Technology
New Opel Insignia drops in on London
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 25, 2008 - 7:43:58 PM

As workers hauled a 4.7 meter-diameter orb from Potters Fields Park, a massive object fell 45 meters in six seconds and was caught at the last minute, revealing an intact car never seen before by the public – the Opel Insignia.

More than 300 invited guests were on hand to watch the new car plunge from the orb as it was suspended in the air. “We are very proud of the Insignia and decided that an extraordinary car needed an extraordinary entrance. That’s why we chose to drop in at one of London’s most frequented and iconic locations: Tower Bridge just next to the London Assembly,” says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer for GM Europe, who drove the Insignia onto the stage.

The Insignia made its debut at the British International Motor Show which opened on July 23 and runs until August 3. The Insignia comes in both the hatchback and notchback versions with a line-up of seven engines. All meet Euro 5 emissions standards and come with six-speed transmissions, either manual or automatic.

The new Insignia also is the stage on which Opel showcases many leading technological innovations. That is another reason for the car’s dramatic entrance: To highlight the car company’s dedication to exactitude.

“We wanted to highlight the attention to detail and the high focus on precision that went into developing the new Opel Insignia. As with the Insignia, this event had to be meticulously coordinated down to the last minute detail,” Visser adds.

Using the latest technology available, a team of 60 people worked more than 7,200 accumulative hours to plan, set-up, rehearse and execute the stunt. They worked 96 continuous hours on-site at Potters Fields to ensure success of the car’s high-speed fall, allowing the vehicle to reach a descent speed of 7.6 metres per second.

The machine that made this possible required roughly 3 kilometres of power and control cables; it contained 152 metres of air hoses and more than 120 air fittings. Thirteen computer-controlled pneumatic brakes stopped more than 2.7 tons travelling at breakneck speed.





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