When we talk about German cars, it has always been BMWs, Audi's or Mercedes, Opel has always been that forgotten brand, at least that is the case in Singapore. It is no wonder too with the dated looks of the current Opel's on sale here. Take a walk down Leng Kee and the Opel showroom resembles something like a museum beside the Audi's and Mini's.

With COEs going through the roof, buying a car now requires a lot more consideration and comparisons and deliberation and calculations... You get the drift, which means typical Singaporeans will be going for the car that delivers the most bang for the bucks.

Judging by that, I'm quite sure that Auto EuroKars's coffers will be growing significantly with the arrival of the new Opel Insignia.

Although it has been launched in Europe for some time now, the Insignia will not look outdated on Singapore roads, not when it had been awarded the coveted Red Dot design award. With its coupe-like roof line and bold 18 inch wheels, the car oozes a sense of presence and masculinity not found in the other mid-sized sedans here. I especially like the "winged" daytime running lights, subtle yet powerful imagery. It will be a feature that will be seen on coming Opels' and will definitely catch your attention in the rear view mirror while not being overbearing like those on the Audi's (though some might disagree).

Interior wise, it's straightforward and well put together. While Audi and BMW put their drive select settings rather low in the centre console, Opel positioned it right at the top just below the infotainment screen. As a more drivers kind of guy like most of us here, it's a welcome design that lets me efficiently select the kind of driving mood I want without having to reach down, making me feel more connected with the car. As a bonus, and this is what got me excited about this car in the first place, when u engage the SPORT mode, the dash changes illumination from your usual white to RED! Now, having the throttle response quickened and suspension stiffen is one thing, when the dash turns red, it makes me feel like going "alright! hold on tight now!" while flooring the accelerator.

With the visual element in place, the 350nm of torque starting at just 2000rpm from the 2.0L turbo that we will be getting will give the proper shove that will keep your head firmly on the headrest. After the thrill ride is over, return the settings to normal and blend back into traffic. That WRX that was tail-gating you will not have a clue what had just happened.

So, in the mid-sized sedan segment where you will find cars like the VW Passat, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Teana or even BMW's 318i, why not consider the Opel Insignia? To me, it is an absolute winner here.

Hopefully, Auto EuroKars will bring in the Sports Tourer version which in my opinion, looks even better.

The Insignia Sports Tourer