Test Drive Opel Astra coupe 2000 - 2006 coupe

Sunny bunny

Autumn finally gave way to winter. Sad time, you can't say more precisely. Even in the movement of the flow of transport there is some extender. But in it, like a clot of solar energy, a sympathetaga car breaks. And you understand that not everything is so bad because there is not only cold ahead, but also a new summer ...

 
So he stands on a cold autumn sun, casting bronze metallic. Yes, this color is best for him, and even at night in the light of street lamps, it looks great. But the point is not only in the paint, as they say, cosmetics will help become a beautiful pretty, but not urodine. With beauty in this case, the designers from the Italian Atelier Bertone, whose logo is immodestly placed on the side of the car. Although it is so humble, the assembly is also happening in Italy, at the facilities of the BERTONE plant. Italians managed much. Make a similar from the usual serial car is not so easy. Look around. Most of the inexpensive so-called coupe are just three-door hatchbacks, here everything is fair. Only the front part remained from the usual Astra (she and so good), the rest of all overlap. Strongly diluted windshield racks, sliding the roof line, smoothly turning into the rack (very similar to Calibra), the rigid line of the sidewall and the trusting composition of the neat spoiler on the trunk lid. As a result, Astra Coupe acquired in the appearance of rapidness, having got rid of the initial model at the same time. The road clearance at the same time she is somewhat large that there is a certain plus on Russian roads, but for the sake of effectiveness and stability, I want to lower the car down, and the wheels put the french coupe after all.

I open the door. It is without frame glass slightly lowers, leaving the seal. This is found mainly on a more expensive coupe. The low chair immediately sets up lateral support for serious swarms does not leave freedom for unnecessary movements. The desired settings managed to find immediately, and, I must say, even after a whole day of the continuous driving of fatigue, I did not feel completely. In the covered skin of the steering wheel, the cross section is perfectly selected, but the diameter could be done smaller. Steal switches perform a traditional set of tasks. The instrument shield is decorated accordingly. White scales, the same size tachometer and speedometer, on the sides of the auxiliary devices. All information is perfectly read and does not overlap the steering wheel. The CD receiver and the climate control unit found themselves on the central console. The presence on the central tunnel of the selector of the automatic transmission slightly disappointed, however, by finding the switch to the Sport mode, I use it. It will seem incredible, but in the back seat, two people can be accommodated (if they are certainly not basketball players). Yes, and the penetration procedure is not so difficult, the front seat is not only being folded, but also drives forward. But returns to the old place it is not so happy. If you just pull the back, then you will need to look for an old position. The chair must first move back and only then raise the back. Get used to this algorithm not immediately ... The luggage compartment for the car with the word Coupe in the title is simply an unforgivable large volume. So it may wage him and on economic purposes to use.

I launch the motor in the salon silence, but light vibration is on the body. I click on gas ... Yes, it seems, the engine suspension here is a rustier than the standard Astra. Selector in mode D, and forward. Herd of 147 horses is not in a hurry to overclock the light machine, part of it clearly sounds in the automatic transmission area. Not trouble, we have a Sport mode. Turn on. So a little better, now the transmission is twisted almost to 7000 rpm., I used to switch down, faster the reaction to the gas pedal, however, there is one but ... the transmissions are too long, do not fully disclose the engine potential. But the steering has excellent feedback. Effort on the steering wheel increases with acceleration, and even at maximum speed you feel confident. The suspension is working under to become a steering, however, it seems unnecessarily tough in detail reports on the relief of the road. At the speed, everything falls into its places, now the suspension is elastic and very energy-intensive, perfectly keeps the car even in sharp turns and does not allow the swing on the waves. When the critical speed is reached in the rotation, the light axis demolition begins, which is easily controlled by gas, everything happens smoothly and absolutely reliable. Lightly puzzled for surprise weak collar ESP system. When performing the rearrangement or passing of turning with counselo, there is a skid, but the electronics is in no hurry to intervene, the feeling that it works when it is already starting to adjust the driving drift. This will allow an advanced driver to slightly shake, but inexperienced, spoiled by such systems can scare.

There are no claims to brakes. The perfectly balanced ratio of the pedal and effort on it allows you to stop the machine where it is necessary, with an accuracy of a centimeter, and the ABS is turned on as late as possible, with emergency braking, allowing even short blocking. Astra Coupe was created clearly for the city, it is pleasant to draw it on the central streets on the day off, across the actively in a loose stream (only here is the gearbox is better to order mechanical). And you can roll onto winding park streets and feel yourself on a racing track or just ride every day to Astra Coupe to work, giving yourself and everyone around a sunny mood.
 
Alexander Nidenz
 

A source: Magazine Motor [December 2002]