Test drive Opel Astra Sedan 1998 - 2008 Sedan

The evolution of caravans

Opel Astra Caravan two in one
The days passed when cars with a body station wagon were considered something like a string bag on wheels. Through the efforts of designers and engineers, modern station wagons look much more sports than their predecessors, and they go more aggressively. Opel Astra Caravan is a vivid example of such evolution.
And why did the Opel Astra Caravan need to be held in England? Left -sided traffic, narrow, roads clogged with vehicles that did not leave a chance of overtaking, removing the test organizers of the test, we were heading from the Airport of the Exister to the place of presentation of the car to the hotel near the Dartmur National Park. It was not possible to feel the habits of the car in a dense traffic flow. In order not to waste time, we decided to stop, hold a photo shoot and evaluate the external and internal appearance of Opel Astra Caravan.
Against the background of the picturesque hills of the southeast of England, the car looked quite harmonious. The new Opel station wagon looks no less dynamic than the Astra hatchback. The upper window, which is falling closer to the back, relieves the car from the devil’s features and adds to the station wagon of aggression and swiftness. The chrome lining on the back door connecting the vertical three-dimensional lanterns of the stop symbols looks very appropriate.
Thanks to the wheels located as close to the corners of the body and the verified ratio of the height of the side panels and windows, Astra Caravan looks squat, as if sticking to the ground by a car. A wide wheelbase (it is almost 9 cm longer than that of the hatchback and the universal of the previous generation), of course, was invented not only for beauty: the new car has a large space for passengers located in the rear seat, and the luggage compartment volume is 1590 liters on 90 liters are greater than the previous model. At the same time, overall dimensions allow the car to stay in a compact class.
The interior of the driver’s place and passenger in the Astra Caravan is no different from the hatchback: as the vast majority of experts noted, the new Astra is in no way inferior to its main competitor and once the legislator in the VW Golf class.
The changes affected the arrangement of the cargo -passenger compartment. In the standard version, the pillow and back of the rear seat are separated in a ratio of 60:40. As an option, you can purchase a sliding rear seat that has a range of movements in a longitudinal direction of 105 mm and allows you to increase the size of the luggage compartment. Particularly practical buyers of the Astra station wagon will be able to order a folding front seat: then the maximum length of the cargo transported will be 2.7 meters. For the convenience of loading small objects, the trunk glass opens with an electric drive.
Having reached the place of presentation of the car, we understood the idea of \u200b\u200bthe organizers. In the territory of the Dartmur National Park there were practically no people and cars, but there were many kilometers of dizzying roads. Drive on such tracks is akin to a performance on a racing track or cardodrome. The maximum speeds at them are not so high, but the next after another, the turns of different steepness, springboard, changes in the profile of the road turn a test trip into a real training. Once having traveled along such roads, you immediately understand why it is in England that the largest number of companies in the release of sports cars in the world. And why do motorsport literally bow in the foggy Albion.
The main thing is not to lose your head: at the edges of narrow, without curbs, roads are scattered impressive boulders and sheep graze. Error in piloting can cost expensive. Note, however, that we did not see a single sheep crossing the road or aimlessly wandering along the asphalt: animals chewed the grass at least a meter from the cars of them disciplined. Apparently, any English sheep understands what speed is.
Fortunately, on the winding tracks of Dartmur, we managed to test the top version of the Opel Astra Caravan with a 2-liter turbocharged engine with a capacity of 200 hp. This car is a typical representative of the goods in one. In appearance, an ordinary family station wagon. Yes, and the character, when you go to half a pedal, is very flexible, but it is worth adding the gas to the turbocharger turning on is quite late, when the tachometer shooter approaches 3000 rpm, but imperceptibly. The motor gives spurs to the car until it rests against the revolutionary limiter.
On the most powerful version of Astra Caravan are shock absorbers controlled by electronics, and a redesigned steering wheel. Manage this car is a real pleasure. The reactions are sharp and unmistakable, the steering wheel is not heavy, but not empty. When passing the turns, the car predictably holds the trajectory, not annoying the excessive desire to demolish the front axle or the rear drift. The system of maintaining exchange rate stability is clearly valid, without annoying the driver’s actions too early.
Only viscous inclusion of gears in a mechanical (6-speed) box prevents completely merged with the car. The unnecessary sound of the exhaust system also does not allow itself to be imbued with a sports spirit. However, what kind of complaints, because under me is not a racing car, but a practical station wagon.
Versions of Astra Caravan with more family engines and pendants' settings did not cause storms of positive emotions, but did not disappoint at all. For the new station wagon, in addition to a 200-horsepower turbocharged engine, gasoline engines with a volume of 1.4 liters (with a capacity of 90 hp, torque 125 nm), a 1.6-liter engine (105 hp, 150 nm) are offered. 1.8-liter power unit (125 hp, 170 nm). There is also a version with a deformed 170-horsepower 2-liter turbo engine.
In addition, Astra Caravan can be equipped with a wide range of diesel engines, but they will not be supplied to our market yet.
Caravan (comes from the original Caravan, the symbiosis of the sedan and the minibus) for Opel a sign car. It is curious that the two previous generations of this machine parted with a total circulation of 2.4 million copies. Thus, Caravan earned the title of the most successful station wagon in the history of the automotive industry. The enormous investment in improving the quality of its products (investments amounted to about 1 billion euros), the new generation of the new generation Astra and the outstanding appearance of the car allow companies to maintain leadership in the segment of the station wagons.
 
Igor Komarov
 

Source: Wheel (company)