Vauxhall claims that the new Insignia VXR estate 'packs power, poise and all your paraphernalia,' and we can't really argue with that: it has got its fair share of power and the boot is quite massive. We'll have to wait and see on the poise bit, but for now we're inclined to stay on the side of positivity and assume Vauxhall isn't lying, despite the whole Vectra VXR understeer thing.

This is one exciting estate - and that's not something we can really say very often, particularly about a Vauxhall estate. Finally, the Germans have something to be a bit scared of. So, let's compare it to, oh, say, the Audi S4 Avant: the VXR has 100 litres more luggage space inside, is only seven ponies down with a massive 321bhp, and has the same 155mph limited top speed. It also gets an adaptive chassis as standard, four-wheel drive and an electronic limited slip differential, yet specced like-for-like it will, undoubtedly, undercut the Audi's price by many thousands.

Power is mustered from a 2.8-litre, turbocharged V6 and apparently it's been through 10,000 kilometres of testing to make sure it cuts the mustard - much of that at the Nurburgring, of course. And, in order to enhance the power delivery to the road, it gets Vauxhall's 'HiPerStrut' front suspension which, like Ford's RevoKnuckle, aims to reduce torque steer and increase grip. These things evidently must have a daft name, but if they work, who cares right?

The VXR version sits 10mm lower than the standard Insignia Tourer and comes with 19-inch rims (if they're a bit small you can have a set of 20s) and stopping power comes from a huge set of Brembo brakes with cross drilled discs and colour coordinated callipers.

Inside the cabin it's as you'd expect, with a set of grippy leather Recaro seats at the front, a nice flat-bottomed steering wheel, sporty black headlining and some instrument and trim differentiation. Plus, it comes as standard with a natty automatic tailgate that you can preset to open at a lower level to avoid slamming it into the roof of your garage if it's a bit low; that's the kind of innovation that might just make the Insignia VXR Sports Tourer the thinking hooligan's estate.

Mark Nichol - 20 May 2009