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

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

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.

Chris Harris Puts Ford’s Focus ST Against Opel Astra OPC and Renault Megane RS

Hot hatches are the Swiss Army knives of the automotive world in that they can do almost everything. Their humble underpinnings mean that they are as practical as any hatchback in everyday use, their tuned chassis and powerful engines can scare a sports car or two on twisty roads and they are, comparatively affordable.
There was a time, not so long ago, that putting anything more than 200-horses on the road through the front wheels was considered a recipe for terminal power understeer. Things have certainly changed and, as Chris Harris points out in the video that follows, front-wheel drive hot hatches have really become very competent.

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 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.