Opel Says it Broke Many Diesel Records with Astra [w/Video]

Opel and its UK sister brand Vauxhall put together a little test to prove the reliability of their Astra hatchback equipped with a two-liter diesel engine. Two cars were driven at full throttle around the historic banked Millbrook circle, for 24 hours straight, with only 22 minutes of combined downtime between them, averaging a speed of 201 km/h or 125 mph and ending up traveling 4,800 km or 3,000 miles.

Volker Strycek, former DTM racing driver turned Director Opel Performance Cars & Motorsport acted as team captain and mentioned, “The two Astras were absolutely convincing at full throttle. The combination of performance and efficiency made the 24 hour benchmark possible. Furthermore, the cars didn’t need a single drop of oil”.

The manufacturer says that in successfully completing the run, it broke no fewer 18 records, of which 12 were world records, while 6 were local UK ones. Now it’s reportedly awaiting confirmation for having beaten the “world record for diesel passenger cars in the FIA’s 1600-2000 cc forced-induction diesel production car class,” a world record I had honestly not heard of before.

By Andrei Nedelea

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VIDEO

Opel Zafira Tourer Gets New 1.6-Liter Turbo Petrol Engine with 197HP/200 PS

Following the new 168hp (170PS) 1.6-liter SIDI turbocharged petrol engine, Opel has revealed a higher performance version that develops 197hp (200PS). The engine will debut on the Zafira Tourer MPV, which Opel says is “the most powerful compact monocab in the market place.”

Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the turbocharged, direct injected gasoline engine produces a peak torque of 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) through overboost from 1,700 to 4,700 rpm.

With the new engine, the Zafira Tourer accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.9 seconds and from 80-120 km/h (50-74 mph) in 5th gear in 8.3 seconds, while top speed is 225 km/h (140 mph). Combined fuel consumption is rated at 7 l/100 km (33.6 mpg US), with CO2 emissions of 164 g/km.

Compared to the 168hp version, the 197hp 1.6 SIDI engine features a different type of piston and a reduced compression ratio (9.5:1 compared with 10.5:1). Engineers also included numerous optimizations to the induction and exhaust systems.

The 197hp Zafira Tourer is distinguished from the dual exhaust pipes on each side and the red “turbo” emblems. This latest version of the 1.6 SIDI Turbo engine is the fourth new powertrain introduced in the Zafira Tourer in the past twelve months, following the 195PS 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI, 136PS 1.6 CDTI and the 170PS 1.6 SIDI Turbo.

Order books will open at the beginning of November, when Opel will also announce prices for the new model.

By Dan Mihalascu

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GM and PSA Axe Plans for Mid-Size Models, Narrow Their Partnership

Even though it hasn't been that long since General Motors and PSA Peugeot-Citroen announced big plans for an elaborate partnership, the two companies have failed to come to an agreement on a number of projects.
After dropping plans to jointly develop a small car for Latin America and a dual-clutch gearbox earlier this year, we now learn that GM and PSA have also scrapped plans for a joint mid-size car program that would have seen models like the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Peugeot 508 and Citroen C5 sharing parts.

This is How They Deal with Abandoned and Illegally Parked Cars in Russia

When it comes to vehicles that are abandoned or parked illegally, most municipalities will issue tickets with the hope that owners will pay up and conform to the law, but sometimes, more drastic measures are called for.
In Russia, for example, some cities have no problem taking matters into their own hands and settling the problem once and for all, giving owners a tough lesson.

New Opel / Vauxhall Cascada is a Stylish Mid-Size Four-Seater Convertible

Here comes the latest model from Opel and its British counterpart Vauxhall, the all-new Cascada, a mid-size convertible with ample seating for four that was officially revealed today ahead of a European market launch in March of 2013.
The Cascada is the brand's fourth new model this year following the Ampera, Mokka small crossover and Adam premium city car, and its first convertible after the demise of the smaller Astra Twin Top.
With the Cascada, Opel and Vauxhall are moving away from the compact segment and entering the mid-size sector. At 4,697mm long and 1,840mm wide, the Cascada is not only significantly bigger than the Astra Twin Top, but it's actually 71mm longer than the Audi A5 Cabrio and 85mm longer than the BMW 3-Series Convertible.
The car uses a platform derived from Astra and Insignia underpinnings sporting a 71mm longer wheelbase and front and rear tracks that are 56mm and 70mm wider respectively than the Astra Twin Top.
The company says that despite being significantly larger, the Cascada’s body is 43 per cent stiffer torsionally and 10 per cent more resistant to bending forces than its last open-topped car.

New Opel / Vauxhall Adam Debuts at Paris, Priced in Germany and the UK [86 Photos]

The stylish, highly customizable city car niche has just welcomed a new member. It’s the Opel or Vauxhall in the UK, Adam, a three-door, four-seater hatchback that will fight the Fiat 500 and the Mini.
Featuring a distinctive styling and what Opel calls a “floating roof” that can be ordered in two different shades that contrast the bodywork, the 3.7 m long Adam is counting a lot on the “more than a million” possible customization options and its lengthy equipment list to make a name for itself in the premium subcompact market.
Opel’s president of design Mark Adams claims, “no other car in this segment can be individualized as much as the Adam… It’s very unlikely that you’ll find two identical Adams out there”. Now, this certainly brings a sense of déjà vu – but let’s not name names…
At launch, the Adam will be available with three four-cylinder petrol engines: a 1.2-liter with 69HP (70PS) and two 1.4-liter units producing 86 or 98HP (87 and 100 PS respectively). Later on, a new generation of small petrol engines with forced induction and direct injection, as well as a new six-speed transmission, will join the range.

New Opel Astra OPC / Vauxhall VXR Vs. Renault Megane RS 265 Cup

The new Opel Astra OPC, otherwise known as the Vauxhall Astra VXR, is the latest arrival in the European hot hatch segment. If there's one model it has to beat - aside from the ever-popular VW Golf GTI, it is the highly regarded Renault Megane RS 265 Cup.
In terms of specs, the two models are similar with the Astra OPC / VXR sporting a 2.0-liter turbocharged four that produces 276hp (280PS) and 400Nm (295 lbft) of peak torque channeled to the front wheels via six-speed manual and a limited slip differential.

Meet the Adams Family: Buick's Waterfall Grille Plastered on Opel's Premium Mini

Knowing that GM has rebadged a number of Opel models as Buicks since its restructuring in 2009, including the Astra and the Insignia, there was no doubt in our minds that sooner or later, someone would turn Opel's new Adam premium city car into a Buick.
'Automotive manipulator' Theophilus Chin replaced Opel's French mustache-styled chrome piece with Buick's trademark waterfall grille, and well, that's all that was done to the car.

Opel / Vauxhall to Officially Reveal New Astra Sports Tourer this Week

An inside source has just tipped us off that General Motors' Opel unit - and consequently Vauxhall- will pull the wraps off the new Astra Sports Tourer and release the first photos and details on the car by the end of this week.

We've already shown you a bunch of revealing spy photos (here) and videos (here) of the upcoming Astra Sports Tourer and from the looks of it, the new model boasts a slicker style with a more raked roofline than today's Astra estate.

Bitter Presents New Model Based on Opel Insignia

Erich Bitter, founder of Bitter Cars, is at it again transforming GM vehicles for a select few. His latest model is based on the new Opel Insignia [Buick Regal in the States] and these are the first photos of the car, courtesy of the folks over at Motor Talk.

Bitter has yet to make an official announcement on the modified Insignia but it said that it is based on the 260HP 2.8 V6 Turbo 4x4 model with pricing to be around the €65,000 [US$80,500] mark. If true, that's €25,000 more than the model upon it is based and close to €19,000 more than the 325HP Insignia OPC.

Opel / Vauxhall Insignia Range Gains Refined and Cleaner Diesel Engines

GM's European division has fine tuned several engines in the Opel / Vauxhall Insignia range (known as the Buick Regal in the States0 for better economy and lower CO2 emissions. Aside from the changes made on the 2.0-liter Turbo unit that yield close to five per cent drop in emissions, all 2.0-liter diesel powerplants including the ecoFLEX models benefit from improvements that make them greener and less costly to run.