Photo: Opel
The 2017 edition of the RETTmobil is just around the corner, so what did Opel prepare as an exhibit for the German show? An Insignia Sports Tourer turned fire engine, of course. What’s more, the automaker also modified a Vivaro passenger van into a rescue vehicle, and fiery red suits the Vivaro remarkably well.
Retrofitted by Opel’s Special Vehicles division in Russelsheim, the two exhibits will make their public outing on May 17. How does the Insignia fire engine differ from a bog standard Sports Tourer? Well, the most obvious change from a visual standpoint is the mobile command vehicle attire. It sure looks interesting in red and neon yellow over a white-painted body shell, doesn’t it?
Front-mounted LED flashers and a full-on signal system round off the exterior’s overhaul. As for the cabin of the fire-fighting Insignia Sports Tourer, well, it’s the trunk that saw the biggest alteration. Instead of a spare wheel, the automaker threw it away to free up space for a radio and fire-fighting bits and bobs.
In the Vivaro’s case, the permissible gross weight of up to 2.9 tons makes this light commercial vehicle perfect for transporting firefighters and their equipment during emergencies. In Combi form, the Vivaro can carry up to nine firefighters and all of their stuff. And in comparison to the Insignia, the Vivaro packs a diesel-fed mill.
It’s the wagon, however, that has the legs to arrive at the scene quickest. The pictured vehicle is configured with the 260-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo engine, a four-banger with 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque on tap. All those resources are sent to all four wheels via a fast-shifting automatic transmission, but that’s not all there is to this car. The 7.5-second stint to 62 mph (100 km/h) is impressive in its own right, but the fun stuff happens in the corners thanks to the torque vectoring system.
The U.S. and Australia have their own Insignia-based longroofs, albeit they’re sold under the Buick and Holden brands. After all, General Motors is one big family.
Front-mounted LED flashers and a full-on signal system round off the exterior’s overhaul. As for the cabin of the fire-fighting Insignia Sports Tourer, well, it’s the trunk that saw the biggest alteration. Instead of a spare wheel, the automaker threw it away to free up space for a radio and fire-fighting bits and bobs.
In the Vivaro’s case, the permissible gross weight of up to 2.9 tons makes this light commercial vehicle perfect for transporting firefighters and their equipment during emergencies. In Combi form, the Vivaro can carry up to nine firefighters and all of their stuff. And in comparison to the Insignia, the Vivaro packs a diesel-fed mill.
It’s the wagon, however, that has the legs to arrive at the scene quickest. The pictured vehicle is configured with the 260-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo engine, a four-banger with 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque on tap. All those resources are sent to all four wheels via a fast-shifting automatic transmission, but that’s not all there is to this car. The 7.5-second stint to 62 mph (100 km/h) is impressive in its own right, but the fun stuff happens in the corners thanks to the torque vectoring system.
The U.S. and Australia have their own Insignia-based longroofs, albeit they’re sold under the Buick and Holden brands. After all, General Motors is one big family.
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