INSIGNIA MOVES GM FORWARD; IT WILL BE THE BASIS FOR THE NEXT SATURN AURA.(NEWS)

Byline: JULIAN RENDELL

The link between Saturn and Opel moves into new territory with the launch in Europe of the Insignia, the replacement for the Vectra and the first model on General Motors' second-gen Epsilon platform. It will be the basis for at least a dozen new models, including the Aura and several Buicks.

The outlook just picked up for these platform-mates, because the Insignia is a major step forward for GM. In Europe, the Vectra hasn't really cut it, rating as workmanlike compared with Ford's dynamically superior Mondeo.

The strength of archrival Ford hasn't completely dictated GM's direction with the Insig-nia, development dollars being concentrated on fresh styling, interior quality, chassis refinement and cruising ability.

No doubt the Insignia's styling is a hit. From several angles, the chiseled sheetmetal of the Insignia has overtones of the best bits of the BMW 5-series. When GM reskins the underpinnings, a plan Bob Lutz outlined previously to AutoWeek, it's going to have to do a great job to improve on the Insignia.

Inside is where GM has really wrought revolution, outdoing the Mondeo decisively in style and quality. The Insignia has a soft-molded fascia that flows across the cabin, its four-dial instrument cluster focused head-on toward the driver.

The driving battlefield in $10-a-gallon Europe is in 40-mpg-plus diesel models, but enthusiasts will be more interested in the 256-hp twin-turbo V6, an engine likely to cross the pond, possibly alongside the sportier, 217-hp four-cylinder turbo, the best gasoline engine GM sells in Europe.