2013 Opel Astra Convertible Spy Photos and Video Outline New Softop Model

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Our spies have photographed and filmed the new Opel (Vauxhall in Britain) Astra Convertible on test in Germany. The vehicles caught testing here are early prototype models as the front doors appear to be carried over complete with their frames from the hatchback model.

Nevertheless, we are offered out first look at the open-top version of the new Astra series, which is planned to go on sale by early 2013. The most important change over the previous Astra TwinTop is the replacement of the more complicated, heavier and costly retractable metal roof with a traditional fabric hood.

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Post Title → 2013 Opel Astra Convertible Spy Photos and Video Outline New Softop Model

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Angry Son Drives Opel Calibra into His Parents’ Living Room!

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It is really hard to believe, but a 27-year old man from The Netherlands plowed his parents house with his car after an argument. According to press reports from the local media, the man left his house and returned later in the day but not the way his parents were expecting as he picked up speed in his 1990s Opel Calibra sports coupe and drove or rather flew into the living room of his house!

Amazingly, no one was seriously injured in the rage-induced incident. The police arrested the young man who is now facing several charges. Check out the aftermath of the crash in the video after the break.

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Report: GM Fed up with Opel, but a Sale isn’t on the Table

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They say, where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and true enough in the case of GM’s relationship with its European subsidiary Opel, there seems to be a lot of smoke piling up lately. Just yesterday, press reports from Auto Bild and Spiegel Online said that GM is looking for a buyer, but the news was quickly dismissed by spokespeople from both Opel and the government of Germany's state of Thuringia, home to one of the brand’s factories.

Today, Reuters came out with a new report saying the Detroit automaker is “frustrated” with its money-losing Opel brand and is “considering options for a turnaround”, noting, however, that a sale of the Opel brand is highly unlikely.

"Akerson is fed up with Opel, and the turnaround isn't gaining traction," a unnamed source who is close to the GM CEO told Reuters. "He is trying to think of all possibilities to improve performance. But a sale is wishful thinking,” the source added.

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Post Title → Report: GM Fed up with Opel, but a Sale isn’t on the Table

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GM Denies Reports Claiming Plans to Sell its Opel Brand Possibly to the Chinese or VW Group

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German car magazine Auto Bild and weekly Der Spiegel reported Thursday that General Motors is once again considering the sale of its Opel and Vauxhall units. The reports were dismissed as pure speculation by the Detroit automaker as well as a German state with an Opel factory, which called the news “nonsense”.

According to the news reports, GM allegedly was no longer in need of Opel’s know-how in manufacturing small cars as well as low emission and fuel efficient powerplants and that it could replace the German brand with its South Korean GM Chevrolet unit, formerly known as Daewoo.

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Post Title → GM Denies Reports Claiming Plans to Sell its Opel Brand Possibly to the Chinese or VW Group

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Opel Officially Reveals 2012 Astra GTC, Coming Next Year

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This is General Motors’ brand new Opel Astra GTC revealed more than two months ahead of its world premiere at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany, in mid-September. The newest member of Opel’s ever-growing Astra family will go on sale across Europe including the United Kingdom where it will be available as a Vauxhall later this year. Recent reports also suggest it may come to the States under the Buick brand.
GM’s European subsidiary is confident about its new Astra GTC with Vauxhall going as far as to claim that it will “lay down the gauntlet to VW’s Scirocco and Renault’s Megane Coupe with a heady mix of dynamic excellence, dramatic design features and competitive pricing".

The production version of last year’s Paris Motor Show concept GTC sports a far more athletic appearance than the rest of the Astra range thanks to the uniquely designed body that includes a more rakish roofline. According to Opel, the only elements the GTC shares with its five-door and estate siblings are the door handles and roof aerial as even the wheelbase and tracks are different.

Compared to the five-door Astra, the ride height of the GTC is lowered by 15 mm while the wheelbase grows by 10 mm, from 2,685 to 2,695 mm and both tracks are wider, at 1,584 mm (+ 40 mm) in front and 1,588 mm (+ 30 mm) in the rear.

Opel and its sister brand Vauxhall say the Astra GTC is a more driver’s car than the five-door model as the company’s engineers having made several changes to the chassis including the adoption of the HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut) setup used on the 325HP Insignia OPC / VXR instead of the standard McPherson suspension.

At the rear, the GTC continues to use a Watt’s link axle, while as an option, Opel offers the fully-adaptive FlexRide chassis control system with a choice of three settings - Standard, Tour or Sport.

Moving on to the available lineup at launch, the Astra GTC can be ordered now with a choice of four engines. However, Opel said more powertrains will be offered around its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show adding that the sportiest versions including the future high-performance OPC model will follow in 2012.

For now, diesel options are limited to a 2.0-liter CDTI common-rail turbo unit delivering 165HP and 380 Nm of torque in overboost function. It is fitted with a diesel particulate filter and a six-speed manual transmission, plus a new Start/Stop system. With this engine, the GTC can reach 100 km/h (62mph) in 8.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 210 km/h (131 mph), while returning a combined fuel consumption of 4.9 lt/ 100 km (48 mpg US or 57.7 mpg UK) with corresponding CO2 emissions of 129 g/km.

The most powerful engine is a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline unit with 180-horses linked to a six-speed manual gearbox offering the GTC a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph). A 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine available with 120HP and 140HP completes the petrol lineup.

In Britain, buyers can place their order now for the Astra GTC with prices ranging from £18,495 for the 120HP Sport 1.4 Turbo to £22,430 for the 165PS SRi 2.0 CDTi. For more details on UK pricing, check out the list below.

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Opel Officially Reveals 2012 Astra GTC, High-Po OPC Coming Next Year

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This is General Motors’ brand new Opel Astra GTC revealed more than two months ahead of its world premiere at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany, in mid-September. The newest member of Opel’s ever-growing Astra family will go on sale across Europe including the United Kingdom where it will be available as a Vauxhall later this year. Recent reports also suggest it may come to the States under the Buick brand.

GM’s European subsidiary is confident about its new Astra GTC with Vauxhall going as far as to claim that it will “lay down the gauntlet to VW’s Scirocco and Renault’s Megane Coupe with a heady mix of dynamic excellence, dramatic design features and competitive pricing".

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Post Title → Opel Officially Reveals 2012 Astra GTC, High-Po OPC Coming Next Year

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Vauxhall Insignia gains New 1.4-Liter Turbo Petrol

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It’s model-year changeover over time for the Vauxhall Insignia with the British company announcing the addition of a low emissions ecoFLEX diesel model and a new-to-the-range 1.4 Turbo petrol engine.
Beginning with the petrol model, the 1.4-liter turbocharged unit, which is also offered in the Astra, delivers 140-horsepower and 200Nm of peak torque, while returning 51.4mpg UK (5.5 lt/100km) in the hatchback and saloon models and emitting 129g/km of CO2. In the UK, the Insignia 1.4 Turbo is priced from £18,680 for the ES Hatchback up to £27,110 for the SRi Nav Vx Line Red Sports Tourer.
For the new model year, GM’s Vauxhall unit updated the Euro 5 compliant 2.0 CDTi diesel engines in the Insignia ecoFLEX model. The four-cylinder unit is available with 130PS or 160PS power outputs, and for the first time, is offered with Start/Stop technology. The underbody aerodynamic measures and low rolling resistance tires help to improve fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
When equipped with the 130-horsepower version, the Insignia ecoFLEX achieves a top speed of 129mph (209 km/h), with 0-60mph (96 km/h) taking 10.4 seconds. The 160HP model records a 137mph (220 km/h) top speed and a 0-60mph sprint time of 8.9 seconds. Compared to the outgoing ecoFLEX diesel, CO2 emission have dropped by 10 percent, from 129g/CO2 to 115g/CO2.
Prices for the Insignia ecoFLEX diesel models start from £20,345 for the ES 2.0 CDTi 130PS Start/Stop Hatchback and go up to £29,385 for the top-of-the-range SRi Nav Vx Line Red Sports Tourer 160HP.

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Vauxhall Insignia gains New 1.4-Liter Turbo Petrol and Improved EcoFlex Diesels

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It’s model-year changeover over time for the Vauxhall Insignia with the British company announcing the addition of a low emissions ecoFLEX diesel model and a new-to-the-range 1.4 Turbo petrol engine. Read more »

Post Title → Vauxhall Insignia gains New 1.4-Liter Turbo Petrol and Improved EcoFlex Diesels

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Opel Astra GTC May Come to the U.S. as a Buick

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It seems the success of the Buick Regal, which is essentially a rebadged Opel Insignia, has determined GM management to consider bringing another Opel to the U.S., the Astra GTC hatch. Buick will soon have a compact sedan in its range, the Astra-based Verano due to be launched this fall, but it also wants a sporty hatchback with enough power and fine handling to lure young buyers.
According to a report from Car & Driver, the Opel Astra GTC is almost certain to come to the U.S. The model will be launched in Europe at the Frankfurt auto show this September and will go on sale shortly after with four-cylinder engines ranging from around 100 horsepower to more than 250 horsepower in the OPC high-performance model.
In the U.S. however, the car is expected to be offered with the same engines found in the Verano, which uses GM’s Delta platform that forms the base for the Astra and the Chevy Cruze: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 177 horsepower and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with around 220 horsepower. Both engines will be mated to six-speed automatic and manual transmissions. The name that will be used by Buick's version of the Astra GTC is yet unknown.
Aside from the Astra GTC, Buick might also adopt another Opel model that is currently under development, the replacement for the Astra Twin Top coupe-cabriolet. The new convertible will compete against the recently launched VW Golf Cabriolet. If Buick decides to offer the Opel convertible it will become the first Buick droptop since the Reatta

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Rumors: Opel Astra GTC May Come to the U.S. as a Buick

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It seems the success of the Buick Regal, which is essentially a rebadged Opel Insignia, has determined GM management to consider bringing another Opel to the U.S., the Astra GTC hatch. Buick will soon have a compact sedan in its range, the Astra-based Verano due to be launched this fall, but it also wants a sporty hatchback with enough power and fine handling to lure young buyers. Read more »

Post Title → Rumors: Opel Astra GTC May Come to the U.S. as a Buick

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British Study Reveals the Most Popular Hairdresser’s Car in Real Life

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And no, despite what you may have heard or read, the Audi TT ain’t the most popular car among hairdressers – or at least not in Britain. According to a new study made available today by UK women's car insurance specialist Diamond, that title goes to…*drums please*…the one and only, MINI One hatchback. In fact, the BMW Group’s MINI brand had two vehicles in the top five positions.

The UK insurance firm came to this conclusion after looking at data from over 18,000 hairdressers in Britain. The company said the MINI One is three and a half times more likely to be driven by someone working as a hairdresser than everyone else.

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GM’s Opel follows in the Footsteps of Ford, Asks Bloggers to Write About the Astra GTC to Attend the Presentation

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Those of you readers that have been with us for a while might remember our revealing post about Ford Motor Company’s shady marketing tactics (via its media agency) to attract attention and web traffic to the brand by asking bloggers to participate in a Ford website-linking contest and win a place in the company’s 2010 Model Year Drive event.

That said, we are no strangers to the mommy-blogger-type approach from marketing companies representing major automotive brands, but we never cease to be amazed. This time we were approached by a social media agency called Knallgrau on behalf of GM’s European Opel unit. When we received the first email, we believed it was a media / press invitation but upon our request for additional information, we discovered that wasn’t the case.

In a similar fashion to the Ford incident, the agency asked if we wanted to write about the new Astra GTC and participate in a type of contest, the winners of which will be invited to the official unveiling of the three-door hatchback at Opel’s headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

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Post Title → GM’s Opel follows in the Footsteps of Ford, Asks Bloggers to Write About the Astra GTC to Attend the Presentation

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SCOOP: Is this the New 2013 Opel / Vauxhall Astra Convertible?

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With the new sporty looking three-door Astra GTC on its way and the Astra Sedan outlined by its sister models from Buick’s US (2012 Verano) and China (Excelle) divisions, the only body style left to complete the range of Opel’s C-segment model series is the convertible version.

Recently, our spies in Germany caught a glimpse of an Astra-based model, which appears to be the cabriolet variant of the series. While we can’t be 100 percent sure, it is clear that this Astra has a boot while the close ups reveal a more raked rear windshield line than you’d normally expect to see on a four-door family sedan.

To get an idea of what the Astra Convertible might look like, here's our artist’s impression based on the upcoming GTC model. Even though our image of Opel’s VW Golf Cabriolet contender was styled with a soft-top, it has not yet been revealed if the German company will adopt this solution or if it will continue to use the current Astra TwinTop’s retractable metal roof.

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Post Title → SCOOP: Is this the New 2013 Opel / Vauxhall Astra Convertible?

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All-New 2012 Opel Zafira 7-Seater

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Meet the new Opel Zafira Tourer, which was revealed today in its final production form before a global premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany this fall. General Motors’ European division had previewed its new range-topping people carrier as a concept model at the Geneva Salon this past March.
The Zafira nameplate was first launched onto the market in 1999 with Opel having introduced a second-generation model in 2005. Now in its third iteration, the new Zafira will attempt to expand its customer base by adding a more impressive design and a more premium feel to the mix of qualities that are typical of the minivan segment.
“The Zafira is Opel’s flexibility icon, and we wanted to bring more emotion and premium qualities into its third generation,” says Mark Adams, Vice President, Opel/Vauxhall Design. “The Opel Zafira Tourer makes a statement with its sleek, sporty look and premium feel.”
Surprisingly, the Zafira has remained faithful to the original concept’s exterior design, while also keeping close to the look of the automaker’s existing range. The streamlined shape is highlighted by the front end that features distinctive twin “boomerang” graphics sweeping from the headlights to the fog lamps and Opel’s typical “blade” sculpts on the body sides.
The interior mimics the styling of the concept model mixed with bits and pieces found on other Opel models such as the latest Astra. To improve the interior ambience, the Germans have added new color and trim options while also offering an available panorama windscreen that flows into a glass sunroof that extends all the way to the back of the vehicle.
Opel’s trademark Flex7 seating system has been improved on the new Zafira as it gains three independent seats in the middle row that can be folded flat and moved separately of each other sliding longitudinally by up to 210 mm. Furthermore, there’s an available Lounge Seating system, which allows the back of the middle seat in the second row to fold down and rotate to offer armrests for the passengers in the outer seats.
According to the company, the Zafira Tourer offers 710 liters load volume in a five-seat configuration, or 65 liters more than the current model, and up to 1,860 liters (+40 liters) when the two rear rows of seats are folded down.
The 2012 Zafira rides on a new platform with an increased wheelbase and tracks. The wheelbase is now 2,760 mm (+ 57 mm), while the front and rear tracks measure 1,584 mm (+ 96 mm) and 1,588 (+ 78 mm) respectively.
When it goes on sale in Europe towards the end of the year, the new Zafira will offer buyers three versions of Opel’s 2.0-liter CDTI common-rail turbo diesel engine with 110HP, 130HP and 165HP, along with two 1.4-liter ECOTEC turbocharged gasoline engines delivering 120HP and 140HP. All engines will be offered with the German firm’s Start/Stop technology.
Opel said that soon after the market launch, it will expand the range with more fuel-efficient ecoFLEX model as well as variants powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). The company added that a few months later it will introduce more engines including a brand new gasoline unit.
The presentation of the new Zafira does not translate to the end of production for the current model as Opel has decided to continue selling the second generation MPV alongside its replacement as a more affordable proposal in the compact minivan segment.

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