Opel Corsa, 2010

Opel Corsa, 2010

 

The Opel Corsa range has been rejuvenated to provide more power and more driving fun with less fuel consumption. Opel engineers have given the Opel Corsa a complete make-over, introducing an enhanced powertrain line-up that reduces fuel consumption by up to 13 percent, significant chassis improvements and a new steering calibration. In addition to its agile handling and greater ride comfort, drivers will appreciate engines that give more pulling power.

These enhancements are accompanied by the introduction in Germany of several new special editions like the sporty Color Line series. The Color Race, Color Edition and Color Wave variants feature distinctive bodywork finishes and attractive 17-inch alloy wheels. Also, in celebration of 111 years of automotive tradition, Opel will release a captivating 111 Limited Edition in Europe.

The Opel Corsa comes in two distinct body styles, the coupé-like three-door and the family friendly five-door. Inside the cabin, the Opel Corsa continues to offer one of the roomiest and most attractive interiors in its class. True to Opel's philosophy, it also features innovative technologies at an affordable price, including halogen Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), a heated steering wheel, active front head restraints, Hill Start Assist, a Panorama sunroof or the integrated FlexFix bicycle carrier which is unique to Opel.

The Opel Corsa is a highly popular choice throughout Europe, accounting for some 30 percent of all Opel/Vauxhall sales. In addition to its athletic dynamic styling and great driving fun, it also offers customers top class quality. Germany's DEKRA Defect Report 2010 named the Opel Corsa the overall winner, with the lowest defect rate (2.4 percent) of all the vehicles tested. DEKRA (Deutscher Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungs-Verein) is a full-service provider for safe and efficient mobility and Europe's leading technical expert organization.

Reinvigorated to deliver more driving satisfaction and lower fuel costs, the Opel Corsa range ticks all the right boxes for customers seeking a peppy package at an affordable price.

More power with improved fuel economy
The powertrain line-up consists of a wide offer of gasoline engine from the 1-liter 3 cylinder (48 kW/65 hp ) entry level version to the turbo charged 1.6-liter on the Opel Corsa OPC (141 kW/192 hp). On the diesel side, different versions of the 1.3 and 1.7 CDTI motors offer outputs ranging from 55 kW/75 hp to 96 kW/130 hp all with fuel consumption under 5 liters per 100 kilometers. The Opel Corsa ecoFLEX 1.3 l CDTI offers exceptionally low CO2 emissions of just 98 g/km for the 3-door variant, 99 g/km for the 5-door.

Opel engineers have developed the engines to give greater torque, while at the same time reducing their appetite for fuel and lowering CO2 emissions. All gasoline engines, and the new 1.7 CDTI diesel, comply with Euro 5 emissions standards.

The most popular gasoline powertrains - 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4-liter with manual and automated Easytronic transmissions - offer combined cycle fuel consumption between just 5.0 and 5.5 l/100 km, and CO2 ratings from 117 to 129 g/km with manual transmission. With an average fuel consumption of just 5.0 l/100 km and 117 g/km CO2, the Opel Corsa 1.0 is the cleanest of all gasoline-powered entries in its segment. The 1.4 engine comes in two variants, with 64 kW/87 hp and 74 kW/100 hp and is available with full automatic transmission in its most powerful execution. The 1.2 and 1.4-liter Twinport engines are now fitted with double cam phasing to allow variable valve timing on both inlet and exhaust sides for more efficient breathing.

Other measures that improve fuel consumption for all gasoline engines include a low friction oil pump, remapping of the engine thermostat and a "shift up" indicator to help the driver change gear for optimum fuel economy.

The 1.3 CDTI engine is also improved, giving the Opel Corsa ecoFLEX model exceptionally low CO2 emissions of just 98 g/km for the 3-door variant, 99 g/km for the 5-door. The Corsa ecoFLEX is Opel's lowest emitting car, yet it is packed with 27 percent more power and 10 percent greater fuel efficiency. A diesel particulate filter and the "shift up" indicator in the cluster are standard.

The top-of-the-line 1.7 CDTI diesel engine now offers more power and torque - increased to 96 kW/130 hp and 300 Nm - as well as a nine percent cut in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, to 118 g/km and 4.5 l/100km.

Uprated chassis and steering
Opel chassis engineers have upgraded all major suspension components and the steering system. The result is improved ride comfort, more precise steering feel and greater directional stability - without compromising Opel Corsa's acclaimed agility.

Dampers, springs, anti-roll bars, the rear axle, the electric steering gear and its calibration software all have been optimized. All the changes apply to Essentia, Enjoy and Cosmo variants, while versions equipped with the Sport chassis, GSi and ecoFLEX models benefit from additional improvements to the rear axle and steering. The Opel Corsa OPC took over the changes applied to the steering gear.

Opel Astra, 2010

Opel Astra, 2010

 

 

With its sporty, good looks, comfortable driving experience, innovative technology and a full fuel efficient powertrain line-up, the new Opel Astra, which debuted in Frankfurt at the 2009 IAA as a five-door hatchback, is set to energize Europe's compact car segment.

Grounded in the tradition initiated in 1936 with the first Opel Kadett, the Opel Astra has consistently made the top-three list of Europe's best-selling compacts for decades - a segment which accounts for 27 percent of the total car market. Opel Astra sales make up a third of all Opel/Vauxhall purchases, for an average volume of nearly 500,000 units per year.

The new Opel Astra brings many comfort and safety features to the compact class from the upper segment - most were introduced by the Opel Insignia to the midsize class. Exceptional technologies like an all-new mechatronic chassis, the most advanced lighting system, a front camera that recognizes traffic signs and seats with the best ergonomics will be available.

Opel's new design language reinterpreted for the compact class
The new Opel Astra brings into the compact class its own interpretation of the brand's award-winning design language of combining "sculptural artistry with German precision" first seen in the Insignia. Its strong coupé-like silhouette and elegant details give the car a fresh sporty look. Elegant proportions provide a strong, cab-forward silhouette, with a steeply-raked windshield and falling rear roofline, adding visual excitement to the traditional hatchback format.

The flank of the Opel Astra receives a dynamic inverted blade that visually connects to the powerful movement of the rear window and the C-pillar. In the back end, double wing-shapes in each of the rear lights make it immediately recognizable.

The interior echoes the flowing forms of the bodywork: sweeping lines, curvaceous shapes and the quality of the execution are all part of Opel's design language. A signature design cue is the wraparound wing shape of the instrument panel that arcs into the top of the door moldings. The effect is a warm embrace of the occupants, providing a welcoming ambience that is enhanced at night by a red diffused light that illuminates the base of the center stack and the front door panels.

New mechatronic chassis system with Watt's link in rear axle
Driving dynamics and stability are improved by a wheelbase that is 71 mm longer, for a total of 2685 mm. The new Opel Astra has a 1544 mm wide front and 1588 mm wide rear and the tracks are increased by 56 mm and 70 mm respectively. This gives the car a wider footprint, contributing to more stable handling and an inherently better road-holding capability. The core body structure stiffness is improved by 43 percent in torsion and 10 percent in bending to provide a firm base for optimizing the new Opel Astra's handling and ride capabilities. Increased stiffness also benefits comfort, as it reduces noise and vibrations inside the cabin.

The Opel Astra's chassis has been developed as a mechatronic system that fully integrates mechanical functions and electronic controls. The new Opel Astra retains the dynamic, fun-to-drive character of the previous model, with significant improvements in steering response and ride comfort.

While the chassis has the proven McPherson strut layout at the front, Opel engineers in Rüsselsheim are the first in the world to combine a compound crank with a Watt's link in the rear axle. This new construction keeps the advantages in size, weight and overall efficiency of the compound crank rear axle layout design, At the same time, the Watt's link supports lateral forces during cornering and makes the car dynamic and agile without compromising on stability and comfort.

Like the Insignia, the new Opel Astra can come with the clever Opel FlexRide electronic driving system, a rarity in this class. The FlexRide adaptive suspension system continuously adapts to changes in driving style and cornering speed. In addition, it offers a choice of three settings - Standard, Sport and Tour - and additional personalization.

Line-up of super efficient engines reduces emissions by 12 percent
The new Astra will launch with a complete line-up of eight engines ranging from 70 kW/95 hp to 132 kW/180 hp and will provide drivers with affordable, real-life efficiency.

The Opel Astra's line-up of powertrains with manual transmission provides impressive performance and overall cuts CO2 emissions by more than 12 percent compared with the current generation. The average fuel consumption of the diesel engines is 4.6 l/100 km and only 6.1 l/100 km for the gasoline line-up.

The four diesel engines, which are expected to power almost half of the new Opel Astra cars sold in Europe at launch, deliver 70 kW/95 hp to 118 kW/160 hp. With the manual transmission, they all consume under 5.0 l/100 km and do not emit more than 129 g/km CO2. When it launches early next spring, the ecoFLEX version with the 70 kW/95 hp 1.3 CDTI engine will have fuel consumption of only 4.2 liter/100 km and emit only 109 g/km of CO2.

The gasoline range comprises naturally-aspirated and turbocharged 1.4 and 1.6-liter engines, giving a power bandwidth from 74 kW/100 hp to 132 kW/180 hp. The entry-level version in the gasoline line-up emits only 129 g/km CO2 - the best figure for a gasoline engine in the compact segment. Continuing Opel's strategy of downsizing, engineers replaced a 103 kW/140 hp 1.8 liter engine of the previous generation with a new 1.4 Turbo with similar output that only requires 5.9 l/100km, cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by nearly 18 percent.

Innovative technologies brought to the compact segment
Many of the innovative technologies introduced by the new Opel Astra are unique to the compact class or bring a sophistication not seen before in this segment:
    * The Opel Eye recognizes road signs and warns the driver when the car inadvertently departs from its lane.
    * Ergonomic Sport Seats feature a 6-way adjustment range, the widest in the segment, a 4-way adjustment of the lumbar support and extendable seat cushion. Available at all trim levels, this driver's seat comes with enhanced support and overall body comfort. It is the only one in the compact class to receive the much coveted seal of approval from Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (Action for Healthy Backs, known as AGR), an independent panel of ergonomics experts and doctors in Germany.
    * The most advanced lighting system in the compact class, a new generation of Opel bi-xenon Advanced Forward Lighting (AFL+) changes its intensity and reach to suit prevailing driving and road conditions using nine different lighting functions.

Two other clever innovations in body engineering also increase the on-board versatility of the Opel Astra:
    * FlexFix, Opel's novel bike-carrier, is integrated behind the rear bumper and offered as an option on the new Opel Astra hatchback. It makes transporting bikes easy and convenient because it slides out of the rear bumper like a drawer when a release lever near the lip of the trunk is pulled.
    * A creative idea from Opel engineers and designers, FlexFloor allows for easy-to-use stowage of a wide variety of cargo. The trunk floor is moveable and can be positioned at three levels by engaging ergonomically-designed fixing channels near each corner of the trunk.