ROAD TEST: OPEL ASTRA GTC2.0 CDTIThe GTC proves that there remains some strong design pedigree at the Opel brand but the sporty Astra is up against some tasty rivals, writes Motoring Editor
MICHAEL McALEER
APPARENTLY OPEL’S Astra GTC wasn’t manufactured, it was born, which must have made for some rather gory scenes at the production plant in Germany. Perhaps the advertising campaign hints at some psychological desire for a rebirth within the brand.
If we were to anthropomorphise the motoring world, then there might well be a case for Opel to be taken into care.
It’s a strong, earnest brand that has been regularly mistreated or threatened with abandonment by its parent.
In the last decade it has suffered under the vagaries of a host of parental approaches, the final one being an attempt to offload the brand in the midst of General Motor’s financial crisis, only to haul it back into the family at the last minute just as it was preparing to tie the knot with a new partner.
Amid the rancour and turmoil of the last five years and as GM fought for its survival, Opel’s future was never certain. That the brand could survive was in little doubt, but under whose ownership was always open to question. Reports from the US suggest senior management in Detroit continue to ponder whether to sell off the European brand, which is hardly the sort of message that promotes positive attitudes in Germany.
Amid all the turmoil and rancour, along with several senior management departures, it’s remarkable that its engineers have managed to bring out two of its best cars in several years. The first, the Insignia, has been less of a sales success than we expected but it retains its head-turning appeal. Sit inside and the car’s styling and finish still seems incredibly fresh.
The Astra has perhaps followed more of a traditional route, lacking some of the innovative styling of Insignia. However, with the GTC it proves that there remains some strong design pedigree at the brand.
This is the “sporty” three-door version of the Astra, aimed at the young and young-at-heart who don’t regularly use the rear seats. The lozenge design fits the bill for a sleek coupe, while retaining much of the hatchback DNA. Added features, like the LED rear lights, set off the car’s image and while they might cost an extra €155, it’s well worth the money.
The downside of trying to accommodate some practicality in the rear seats, and allowing for its extended wheelbase, is that the front doors are enormously long. You really notice it when caught in a tight parking space or reaching back for the seatbelt.
The interior is as smart and cluttered as the five-door Astra. It delivers in terms of quality fit and finish but the plethora of buttons on the central console is far too busy to be intuitive, even after a week in the car.
Too many knobs and buttons clutter the dash and you’re never quite sure if you’re turning up the volume on the radio or re-routing the satnav to Belfast.
One particular boon of the GTC over its rivals is that the rear seats will take two adults. They won’t be stretching out in luxury and there might be a few gripes about the letterbox side windows, but they won’t need amputations to survive in the back.
Dynamically the GTC is a little light on its toes in general traffic, and while the steering feels sharper than the regular hatchback, you don’t feel you’re in anything sired from a hot hatch. It’s sharper than the regular version but it’s not until you actually open the throttle on some of the more challenging back roads that it seems to hunker down.
Ride comfort seems to have been a dominant engineering criteria for the car and in this regard it delivers, without throwing too much away in terms of cornering ability. Traction is good, although the true test of the chassis will come when the high performance OPC version is launched.
A mix of petrol and diesel engines are on offer, starting with a 120bhp 1.4-litre petrol at €22,995.
However, given the prevalence for diesel in Ireland, buyers have little choice but to opt for either the 1.7-litre or 2-litre diesels in order to protect resale values. And if you want an engine that’s worthy of the looks then you will need to be thinking of €25,495 for the 2-litre diesel 163bhp version. Add a few toys to the mix, courtesy of the SRi trim and you are now looking at €27,995.
That pits it against some rather tasty rivals. The VW Scirocco is arguably more eyecatching but its rear seats are even less practical than the Astra.
The extra spend on more power pushed the car into the second lowest tax band, but again that’s not too painful on the pocket for a sports hatch and there’s impressive torque from this engine that gives it some real kick, even if its engine note isn’t quite in keeping with the look.
Ultimately this is Opel’s answer to the Scirocco; in that regard it’s a very viable rival to its fellow German. Its weakness is that we suspect the Scirocco will hold its value slightly better than the Opel and that might well be held against it.
The GTC might not set the world alight in terms of performance and three-door hatchbacks lack the practicality to win favour with a utilitarian and price-sensitive market, but it will turn heads.
And for a brand that has been through several years of tumult and in hope of a rebirth, that’s just the sort of reaction it needs.
FACTFILE
ENGINE1998cc four-cylinder diesel engine putting out 163bhp @ 4,000rpm and 350Nm of torque @ 1,750rpm.
PERFORMANCE0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds (top speed 201km/h).
ECONOMY4.8 L/100km (58.9mpg).
EMISSIONS127g/km (Band B, €225 motor tax).
FEATURESStandard on SRi version is 18 black alloys; three-spoke leather steering wheel; air-con; cruise control; six airbags; stability control; daytime running lights. Options include 19 alloys (€514); forward lighting pack (€1,143); leather trim seats (€1,193); front and rear park assist (€512); LED rear lights (€155); Bluetooth connection (€365).
PRICE€27,995 for SRi (GTC range starts at €23,495).
RIVALSVW Scirocco 2.0 TDi 140bhp Sport €29,595 (motor tax: €225); Skoda Octavia RS 2.0 TDI 170bhp €28,745 (motor tax: €330); Renault Megane Coupe Monaco 1.5 dCi 106bhp €24,500 (motor tax: €160); Citroen DS4 DStyle 160bhp HDi €28,495 (motor tax: €225).
OUR RATING6/10 Strong looks but up against some serious competition.