GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Next Holden Commodore will be German

It's official: Holden's next Commodore will be based on Opel's new Insignia and imported to Australia after local production ceases in 2017.

It's long been widely speculated that Holden's first imported Commodore will be heavily based on the next Insignia from European sister brand Opel.

But that has now been officially confirmed for the first time by Opel chief Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann.

When asked by motoring,com,au at today's Geneva motor show opening how many Insignias Opel will sell to Holden, Neumann said: "We'll sell as many as possible.

"Australians will like it a lot."

Neumann declined to say when the new Insignia, which is expected to break cover at the Paris show in September, will be exported to Australia.

Like Holden's homegrown Commodore, which goes out of production by the end of 2017, the rebaged Insignia will be offered in sedan and wagon form.

However, mainstream versions are almost certain to feature four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines powering the front wheels, with the turbo V6 all-wheel drive Insignia VXR replacement to eventually step into the shoes of Holden's popular Commodore SS V8.