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View Full Version : Astra H SRi Turbo preview - courtesy of Autoexpress.co.uk



Gary
3rd March 2004, 10:35 PM
Vauxhall Astra 2.0 Turbo SRi



Given all the hype surrounding the new Astra's launch, it's refreshing to note sports fans haven't been left out in the cold. While the 1.6-litre petrol and 1.7 CDTI diesel will undoubtedly account for most showroom traffic, a smaller band of buyers will be making a beeline for the hot models.

A 2.0-litre Turbo version with 200bhp will appear this autumn, but Griffin fans who can't wait that long are well cat-ered for. A low-pressure turbocharged version of the 2.0-litre is available from launch on 1 May, as is an exciting hot diesel.

The petrol unit is carried over from the outgoing Astra. That's no bad thing - the Luton firm has a long history of building good engines, and this turbocharged four-cylinder is no exception. With 170bhp and 250Nm of torque, it's a strong performer, propelling the Astra from 0-60mph in 8.4 seconds.

But it's the manner of this performance that's so impressive - there's no apparent effort on the car's part. The turbo spools up from 2,000rpm, with boost building progressively through the meaty mid range. Virtually free of lag, there's no danger of power arriving suddenly. Even if it did, the Astra's dynamics would keep the chassis under control.

The sports versions are lowered by 15mm, but the differences over standard models are largely negligible - although they do have one or two neat tricks. Firstly, there's

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a BMW-style Sport button that sharpens the damper, throttle and steering settings in the engine management system, making the car more responsive. It's a gimmick more than anything else, though, so you'll be disappointed if you expect a transformation.

More impressive is the £440 IDS (Interactive Driving System), which integrates the ABS and ESP stability control systems, and includes CDC (electronic Continuous Damping Control) to make the car as stable as possible. This is the Astra's real strength. It's not as much fun as a Ford Focus, but it's incredibly sure-footed, easy to drive fast and better balanced than any Vauxhall bar the VX220.

The 2.0 Turbo comes in SRi or Design trim, and Vauxhall has tried to ensure it looks the part. With crease lines up the bonnet and along the shoulders, it's visually much stronger than before.

But the biggest impression is made by the 18-inch alloys. Vauxhall expects more than half of SRi buyers to opt for this £200 upgrade. The only downside is the ride quality over sharp bumps, which causes the steering to kickback.

In terms of cost, the Astra SRi Turbo looks good value at £17,195, coming with a six-speed manual gearbox, sports seats and a full complement of airbags. But running costs could be its downfall. The car averages only 31mpg and CO2 emissions are high at 218g/km.

Gary
3rd March 2004, 10:39 PM
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_27/car_portal_pic_13853.jpg?912

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_27/car_portal_pic_13849.jpg?6357

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_27/car_portal_pic_13851.jpg?9236

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_27/car_portal_pic_13852.jpg?913

Anonymous
3rd March 2004, 10:42 PM
I like ze front half end ze interior and ze rims and ze engine... zats all.

tmov81
4th March 2004, 08:08 AM
a step backwards....

i liked the older shape where there was something of a boot sticking out the back...

now its in the same class as the hyundai getz for looks...

i reckon the same on the interior... it looks over angular and plasticky giving it that korean look on the inside also...

the only good thing about it being released is for people looking to buy the previous, better looking model because the price will drop on them...

01CDsedan
4th March 2004, 08:47 AM
I'm liking the new shape more and more - especially in that colour, and especially at the front. I agree that it needs more sticking out the back, like, oh, I dunno, a proper boot?

:)

Great interior though. But I hope that when it gets here, it will come with the hi-po engine to make up for the extra weight (0-96 in 8.2s for the test car, was it?)

Anonymous
4th March 2004, 10:11 AM
With performance... its called... modifications :D

DrDevil
4th March 2004, 09:50 PM
a step backwards....

i liked the older shape where there was something of a boot sticking out the back...

now its in the same class as the hyundai getz for looks...

i reckon the same on the interior... it looks over angular and plasticky giving it that korean look on the inside also...

the only good thing about it being released is for people looking to buy the previous, better looking model because the price will drop on them...

i was thinking the exact same thing - especially about the interior.

Gary
4th March 2004, 11:14 PM
i actually quite like the rear end. the headlights look a little too big though. the interior looks ok, but the plastic on top of the dash looks cheap.

will have to see it in the flesh.

btw - its not clear in the review, but the 0-100 /60mph time is for the low pressure 2.0lt turbo which produces 170bhp. that's about 123kw at the flywheel. so don't be too disappointed by the 8.4s dash. i'd say the 200bhp (i.e. the turbo engine we have now) should be able to match the current spec car for 0-100 times.

frankie9fingers
5th March 2004, 09:43 AM
I like the steering wheel....the rear looks like a renault megane, but with a smaller butt.

Degen-Astra
5th March 2004, 10:35 AM
Have a look at the Opel site on it.

Things such as -
Shift-tronic transmission
Voice Activated Controls
Sports mode suspension on/off

ultim8DTM5
5th March 2004, 11:26 AM
But will we get any of that? It would price the Astra too high above the market: Astra's kill it at the moment because of their features for the pricing.

I have a distinct feeling this will go the way of the Vectra and prices will be $$$ and the only people buying will be those who want a cheaper 147 or 307: niche indeed.

Hot car though, I love it.

Anonymous
7th March 2004, 08:36 PM
That interior console doesnt look very used friendly! The interior looks uninviting too...rather technical and uncomfortable.
Did any of the turbo guys notice the solid looking hosing between the intercooler and intake?

mr_astra_retired
7th March 2004, 08:51 PM
Yeah i noticed it :P they probly now realise that it needs a solid pipe

01CDsedan
8th March 2004, 08:12 AM
I reckon the interior looks great personally - hopefully the plastic will be as good as that in the Vectra rather than the cheap hard rubbish that lots of recent Euro cars have come with. (In my opinion, the Alfa 156 currently has the worst plastic of any car on the market).

If they're the performance figures for the low-blow turbo then that's a good thing (Guess my mental HP to kW conversion must have been off). Wonder if we will see a five door turbo here? That's something that would tempt me.

sribear
9th March 2004, 01:39 PM
"coming with a six-speed manual gearbox"

very interesting 8)

Since the current five speed limits power to about 250bhp (according to cossvaux and regal) would like to see if the six speed can handle more gruuuuunnnnnnntttttttt. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: