If only it was this way in Detroit: The General Motors-produced Opel Insignia narrowly beat out the Ford Fiesta for 2009 European Car of the Year awards with a slim margin of just one point. The Opel, sold in the United Kingdom as a Vauxhall, officially received the award yesterday at its Russelsheim, Germany, assembly plant.
The Insignia was chosen out of a list of seven finalists first announced back in November. A panel of 59 automotive journalists throughout Europe selected the sedan, which replaced the ubiquitous Vectra in GM’s European fleet.
GM hasn’t announced plans to import the Insignia – or at least a version of it – to North America, though its Epsilon II architecture will cross the pond to underpin the next-generation Saab 9-5 and Chevrolet Malibu , as well as the recently redesigned Buick Lacrosse.
