Twin Top Test

[rjastra]

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_109934/article.html

[Huhness]

what do they mean they felt the engine detonating?? Did it blow up?? :confused:

[GreyRex]

They are a F&%$ING crap website.

Look at their review on the SRi Turbo...

This title should give you an idea: For some people but not us

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_108019/article.html

[Wraith]

mmmm, interesting, I actually agree with alot of what was said...

The summary lines at the start of it all are actually true IMHO and are not too critical in a bad way towards the car anyways - convertibles are indeed not everyones cup of tea ;)

As for the lack lustre drive experience and dull performance - this is also very true considering the model they tested, it had the 2.2 n/a donk (remember these things weigh over 1,600kg :eek: ) so no surprise....

I think that part of it would've been a little different if they'd driven a turbo variant...

In the end though, as always, each to their own !!! ;)

You could have the best, or one of the best cars in the World, there'll always be people that'll find something to knock or criticise about it, that's life when it comes to cars being viewed through the eyes of car enthusiasts ;)

[GreyRex]

Here's some other ones. Yeah they're a great source of information...

Holden Epica CDX 2.5
A competent family car


Holden Commodore SSV
Mixed feelings


Ford Territory Turbo
The sum of its parts?


Mitsubishi Colt Cabriolet Turbo
Oh what a sweety... (WTF??)

[Huhness]

I don't think its a fair review on the Z22SE it has heaps of torque low in the revs to push that boat and get it above 3k revs and your flying..

[rjastra]

How does 110kw and 220Nm push a 1600kg car with any urge? You're dreaming - lol

And to tell them to test a "turbo variant" seems odd as their isn't one :)

Perhaps Holden should fit a TDI engine in it. VW Eos only comes with a turbo petrol engine or a turbo diesel. You don't really want to spend $50K ona car and have the performance of a 20K family hatchback.


But it all comes back to one thing: buy this car only if you intend most days to go topless ...


Seems a very reasonable summation. If you want performance etc then buy a SRiT Coupe!

[Wraith]

I don't think its a fair review on the Z22SE it has heaps of torque low in the revs to push that boat and get it above 3k revs and your flying..

Agree with rjastra Hughness - talk to people here (Imay) who've driven one, it is very sluggish, it definitely needs more power/torque for reasonable performance...

[Wraith]

And to tell them to test a "turbo variant" seems odd as their isn't one :)

Perhaps Holden should fit a TDI engine in it. VW Eos only comes with a turbo petrol engine or a turbo diesel. You don't really want to spend $50K ona car and have the performance of a 20K family hatchback.



Seems a very reasonable summation. If you want performance etc then buy a SRiT Coupe!

Yes, well aware of that....

But turbo variants may come in the future :) all reports I've read of them, put it in the thumbs up department in terms of reasonable performance :) lucky then for us here, we don't have the puny 1.6ltr n/a variant LOL....

And there are both turbo petrol and turbo diesel variants already of the twin top !!! they've been released in Europe right from the start, but havn't made it here 'yet'....

Agree and has been mentioned before on other threads about the Eos only having turbo powerplants being a good thing ;)

Agree with the last line too, although if you could stretch the budget and it had to be an AH, the VXR would be the one to get :)

[imay]

That test pretty well sums up my experiences of test drives I have been on too, in both manual and auto versions.

However . . . I HATE reading road test reports from people who aren't passionate about convertibles. They are not for everyone; you either love them or don't. Simple as. But please don't criticise the handling characteristics of a car without a steel roof holding it all together, and lack of room in the back seats (in case you want company along for the ride), because the roof mechanism takes up so much space, and it consuming copious amounts of fuel with the roof down, etc., etc.
Get real . . . it's a bloody convertible, not a car designed for slalom work on the way back from picking up a load of timber with all your mates on hand, while running on the smell of an oily rag.

Other than that, I don't REALLY mind it; it is definitely growing on me. Agree with Ange that the turbo would be a nice addition. In the meantime, I'll take great delight in dropping my soft top on my way along the Great Ocean Road next week on my way to Melbourne (as long as the weather is favorable).

[rjastra]

Simple as. But please don't criticise the handling characteristics of a car without a steel roof holding it all together

Could mention MX5, Boxster, Z4 etc... but wont ;)

[USC]

Could mention MX5, Boxster, Z4 etc... but wont ;)
and S2000. havent seen a new one of those on the road for ages....

[imay]

Could mention MX5, Boxster, Z4 etc... but wont ;)

Won't mention the price difference either then on the Boxxter, Z4, S2000, etc.

You only get what you pay for. I'm sure an M3, 911, etc., handles and performs marginally better than the average Astra steel roof jobbie too!

[Wraith]

Could mention MX5, Boxster, Z4 etc... but wont ;)

To add to Ian's comments on these, they too suffer from scuttle and a noted reduction in performance and handling compared to their respective non-convertible model variants, ie: those that have one....

The other fact with some of these too, is they are a 2 seater only, which adds to the stiffness of the bodies unlike the Astra which is a 4 seater...

Ian's said it all, but just to repeat from another convertible owner (as we should know) - You either love em or hate em, but don't expect them to be or behave the same as a 'proper full framed' sports equivalant, that's NOT the reason to buy one nor is it a convertibles intent, although some will come close (Lambo Gallardo vert and F430 spyder) !!!

[Alix]

Yeah they're a great source of information...

I certainly think so:

Holden Astra CDTi Manual

A brilliant combination of practicality, performance, fuel consumption and price


Personally, I think Autospeed is one of the better car sites out there. And not because they like the car I drive - but because they THINK about what they're writing and aren't afraid to give an opinion and back it up with their reasoning. You don't have to agree with everything they conclude, but you have to admit they aren't a bunch of ad-driven yes-men.

[bornwild]

It's a bit idiotic test driving a roadster and being against the whole roadster thing...

Plus yeah...the 2.2 certainly ain't enough for 1.6T of mass. They should have put the CDTi in it......with a greenbox....oooo yeahhhhh

[bornwild]

Here's some other ones. Yeah they're a great source of information...

Holden Epica CDX 2.5
A competent family car


Holden Commodore SSV
Mixed feelings


Ford Territory Turbo
The sum of its parts?


Mitsubishi Colt Cabriolet Turbo
Oh what a sweety... (WTF??)

I think it's reasonable to say Autospeed are f**kwits. Epica competent family car???? You're shitting me, right????

[USC]

I think it's reasonable to say Autospeed are f**kwits. Epica competent family car???? You're shitting me, right????

haha..they must have been bribed by Holden to say so...I wonder how much....:p

[rjastra]

haha..they must have been bribed by Holden to say so...I wonder how much....:p

Obviously not enough as the Twin Top is a holden. ;)

[Wraith]

It's a bit idiotic test driving a roadster and being against the whole roadster thing...

Plus yeah...the 2.2 certainly ain't enough for 1.6T of mass. They should have put the CDTi in it......with a greenbox....oooo yeahhhhh

As previously mentioned, they don't have to do anything, the twin top already has both petrol and diesel variants, they just havn't been brought in yet by GMH...I'm sure the reviews will be more favourable in terms of spirited driving/underpowered with the turbo variants, ie: if they ever decide to bring em in to Oz. :rolleyes:

There have been numerous twin top threads before and even I have conceded that I would seriously consider an oiler powered twin top (with green box of course) as an everyday ride option :)

[rjastra]

As previously mentioned, they don't have to do anything, the twin top already has both petrol and diesel variants, they just havn't been brought in yet by GMH...I'm sure the reviews will be more favourable in terms of spirited driving/underpowered with the turbo variants, ie: if they ever decide to bring em in to Oz. :rolleyes:

There have been numerous twin top threads before and even I have conceded that I would seriously consider an oiler powered twin top (with green box of course) as an everyday ride option :)

Problem is that a turbo Twin top would be manual only. That's not really what the market wants is it? :)

[Wraith]

Problem is that a turbo Twin top would be manual only. That's not really what the market wants is it? :)

Not sure what the market on verts wants in terms of manual vs auto trans choice ??

If it's like regular cars, then yes the auto would be more popular...

As for the twin top options, it should have the same as the other variants, ie: correct no auto for the petrol turbo, but there is an auto option for the oiler :)

For me, I'll take the manual oiler, hopefully it'll have the same interior fit and kit as the petrol turbo :)