Press Release
Page 1 ??????????????????????????????????????? Overview
Page 2 ??????????????????????????????????????? Market
Page 3 ??????????????????????????????????????? Design
Page 4 ??????????????????????????????????????? Luggage Concept
Page 5 ??????????????????????????????????????? Interior & Equip
Page 6 ??????????????????????????????????????? Body & Safety
Page 7 ??????????????????????????????????????? Chassis - Powertrain
Page 8 ??????????????????????????????????????? Production
Page 9 ??????????????????????????????????????? Glossary
Page 10 ??????????????????????????????????????? Tech Specs
Roof and luggage compartment concept
Retractable Roof Ensemble Dances the Lambada
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Impressive 30-second show from coup?????????????????? to cabrio
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Slim silhouette and plenty of space thanks to clever roof kinematics
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Unique power loading assistant makes luggage compartment easily accessible
With its slim silhouette and elegant rear section, the Opel Astra TwinTop qualifies as lead dancer amongst cabrio-coup??????????????????s. The newest generation electro-hydraulic retractable steel roof enables a dynamic, harmonious design with well-balanced proportions. The engineering effort behind this is best illustrated by the roof??????????????????????????????????????s 30-second show when opening or closing. The complex roof kinematics do the Astra TwinTop Lambada ??????????????????????????????????????? at the touch of a button, the three roof sections and both C-pillars go through a sequence of precisely choreographed moves with the help of five electric motors, eight hydraulic cylinders, 13 sensors and a 14-joint kinematics.
The cabrio-coup????????????????????????????????????????????????????????s everyday suitability is guaranteed by its solid roof design. With a length of almost 4.5 meters and four fully-fledged seats, the Astra TwinTop reaches dimensions comparable to mid-size models. The main advantage of the concept: the three roof sections are so compact that they are stowed in the trunk in a space-saving manner. This allows generous coup?????????????????? storage volume of 440 liters to complement the spacious cabin. With the top down, the luggage compartment still has a capacity of 205 liters, and thanks to the unique loading assistant Easy Load, remains readily accessible.
All clear: Functionality follows styling
GM/Opel engineers, in close cooperation with specialists from CarTopSystems (CTS), developed the optimum roof concept for the Astra TwinTop, to ensure not only a clearly defined, flowing design line, but also outstanding interior space for a retractable steel-top model. Thanks to best-in-class shoulder and knee room, adults in the rear have plenty of space to travel comfortably.
Project Manager Klaus-Rudolf Reuter says: ???????????????????????????????????We had to meet two clear requirements: ensure high comfort with ample space for passengers and luggage, and create a striking, clear coup?????????????????? line. We couldn??????????????????????????????????????t have met these conflicting objectives with the conventional two-part retractable systems in this car category. The only thing that came into question for us was a completely new system. And now the Astra TwinTop offers both: generous space and the design quality of a coup??????????????????.????????????????????????????????
All show: A dance of components
Aside from developing the concept, realizing the three-part retractable steel roof required a great deal of fine-tuning. This is reflected in the sequence of movements controlled by the five electric motors, eight hydraulic cylinders and 13 sensors every time the top is opened or closed ??????????????????????????????????????? dubbed the ???????????????????????????????????Lambada???????????????????????????????? by the engineers. The fully automatic dance of components is initiated at the touch of a button located on the upper edge of the windshield, or via remote control integrated into the car key (Cosmo variant ex-works, Edition optional).
To set the stage, the frameless side windows move a few millimeters downward out of their moldings. Then the trunk lid tilts up towards the back of the car, while the front roof element simultaneously eases out of its fixtures. In the most spectacular scene, the three roof sections roll backwards, pivoting on the two main bearings which are at rear bench seat back height. At the same time, the rear window moves forward out of its fixtures on the C-pillars and the cover behind the rear head restraints rises up. The three roof panels then slide neatly and compactly into the upper half of the luggage compartment. Before the panel behind the rear head restraints and the trunk lid return to their closed positions, two small flaps fold out for each, nestling tightly against the body flanks to cover the gaps. In the finale of the almost 30-second performance, the side windows move back upward into their original positions. A subtle acoustic signal marks the final curtain.
Everything under control: Clockwork precision on wheels
Project Manager Reuter emphasizes that, ???????????????????????????????????the show character is no more than a welcome side-effect. We were interested in optimum functionality and reliability ??????????????????????????????????????? with as few moving parts as possible.???????????????????????????????? Proposed solutions involving a large number of puzzle-like roof segments quickly landed in the waste paper basket.
???????????????????????????????????The designers wouldn??????????????????????????????????????t agree to those ideas either, because so many seams would have disturbed the clean lines. Our solution is not only successful in terms of looks, it is also aero-acoustically flawless and completely waterproof. Clockwork precision on wheels is a fitting description.????????????????????????????????
The mechanism is designed for faultless operation. The opening procedure can be initiated only when the internal divider in the luggage compartment is in place. Connected to a contact sensor, the protective cover divides the luggage compartment horizontally and designates the usable trunk space when the top is down, preventing the roof panels from crowding pieces of luggage. In this configuration, the driver can lower the top while the car is in motion. Up to a speed of 30 km/h, the system can easily fulfill the TwinTop passengers?????????????????????????????????????? open-air wish. The same applies to raising the top. The practical added value is obvious: sudden downpours lose their power to cut a ride short. Instead of desperately searching for a stopping area, simply slowing down allows drivers to put the top up in no time at all.
Everything new: Power loading assistance
GM/Opel engineers also built an absolute novelty into the Astra TwinTop, the power loading assistant Easy Load. Thanks to this innovation, the luggage capacity of 205 liters in the cabrio configuration can be fully utilized. At the touch of a button, the horizontally stacked roof panels in the car trunk are raised automatically by around 25 centimeters. This way, luggage and shopping bags can be easily removed or stowed under the protective divider. ???????????????????????????????????We put a tremendous amount of thought and effort into the clean realization of this idea,???????????????????????????????? says Klaus-Rudolf Reuter. ???????????????????????????????????I??????????????????????????????????????m sure customers will appreciate this standard-equipment feature, because it keeps their luggage easily and readily accessible, even when the top is down.????????????????????????????????
Everything in place: Luggage compartment with high utility value
In addition, the size and format of the Astra TwinTop??????????????????????????????????????s 440-liter luggage compartment underline its suitability for everyday use. The slim construction of the trunk lid linkage also makes a space-saving contribution. Instead of the normal bulky tubular frame construction, a complex 14-joint kinematics, which moves the trunk lid in two dimensions during opening and closing, makes its premiere in the Astra TwinTop.
The luggage compartment floor has been lowered by three centimeters compared to the sedan, creating addition space. The practical and convenient design of the luggage compartment is accentuated by storage compartments on the sides, the load-through hatch for skis and the spare-tire well, in which a spare tire or four-part wind deflector (optional) and tire repair kit can be stored.
