Test drive Opel Cascada 2013 - NV convertible

Opel Cascada. A sip of spring

Spring will not enter into legal rights to the legal rights of Russia continue to attack snow cyclones, and thermometers still demonstrate negative temperatures. It was all the more pleasant to break out of the winter hugs and be on the azure bank, where on average there are about 300 sunny days a year. It is there, in the natural habitat of various convertibles, we met a new Opel with a folding roof, which now has its own name Cascada. Opel Cascada convertible debuted recently at the beginning of the month at the Geneva Motor Show. Production at the factory in Polish Glivitsa has begun, the car can already be ordered in some European countries. For the cascade, 10 bodies of body and 10 options for wheels from 17 to 20 inches are offered for the cascade why the Opelians needed a new name? Previously, their open models were ranked for any family the same Astra had a version of the convertible in all previous generations. And, as it turned out, the Germans have good reasons. Firstly, Cascada is much longer than the past Astra Twin Top and was equal to the Universal Astra Sports Tourer 4.7 meters! And the twin base in the two -door is more than 10 mm (2695 mm). But the most important thing is that Cascada is designed to bite off part of the pie in the segment of medium-sized converters such as the BMW 3 series, Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz E-class. And then you can’t do without a new and beautiful name. By the way, Cascada translated from Spanish means a waterfall. True, it turned out a funny fact in the Spanish market Opel Cascada will be sold under the name Opel ... Cabrio! And why did not arrange the original option? Spectacular turned out to be a car! The Astrovsky face was given aggression with the help of a new front bumper and hood with muscular substete, bizarre lines revive the sidewalls, and storm came out. It is gratifying that Opel Cascada looks good even with a raised roof, it does not look alien. Plus large wheels from 17 to 20-inch. And the top itself is a cloth! Why did Opel engineers refuse a tough design? The answer is simple, the soft umbrella is easier and cheaper, and progress in the field of materials made it possible to reduce the noise level in the cabin and provide comfortable conditions even with winter operation. All Opel Cascada is equipped with rear LED lights. Of course, for Opel Cascada, it was also proposed to verify the last statement in Nice to the sun and +15 degrees Celsius to check the last statement in Nice. So we put off the roof tests the next day (weather forecasters predicted rain). Top down! I squeeze the button on the central tunnel, and after 17 seconds a pleasant sea breeze arranges a codel. Otherwise, as if you are sitting in the same Astra. The dashboard, the central console with a scattering of buttons, seats with an orthopedic certificate of the AGR association migrated here practically unchanged. The interior almost copies the Astra salon, but the skin is used wider (for a surcharge of 1550 euros) in the top version it is covered with seats, front panel, door, steering wheel and central armrest. But, having looked closely, you understand the level of attention to the details here above. All test cascades were in the maximum configuration of COSMO with all additional equipment, which means the front and door panels, seats with optional electrical regulation, facilitating access to the rear row, and even a mechanized arm that supply the seat belt (their fasteners are shifted back). And the chairs are not only lined with NAPPA skin, but also have ventilation! So, speaking of competition with German premium marks, Opel representatives are not very exaggerating in the cabin of cascades. Leather upholstery has a special coating that reduces the heating of the seats with sunlight for the convertible. And for the surcharge, the ventilation of the front seats is also available. By the way, two adults will really be able to sit behind, but provided that they are not higher than 180-185 centimeters and the driver will be a similar complexion. Otherwise, the head will reproach the roof (it's good that it is soft), and the feet will be clamped by the legs under the seat, of course, it should be agreed that only Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz with the most modest engines are under the sight, since under the hood, as under the hood Cascades maximum can be a two -liter biturbodiesel (195 hp/400 N ∙ m), known for Astra and Insignia models. And the basic gasoline engine is even more modest than 1.4 liters (120 and 140 horses). But for the test, the organizers prepared cars with a new unit with a 170-horsepower turbocharged 1.6 with direct injection. The former 1.6 was often criticized for gluttony, noisiness and modest traction at low speeds. Correction of precisely these shortcomings has become a priority for engineers. Did it work? The soft top is designed and produced by the German company Magna CTS (Car Top System) and weighs only 50 kg. In the design, aluminum and magnesium alloys are widely used, and the pump of the actuator is placed in a special soundproof capsule! By the way, the roof differs, depending on the configuration, expensive versions have an additional intermediate layer that reduces the noise level by a third. You can fold the top by pressing one button, if the car moves slower than 50 km/h, it takes 17 seconds. Or button on the key. Engineers are especially proud that the roof does not start playing at high speeds of the tests were carried out up to 240 km/h. A new motor sounds pleasantly in the timbre added bass notes, and you can’t call it noisy. But the maximum capabilities are not impressive, the maximum torque has grown from 230 to 280 N ∙ m and is already available in the range of 1650-4250 rpm against 2200-5400 rpm earlier, but you need to drag the engine more than 1700 kilograms! Therefore, Opel Cascada with six-speed mechanics (the machine is available for surcharge) accelerates to hundreds in a prose 9.6 seconds, and there is any significant acceleration begins when the tachometer arrow overcome the mark 3. However, for a leisurely walk along the road running along the shore, and this Well enough. In the mountains about active ride, it is better not to think of the motor to constantly be unscrewed on the ascent, and the sloping front racks greatly complicate the review in numerous studs. Do not forget about the dimensions, Opel Cascada is large. And why is the adaptive Flexride chassis here, which allows the shock absorbers and steering into sports mode? Globally, the situation from pressing the Sport or Comfort buttons does not change. However, the suspension will not be annoyed to the running qualities, it does not annoy the shaking and copes with the uneven there even on 19-inch wheels, and the steering wheel sufficiently informs the driver about the position of the front wheels. But the conclusion is unambiguous Cascada belongs to the category of walking convertibles. And in this capacity, the car is beautiful! Cascada does not bother so much that willy-nilly wants to wave in the direction of San Remo, and then get to at least the south of Italy and do not get tired of a drop. The absence of acute reactions and good smoothness does not provoke an aggressive ride, which ultimately pours into good range fuel consumption at a comfortable pace does not exceed 10 l/100 km. And with an installed windproof screen, with a laid roof along the line, you can go 130-140 km/h without fear of catching a cold. True, in this case to travel together you will have to fasten the screen right above the rear sofa. For Opel Cascada, a complete set of active and passive safety systems shooting racks, pillows, and ESP is shot and passive safety. Plus the Opel Eye camera, watching the signs and markings and warning the driver about the possible collision with an obstacle or collision, the system for controlling dead zones and the rear view camera The last option is a lot for parking, since with the raised roof there is practically no back at all, based on cascade It would have turned out a good compartment of the Grand Tourism with a full -fledged four -seater salon and a quite spacious trunk. There is a suitable name Calibra! Does Opel plan to revive the caliber? I asked this question to Claus-Zeumolf Ryteer, the father of Cascada’s convertible. The German has been working in the company for 27 years and it was he who was responsible for the development of Astra Twin Top of the previous generation. No, it is too expensive in the light of a fall in demand for medium -sized coupe! Cut off the roeter. But how is it? Indeed, a few minutes before that, Claus-Zeleph told me that it was the open versions that are always being developed, and then they make a compartment from them. That is, in fact, the main work on caliber has already been carried out! Is the integration of a hard roof into the power structure of the body require such serious costs? The trunk of cascades depends on the position of the roof and varies from 280 to 380 liters, but it can be increased to 750 liters, folding one or both rear seats. The hold itself is flat and has a narrow opening, but a couple of medium-sized suitcases to fit there really, with the Calibra Opel compartment, it may well return to the German body coupon championship DTM precisely in 1996, the last winner of the old DTM/ITC became just Manuel Ryoter (like a coincidence!) At the wheel of a racing caliber. Now the Audi RS 5, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C Coupe, and Opel is slowly expanding its sports program. The thought is interesting, of course, we thought about it, but giant investments in the current economic situation will be inappropriate, Claus-equipment answers. It sounds reasonable. Moreover, the German began his career in Opel with the distribution of the engineering budget. But, nevertheless, I can’t believe that the Opelians will leave the name Calibra in oblivion, having such a blank. Perhaps Opel took a waiting position and is waiting for the market reaction. In Europe, the cascade has every chance. The reason lies in prices in Germany Cascada starts with 25,945 euros, 4,600 euros more than a 120-horsepower Astra GTC 1.4 Turbo hatchback. And this is for a full four -seater convertible! For example, the open Volkswagen Golf starts at 23,900 euros, Audi A3 with 25,500 euros, and the BMW 3 series comparable in size and the Audi A5 Cabrio cost more than 38 thousand euros. A worthy offer! And if sales are cascades at a high level (adjusted for a niche segment), then the chances of the appearance of the compartment will increase. Opel tested the cascade in winter conditions and assures that the convertible is suitable for year -round operation even as a single car in the family. The small rear window has an electric heating why I clung to the caliber? The whole thing in the Russian market is hardly our country among the thirty most convertibles in the world. In such a climate, there will always be a lot of questions for the soft folding roof, although the next day the check showed quietly inside the promised rain, all the noises are balanced, the water does not flow. But how will she behave during regular operation at negative temperatures? How reliable is the folding mechanism? And what will happen to the material in a few years? Plus, significant fears that attackers will prevail if not for the purpose of profit, then out of class hatred and hooligan motives. Opel Cascada is, in fact, the only average size convertible from the mass manufacturer, but it is at the same time at the level of competitors from golf class. But are there enough attractive prices and pretty appearance for market success? And where do we travel with the omitted roof, except for the Krasnodar Territory and the marching march to Ukraine? In large regions, lovers of fresh wind above their heads haunt dust, dirt and exhaust gases of numerous trucks in traffic jams. It is not surprising that in the Russian representative office Opel does not even know whether they will take a cascade to us, although they admit that they really want this. But if this happens, then obviously not earlier than 2014, marketers are now engaged in the necessary calculations. With a compartment, there would be more an example of the Astra GTC hatchback prove that the design and number of doors for many are determined. And in this case, you can hardly be afraid of internal competition. TECHNIQUE The wheelbase elongated to 2695 mm required its own platform assembled from Astra and Insignia models. MacPherson rack scheme in front of the shock absorbers with swivel fists (Hiperstrut) and a beam with a Watta mechanism in the back. For surcharge, the adaptive Flexride chassis is available. Due to the absence of the roof, the engineers had to work on the hardness of the body, a powerful subframe, thicker thresholds, amplifier behind the rear seats, as well as X- and V-shaped stretch marks were used. As a result, the stiffness of twisting and bending increased by 41 and 27%, respectively, compared with the previous Astra Twin Top The new gasoline engine with a volume of 1.6 liters received the designation A16XHT, has a cast -iron cylinder block and is equipped with a direct injection system (SIDI). The turbine has one impeller (Single-Scroll) engineers considered the inadequate integration of the Twin-Scroll snail into the graduation collector. Among other features are two balancer shafts and the Start/Stop system. The unit is available in two versions of Eco Turbo (170 hp/280 H ∙ m) and Performance Turbo (200 hp/300 N ∙ m). But the second option is not proposed for cascade in any case, for now. And the differences are reduced to another control unit and pistons. The motor is produced in Hungary Vadim Gagarin photo of Opel

Source: Auto.mail.ru