Test Drive Daewoo Espero 1990 - 1997 Sedan

Korean from Don.

As promised in the past issue, we spent the Daewoo Espero test of the middle class, collected in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. Officially, only such people are sold, no purely Korean and will not be. So did Daewoo solved, without using the rare opportunity to rename the car from Daewoo to Rodeu, at the same time noting the Russian origin and having pleased his native ex-president.
Espero - foreign car
Daewoo Espero is better not to let the mater cars. What did we slipped on? - They will be cold, they shoulders. Externally, the car, of course, is nothing - smooth, similar to the big Opel and on Ford Scorpio. But where is your own style, where is the raisin? Neither a special reniche grace, nor Baemwashna rapidness, nor Saabov aircraft technologies, nothing. Some kind of ordinary. Cheap - although it can, and a good one.
So say mothers journalists. In fact, each machine simply needs its test type. And for Espero fit a person who has a little disassembled in the issues of automotive prestige, and simply appreciating convenience and comfort. For example, recently learned to ride a young lady (of course, a family - a car is not small), which is not able to cope with the multiliest power of the rhodster and not to cover the weak umier the possibility of thinking suspension of Citroen. Which is that BMW, that Mercedes - if only everything was convenient, accessible and easy, and to repair is not too expensive. Actually, for this, Daewoo Espero was created - the car serving the embodiment of an inexpensive and universal foreign car. Not a purely female malya, like Peugeot 106, and not as Spartan as Skoda Felicia, but family and quite comfortable.
What includes Daewoo in this concept? The lady turns the key with weak fingers - and not one, but at once four doors are unluckled. She sits down and gets into a comfortable world, where everything works itself, nothing rattles and you can reach everything. It discovers that now to lower the glasses do not necessarily turn the handles: there are always electrical windows on all doors. That to adjust the mirrors do not need to finely manipulate the stick sticking out of the door - there is also electricity here, and also on all machines. And stretch through the entire salon to locate the right back door from the inside, there is no need for a special button next to. And it is not necessary to reach the steering wheel, because it is obliged to regulate in height - just like the driver's seat. Finally, it will certainly make it reaches the achievement of civilization, which is that even in such a fairly cheap modern car, it is not yet taken to sweat. Because, firstly, the steering is the worst work, the amplifier helps - also a mandatory detail. And secondly, because Espero is not without air conditioning.
So, turning an electrician from luxury into the standard and extending the list of mandatory equipment as much as possible, Daewoo has identified a new level of comfort relatively inexpensive ($ 16.5 thousand) machines. Espero in a simpler configuration does not exist in nature. However, as in a more sophisticated. The company, probably, follows the principle of comfort without unnecessary luxury and from advancement offers only ABS, hatch in the roof and some more little things.
By giving a woman time to familiarize yourself with the interior, send it to ride. Espero will not require her skill. It will allow her calmly and nice to make all the necessary car actions. Easy to touch. Without twitching, riding low speed. Not insanely quickly, but confidently accelerate until in general, as you need. Cool turning, not afraid of surprises in the behavior of the car: tire screech will warn in advance that it is time to hide. Pass the rods, not afraid of breakdowns of long-time suspension.
In general, Espero to solid well performs a mandatory program of any respected world automaker. Espero is completely alien. You can try to lay the turns steeper, ride faster and more effectively, but it will be already violence against the nature of the car and will not be easy. For overclocking, all the time will have to go to a lower gear. With sharp rebuildings, the car shakes: for a long time you will not pass, maybe it's hard. At the speed of 160 and above Espero will swim. Well, right: this is a standard inexpensive means of movement, and not an attraction of some.
The finish of the picture is all that you need, and nothing more violates the possibility of choosing between manual box and automatic. Considering the calm temper of Espero, the machine is very suitable for him: especially since you will not succeed in the manual box of fantastic results, but you can always press the pedal to accelerate the octolation, turn on the kick-down mode. Or, even easier, press the small POWER button on the lever.
Espero: Made in Russia
And now we will fall out of the car our inexperienced woman, because there is another candidate - an official. If I liked the first Daewoo Espero with my impersonal carnival, then the second thing is exactly the opposite thing. After all, it is interesting how it happened - officially Espero is considered a Russian car. And together with Volga and Muscovic princes, it receives the right to qualify for the role of a service official machine. So, we helpfully open the door, and the new passenger begins to compare Espero with competitors. More precisely, with one competitor - GAZ-3110: Princes, if frankly, no good one has proven himself. Use them doomed, obviously, only the Moscow authorities.
Espero loses the Volga in size. The insightful official will immediately notice that the Nizhny Novgorod car is longer than Seoul centimeters on 20. But, being a man with a slightly, guess that they comes to an inconceivable hood and trunk, and not on the salon. I will not compare the equipment. It is stupid to look for the differences in antediluvian monster and a new foreign car, even the Russian. The Volga has the water in the trunk, the exhaust pipe bursts on the whole street in general, what to talk about. But it is almost twice as cheaper - $ 9 thousand. And then you will have to take the catalog of a notorious firm Technoservis, a modernizing Volga, and simply consider. The hydraulic power steering is $ 2 thousand, air conditioning - $ 1.7 thousand, heated seats, windows, electric windows and stereo equipment - $ 1.4 thousand. The price increases to $ 14 thousand, the Volga almost caught up with Espero. It remains to order a normal motor - no, not Rover, of course, and not even Iveco. Just a new 16-valve ZMZ-406. And our confidently bypass Koreans. For the price, of course. Yes, but how expensive repair? - The official will be given the most important issue. Do you think you think that you have to do it? - He will answer himself.
The Daewoo Espero car is provided for the Aksai LLC, (8632) 32-26-00, 67-53-88.
The progenitor Daewoo Espero - Opel Ascona. General Motors, then still owned by Daewoo shares, provided the Koreans licensed to the model removed from production, while improving it somewhat. Espero design worked on an Italian body atelier Bertone. The result was a completely European type of machine, outwardly very similar to Ford Scorpio. Only a little less.
Before the assembly of Espero and Netsi at the Rostov Plant Red Aksai began, they were delivered to us directly from Korea. With the advent of cheaper Rostov products, imports from Korea ceased, because he lost its meaning: a purely Korean car is more expensive than Rostov for about $ 3 thousand. However, the gray dealers want and now they can buy pure Korean Espero and Nexia. Espero in Rostov configuration cost them $ 19.5 thousand, and with a 1.5-liter motor - $ 16.5 thousand.
TEST OF ENDURANCE
Frankly, the autopilot was somewhat puzzled. We thought that, talking to those who had been going to Espero, would surely find a bunch of weak points, invisible at the first acquaintance. And we will be able to warn: be alert, dear readers, do not confuse dear European firms with Korean jacks. But to illustrate the saying of the miser pays twice we did not work. Deverheads were generally very satisfied with their choice.
Espero in Moscow can be seen quite often. And for some reason the cinemas were especially addicted to them. Alone VGTRK bought about two dozen. Soon the year as we go. Large repairs during this time was not. Once - another clutch cable flew, I had to change. Well, air conditioners, it happened, the focuses were thrown out. And the conditions of operation from our country. At the entire coil, by 300 versts on a day, screw in, - so pleased with the satisfaction with the results of the deputy head of the garage of the television and radio company. And other owners - of course, from among the conscious, who understood that they buy a working horse, not a toy, - with him generally agree. In our two Espero mileage 40 thousand, the third smaller, "the host of the construction company has said the house. - breakdown? Not yet. In general, I think we got a normal quality for low money. Still it felt that the Espero progenitor is European, and not the Japanese, as, say, at the accent. Only here native rubber is noisy. Put Michelin - you will feel myself. And do not refue to the suburbs, remember that the motor with injection. Here we have one clever in Pushkino fenced - then drove in a tug.
But the hardest test fell, of course, to the share of those five Espero, which were commissioned in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was almost three years ago, and they managed to pass 150 thousand km. But the main thing is not how much, but in what conditions. There is nothing in the catch-up for them, it is possible, "one of the police drivers shared with the autopilot. - The Russian car will do anything. A foreign car is not new.
But for the pleasure of fast driving you have to pay. The front suspension flies, - complained to the aforementioned amateur of automotive catch-up. - Springs break. And reinforced to put - the mount to the body may not withstand. But in general, I will tell you, a strong car. We had to go there to Taran GAZ-53 - thought the fool from us to leave. So he flew down the meters twenty and up the wheels. Espero, however, after that I went to write-off, but everyone is alive, not suffered at all, an amazing thing. The remaining four Espero continue their difficult service.
Espero checked for strength and famous TV presenter Arina Sharapova. Once on the way in Ostankino in the side she drove another car. Daewoo with honor suffered a blow: the door had to change, but Arina herself (by the way, she was not to blame - the left left) was not injured, and the evening news release still took place.
Model / Modification Daewoo Espero
Manufacturer Ltd Aksai
Manufacturer Country Russia
BODY
Sedan type
Number of doors / places 4/5
ENGINE
Gasoline type with electronic injection
Front location transversely
Working volume (see cubic meters.) 1,998
Number / location of cylinders 4 in a row
Number of valves on cylinder 2
Cylinder diameter x Piston stroke (mm) 86x86
The degree of compression is 8.8.
Power (kW) 77 (5000)
Power (hp) 105
Moment (NM) 164 (3000)
TRANSMISSION
Front wheel drive
Gearbox 5-speed mechanical or 4-speed automatic
STEERING
Type of Rake Gear, with amplifier
Torkemose
Front disk (ventilated)
Rear drums
ABS to order
Tire size 185/65 R 14
Sizes / About EMA / Weight
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4615/1718/1382
Wheel base (mm) 2620
Front track / rear track (mm) 1426/1406
Minimum reversal radius (M) 5.2
Volume of fuel tank (L) 50
Dry mass (kg) 1090
Dynamic characteristics
With manual box / with automatic box
Maximum speed (km / h) 185/180
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (sec.) 10.8 / 12.9
Economy
Fuel consumption (l / 100 km)
at 90 km / h 5,8
at 120 km / h 7.3
in the city of 12.3.

And what else
Paradoxically, but the fact is a car that was a product of Asian refinement and processing for a long time shot from Opel Ascona, began a completely independent life. Moreover, it has become a very serious competitor for his relatives and claims to be a mass car of the middle class in the Russian market. The authority of Volkswagen, Opel and Ford, hardly anyone will challenge, but Espero chances in Russia are very high, and first of all - for economic considerations.
With many other approximately equal prices, Espero is significantly lower than classmates from Europe. And just this can become decisive for those who have some amount of money and a reasonable desire to have a decent car.
Stay, however, questions. It is not clear how our Korean friend will behave in the tough Russian conditions and how much his vitality can be comparable to classmates. The situation with the service is not entirely understood. Some doubts also cause origin: Korean quality is not yet European.
However, if you really need a good new car for the price of a used one, then Espero will be just right.
Alexey Kamensky
Sergey Voronin,
Dmitry Novokreshchenov (photo)
 

A source: "Autopilot"