New details on the next Holden Commodore

Imported Holden Commodore will have more tech than ever before.

Fresh details have emerged about the imported car that will replace the homegrown Holden Commodore within two years -- and it will be loaded with technology never before seen on our homegrown models.

While Holden is yet to confirm the Commodore will be a rebadged Opel Insignia, it is an open secret in the industry, which is why Australian media has begun watching reports out of Germany with keen interest.

Germany's Autobild magazine reports the second generation Opel Insignia will come with technology such as massage seats, LED matrix headlights (that can stay on high beam without blinding oncoming traffic) and a revised version of General Motors' OnStar in-car connectivity system, which puts drivers in touch with a concierge at the press of a button, to help with directions or restaurant bookings and the like.

Most of these features will appear first, however, on the new Holden Astra hatchback (also sourced from Opel in Europe) due by the end of 2016, while OnStar may arrive with the new ‘Commodore' due in late 2017 or early 2018.

Holden had OnStar in the late 1990s and early 2000s but it was dropped. However it is expected to eventually make a comeback with the new range of imported cars.

The Insignia will have a significant growth spurt compared to the current model, to bring it closer in size to the homegrown Holden Commodore.

However, Autobild says, it will be 100kg lighter than the previous Opel Insignia due to weight savings on suspension and other components used on the revised Epsilon II platform.

The new sedan expected to be smaller inside and have a smaller boot than the Australian-made Holden Commodore

Autobild says the Insignia's body will take on a coupe-like appearance (similar to the Mercedes CLS) and be about 38cm longer bumper to bumper, while the distance between the front and rear wheels will grow by about 9cm.

It is unclear if the new Insignia will be wider than the current model; in early spy photos it appears quite narrow.

Nevertheless, the changes mean the second-generation Opel Insignia will have more cabin space and a bigger boot than before; the car is expected to be sold as a Buick in the US and other markets, an Opel in Europe, a Vauxhall in the UK, and as a Holden in Australia and New Zealand.

But the new sedan is expected to be smaller inside and have a smaller boot than the Australian-made Holden Commodore on sale today.

The front end will share aggressive styling cues from the Opel Monza show car, says the magazine, to appeal to performance drivers and fleets alike.

There will be a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and a twin turbodiesel for fleet models, while the Holden Commodore SS is likely to be a rebadged Opel Insignia OPC and come with a 300kW turbo V6 matched to an eight-speed torque converter auto and all-wheel-drive.

The current turbocharged and all-wheel-drive Opel Insignia VXR sports sedan does the 0 to 100kmh dash in a leisurely 6.8 seconds (slower than a Toyota Aurion V6) while the latest Commodore SS V8 can complete the same feat in 5.0 seconds.

Holden insiders tell CarsGuide that while the future Commodore SS replacement won't be as quick or as cheap as the current V8, it will be quicker than the out-going Insignia VXR.

Will the next-generation Commodore hold a candle to the current model? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.