselsheim, he stopped to discuss the Insignia’s progress with Christian Müller, Vice President GM Global Propulsion Systems – Europe.
“The fuel gauge in the Insignia showed that the tank was still almost full when Felix Egolf arrived in Rüsselsheim,” shared Müller with MotorMartin. “He managed to complete the first 266 miles with an average consumption of about 88mpg. It’s great that he managed to cover over 1,300-miles without having to refuel.”
The journey then took Egolf to Münster in North-West Germany and up to Cuxhaven on the North Sea coast. The return leg saw him pass Hanover, Kassel and St. Gallen before coming to a successful end in Zurich on 8 April.
“I have wanted to crack the 2,000-kilometre milestone for some time now but I couldn’t find the car to do it. The excellent aerodynamics of the Insignia combined with the Eco Contact 5 low-rolling resistance tyres contributed to this outstanding result,” Felix Egolf informed MotorMartin. “This hypermiling tour with the Insignia also shows that anybody can easily equal or better official consumption figures by using foresight when driving and pre-empting the situation ahead.”
Vauxhall are extremely pleased with their revamped range topper as the Insignia is not all about great fuel economy though, also giving the driver strong performance, a smooth ride and exemplary safety equipment. The 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX engine with (136PS) has maximum torque of 320Nm at the low, fuel-saving range of 2,000 to 2,250rpm, providing the driver with sufficient levels of power while remaining efficient.
Vauxhall’s flagship model also comes with a wide range of technological, safety and comfort features, including modern radar-based and camera-based assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, side blind zone alert and forward collision assist. Driver comfort is offered through the premium seats that feature numerous adjustment options and four-way lumbar support.
The Insignia range, MotorMartin has been told, also gives drivers improved technology through OnStar, Vauxhall’s innovative personal connectivity and service assistant system that becomes a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to seven devices.
So Vauxhall and their Insignia are proving that efficiency doesn’t have to mean small and uncomfortable, thank goodness. It’s a MotorMartin well done to those clever folk at Vauxhall and an increasing sense of excitement for where we may have ended up in perhaps 5 or even 10 years time.
Where will you go?