Test drive Opel Astra sedan since 2007 sedan

Astra - Thunderstorm Flower

In Ryusselshaim, Opel's estate, lightning is generated all year round, and now, when thunder has struck the head of the GM concern, a real luminaire should be created here. In such weather, a new Astra is ready to bloom.
Chef, the mustache is gone! Gyps take off! The client is leaving! Lölik, take it! Opelians do not fuss and make it clear that in addition to the change of owner to discuss, there is another topic. Here she is waiting for her opening under the cover in the observation courtyard of the design center. For the invitation to the premise (the main one will take place in the fall) Opel Astra IV thank the Russians who are unevenly breathing in her predecessor.
In 2008, our country, following Great Britain and Germany, became the third market in the world for the key model of Opel, accumulating up to a third of all sales of the company. True, the 42,259 Astra of global weather did not make the 42,259 things: the model since pre -crisis times wilted faster than competitors. Opel Classes Gerbariums were prevented in a radical way: after only five years of life, a new generation car is inferior to the Astra III conveyor.
The case was not limited to the instruction to the old stem-platform (widespread practice today) of a fresh bud. Opel Astra IV is grown on the new GM front-wheel drive Delta platform, which immediately changed the entire morphology of the model. The first -born hatch, in the length of the base (+7 cm) almost equalized with the previous station wagon and sedan, which had an increased interdestle distance, and in this parameter has no equal among competitors. The rear passengers will appreciate. Pedestrian crash tests made the front overhang increase, and in general the model stretched 17 cm in a longitudinal dimension. In the transverse, the increase was 7 cm, and in the vertical 2 cm.
The new naked geometry was clothed in no less new forms. So new that it is just right to ask, but is the concept of the continuity of style is known in Rüsselsheim? It is known. With a characteristic cut of the stern in the flashlight zone, everything is clearly picked up by Astra III, but in order to get to the roots of the shape of the rear racks of the roof and glass of the fifth door, you will have to dig deeper into the history of the brand. So 4045 years old. In this cultural layer, a donor will be found the so -called Kiemencoupe (a compartment with gills) based on Kadett B, the ancestor of the Astra family.
But the radicalism of changes also has a human dimension: Mark Adams, Vice President GM Europe on design issues, against Martin Smith, executive director of Ford of Europe on the same issues. The successor is against the predecessor. The new, emotional style of Opel against the previous dry-geometric and at the same time against Ford kinetic design. Finally, Adams against Adams. At the time of work on Ford, the current steering style Opel was responsible, in particular, for the design of such models with not the most rounded bodies as the Fiesta of the previous generation and the European Fusion.
Now in Ryusselshaim in the move of the athletic, but smooth contours and substetricians. All this is from Insignia, the Vectra shift, adopted Astra. But, as you know, the same notes develop in different melodies. When we see families going to church, we immediately understand that these are relatives. We wanted to withstand this degree of external similarity. It was not about creating a reduced copy of Insignia, it is shared by the intention of Uwe Muller, the Opel Astra IV chief designer. And it turned out! Perhaps the youngest model, free from status heavyweight, is even more balanced and organic. But the salon of the new Astra result of almost direct scale of the interior of Insignia. Those who are definitely not opposed to this approach are Bob Lutz (see the prone), which previously criticized the internal design of the Opel cars for coldness and insufficient expressiveness. And in Ryusselshaim they tried not to extend the king of the GM model line.
The indicating finger of almost the last Big Boss of the Big Detroit Troika, personally experiencing new models, also determined the Astra IV rear suspension circuit. The choice was not in favor of the most passing option with a multi -link (see VW Golf, Ford Focus, Mazda3), which was also offered by Olevians. Lutz preferred a semi -dependent suspension, but supplemented by the Watt mechanism. And why, for the sake of, asking, in Rüsselsheim, this thing was removed into the light, for 20 years, which has been dusting in the technological reserves of large companies producing passenger models? It’s time to remember that the main market for Astra (under the VAUXHALL brand) is Britain, and there, along the edges of secondary roads, potholes are not uncommon, which, finding themselves in turns under the wheels, knock down a car from the trajectory. The Watt mechanism in such a situation corrects the calligraphy, without forcing to make the sailette blocks of the rear suspension by super-rowing, to the detriment of comfort when driving on straight coating. And everything would be wonderful, but the parallelograms of levers invented by the father of the steam car, the car makes the car more in turning, and this is not at all what today's buyer awaits.
However, in Rüsselsheim since the time of Astra III, the remedy for this misfortune is known. Our proprietary transverse beam was used here, enthusiastically explains Rydigiger Jimens, a specialist of the chassis settings department. Changing its length, the diameter of the round external sections and the thickness of the walls, we received 18 design options with different stiffness for twisting and the ability to withstand the rolls. This allows you to configure the suspension in accordance with the weight of each version of the car. But that is not all. The C-shaped profile of its internal section also gives the uniqueness of the cross. The degree of steering of the rear axle in the bend depends on how turned up or down by the open part C. Such a universal design, and in appearance a piece of iron and piece of iron. This rear suspension with the Watt mechanism is intended exclusively for the new Astra. You will not see her on the Chevy Cruze Suboplatforms, Opelians proudly report.
By applauding the ingenuity of engineers from Russelsheim, I still can’t resist the question, but whether the game was worth the candle. In the end, the promoted five-wrapping models-competing models are also on top. Rucheger Jimensets does not climb in a pocket for a word: our design is easier (read cheaper, and this is important today) in the settings and manufacturing. It is easier, which made it possible to limit the weight increase in connection with the growth of the dimensions of the model. Finally, the suspension of the new Astra is more compact. Now, a muffler bank is placed between the transverse beam and the Watt mechanism, but if we are talking about subsequent models, other components can be represented here. What?
A block of batteries of a hybrid power plant or what the hell is not joking with it an electric motor drive of the rear axle? Opelians only smile in response to my thoughts aloud and make one of those sentences that you can’t refuse in any weather: what about the comparative test of two generations? It was not allowed to recognize the experiment with distilled experiment only in the height of the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tire profile (225/45 R17 in Astra III VS 225/50 R17 in ASTRA IV), and the rest of the mechanical parity: the struts from the stop to the stop are made for about 2.5 The turnover, under the hoods, are known 1.6-liter 180-horsepower turbo in tandem with MKP6.
By the way, this is the most popular type of transmission for the model. PMC5 will receive only basic versions, while the EasyTronic robot as not corresponding to the requests of customers of the C-class car transferred the powers of the new automatic transmission of the new automatic transmission of the classical scheme. Test Astra IV is not a serial sample active prototype. The body in light camouflage, the finish is simplified, the soundproofing is facilitated, something from the auxiliary equipment (say, AFL, rotary xenon headlights with automatically changed modes) is not yet available, but this does not affect controllability, and there is where to evaluate it in the vicinity of Ryusselshaim.
 
The narrow serpentines twisted along the hills are perfectly distinguished by the difference in the behavior of the chassis. If Astra III reads the trajectory in the bends, as it were, the shift man does it without hesitation, it reacts noticeably softer to the irregularities and joints of the road canvas, even if the active suspension (part of the FlexRide option) is forcibly transferred to Sport mode. However, the control unit with more advanced brains now forgives the driver some forgetfulness.
With active aerobatics, the suspension itself is clamped to the optimal size, no matter what of the two relaxed modes (basic/especially comfortable Tour) is selected, and then extended back if the ardor of the driver or the changed atmosphere dictates the measured driving style. Nevertheless, there are everywhere roads of such quality as in Germany (dreams, dreams), Olevites could limit themselves to Sport settings.
It is quite comfortable, and in the unlimited autobahn in this mode of the active Flexride chassis, the magnificent stability of the car complements the impeccably accurate force on the steering wheel. By the way, in the standard modes to the electric booster (standard for all versions of Astra IV), as well as to brake settings, no complaints. Burnts are felt in the work of manual transmission. At the modified transmission Astra IV, selectivity is pulled up, but the moves of the lever shifted to the border of the zone of average and large. Perhaps this is the only remark on a magistrate topic. In addition to the pendants of Know-how, the positive balance in this area also supports the steering wheel lever of the turn signals. He no longer drives the driver into a stupor with his incomprehensible disconnection algorithm. By the way, and from such details a general impression of Astra IV is made up as a car in which a person feels more confident and comfortable than in his predecessor. As for other levers of exposure to the buyer, there are a specially developed and powerful (140 l. And, of course, other derivatives of hatch-five. The Opelians hinted only that the sketches leaked to the Internet by the murderously aggressive three -door version are not far from the truth. But when asked about the cost of the novelty, Peter Mertens, the curator of the Opel global model line, gave an absolutely clear answer: in Germany, Astra IV in comparable trim levels will remain in the same price range as the outgoing model. Is this possible in Russia, where the new Astra will appear at the junction of 20092010? It largely depends on whether the model will be produced at the St. Petersburg GM plant. Mr. Mertens assessed the probability of such a development of events as very high. If so, then in our country Opel Astra IV will really become a thunderstorm flower. Thunderstorms for competitors.
 

 
 

A source: Cars