VW Biturbo

[Butt0ns]

The techie bits for those interested. I'm configuring mine now!! If only in a VX. Seriously 500NM from a 2.0l
http://users.telenet.be/veerle_haai/..._bitdi_2.0.pdf

[exclusiv.]

Impressive

[Butt0ns]

Hope VX produce something similiar to compete, as I'm not a VW styling fan or a VW fan full stop, but could be converted with that engine. Apparently pressure is on in Germany for GM at least be seen to compete, though I'm not aware of any new VX Biturbo's on the way. With the fab DSG box and 4X4 it would be very tempting, if I could afford one!

[Graeme1975]

That engine in a golf would be awesome.

[Butt0ns]

And that's probably the reason it's not available in a golf. Who in their right mind would buy a GTI with that as an option?

[jmagee]

I'd buy it in a golf long before I get into a Passat

[conno57]

I can see a lot of wheel spin from that if you try to get away sharpish unless its all wheel drive. I have a bi turbo engine with 440nm torque allwheel drive and i get spin from mine when really booted

[Butt0ns]

http://blog.caranddriver.com/vw-golf...agon-goodness/

This one's for you 'jmagee', if the link bloddy works.

[Butt0ns]

Vauxhall the looser!! Big time. And still will be even when the new biturbo comes out. Sad and pathetic when new technology cant surpass old (ish). If you aint got the money then goodbye.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai83kkn_aWM

[2000rpm]

Vauxhall the looser!! Big time.

DSG gearbox will shave a quarter to half a second off every gearshift compared to a manual or conventional auto.

Passat has 45BHP (23%) advantage.

Insignia is bigger and around 150kg (10%) heavier.

So it's no wonder the Passat is quicker. Passat, being lighter, is probably slightly more economical too.

Even if the Insignia is fitted with a 240PS Bi-Turbo, the heavier Insignia and its slower manual transmission will be at a disadvantage.

[Butt0ns]

Yes, my point is even the new bi turbo has 220ps 480nm vs 236ps 500nm. and so is not at the race even two years later.
The old Vx should be slower.
The passat will burn the new insignia even with the weight loss. That's my point.
Opel did not have the money to invest in new powerplants and so got left behind. Look at the technology VW have put into the 2.0 diesel to get 268 bhp out of the 2.0 block.
I am a Vauxhall fan but sceptical of the future under PSA. All you say is true but VW launched the Bi turbo and are planning, and have the next generation, whilst PSA launch a poor biturbo 2 years later and expect to compete.
I think its a token gesture. PSA have produced some great engines especially diesel but they just got to combine that with some good chassis. They've done it before. I'm an old school group 'A' fan. Lancia Delta Integrale all the way.

[2000rpm]

But how many people will actually want to buy an Insignia 'B' Bi-Turbo compared to how many will be content with a 1.6CDTi or 1.5T?
Then consider the economics of developing an engine that only sells a few hundred cars.

The two cars I have - an Astra Bi-Turbo and Insignia Elite 2.8T - were never popular even though they both have good engines and respectable performance for the time they were released several years ago. I think less than 200 of each were put onto UK roads and quite possibly Vauxhall lost money on those designs.

It's probably not worth VX spending the money on advanced engines because of the cost, the lack of demand and the higher chance of those more complex and more stressed performance engines coming back with a costly fault under warranty. Vauxhall do at least offer the VXR range.

[Butt0ns]

Yup, hope all the fleet cars are subsidising the others! Opel don't sell the biturbo here and neither do volkswagen. You'd have to go down the special order route to get one. That shows how small the market is for these cars so I agree with you. I just think it should be a bit more cutting edge.

[Mo_miah]

I think the insignias 8 speed box vs the passats 7 speed box will close the gap a little

[Butt0ns]

May do. I hope so. I suppose I'm a bit frustrated that the performance is not at least matching that of an older competitor. As 2000rpm points out its a very limited market and if the new Insignia is better as a whole then that's enough. Better cabin and spec than VW anyway.