New Opel Astra GTC - In Depth

Opel Astra GTC

108 photos attached

February 15, 2005 8:10 PM
Filed Under: German, Opel

Press Release

Page 1 - Overview
Page 2 - Executive Statements
Page 3 - Market and Model
Page 4 - Design and body
Page 5 - Equipment and options
Page 6 - Chassis
Page 7 - Powertrain
Page 8 - Production, service and quality
Overview

Gran Turismo Compact

With the new Astra GTC (Gran Turismo Compact), possibly the most exciting Astra ever comes to market. The new model has been available for order since the end of 2004 and will be available at dealerships in March. The third unique model in the new Astra generation is the most dramatic interpretation yet of Opel's new design language. While the GTC boasts output up to 200 hp and a top speed up to 234 km/h, its striking design includes sporty proportions, a sleek silhouette with an arched, sloping roofline and pronounced tapering of the front and rear overhangs. Its body is 15 mm lower, magnifying the car's powerful look. The expressively designed body is completely new - only the hood and front fender were taken over from the five-door Astra. The GTC's unique character is accentuated by an optional panorama windshield - offered for the first time in a production model - which extends from the hood up to the B-pillar and creates a whole new sense of space and visibility. The panorama windshield makes its world premiere in the GTC and is available beginning in April.

The Astra GTC's dynamic looks turn into action on the road, thanks to its specially tuned IDS chassis (Interactive Driving System) with ESPPlus, traction control and ABS brake system with brake assist. The adaptive chassis system IDSPlus, with electronic damping control (CDC - Continuous Damping Control) and the networking of all electronic chassis systems, is available as an option. With IDSPlus, GTC drivers can also activate a sport set-up at the touch of a button located in the cockpit. This regulates damper adjustment as well as accelerator-pedal and power steering response. In conjunction with automatic and Easytronic transmissions, gear shift points are also modified.

Wide range of engines: Nine ECOTEC units from 90 to 200 hp

At market launch, the Astra GTC comes with a wide range of fuel-efficient and powerful ECOTEC engines to choose from: five gasoline units (1.4 - 2.0-liter displacements, 90 - 200 hp) and four CDTI common-rail turbo-diesel engines (1.3 - 1.9-liter displacements, 90 - 150 hp). Both the 2.0-liter top-of-the-line power unit, with output of 147 kW (200 hp) and the 1.9 CDTI diesel with 110 kW (150 hp) are a perfect fit to the Astra GTC's dynamic character. These two engines, come with a six-speed transmission and are really fun to drive. The 200 hp Astra GTC Turbo sprints from zero to 100 km/h in just 7.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 234 km/h. The 150 hp 1.9 CDTI is among the most powerful diesel engines in the compact class. The unit develops maximum torque of 320 Nm at only 2000 rpm, has a top speed of 210 km/h and goes from zero - 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds.

All ECOTEC engines comply with the Euro 4 emissions standard, and the two more powerful CDTI diesel units are also available with an optional maintenance-free diesel particulate filter (DPF). Innovative TWINPORT technology, for the Astra GTC's 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter four-valve gasoline engines, is a further plus for the environment, reducing fuel consumption by up to ten percent under normal driving conditions. All gasoline engines up to 1.8-liter displacements and the 1.7 CDTI come standard with a five-speed manual transmission, while the 1.3 CDTI, the two 1.9 CDTI turbo-diesels and both 2.0-liter turbo gasoline units are delivered ex-works with a six-speed transmission (optional for 1.7 CDTI). Easytronic automated five-speed manual transmission (1.6-liter gasoline models) or a four-speed automatic (1.8-liter gasoline models) are available on request.

Customer-oriented: Comprehensive safety and comfort equipment

The new GTC is offered in four model lines - besides the entry-level version these are Edition, Sport and Cosmo. Standard equipment includes the comprehensive SAFETEC safety system with IDS chassis including ESPPlus, TCPlus, ABS and brake assist as well as front, thorax/pelvis side and head curtain airbags. SAFETEC also features de-coupling pedals (PRS - Pedal Release System), active head restraints in front and three height-adjustable head restraints in the rear. All GTC versions also boast comfortable features like Easy Entry and memory function for the front seats, adjustable and heatable power exterior mirrors, power windows, cruise control, remote-control central locking, a pollen filter and 16-inch wheels.

Unique: Dynamic and expressive design

The new Astra GTC owes its unique, powerful look to its sporty proportions (length/width/height: 4288/2033/1413 millimeters). The dynamic, V-shaped front end with the Opel logo on a crossmember in the radiator grille, along with the characteristic crease flowing from the hood into the passenger cabin to the rear, clearly identify the GTC as a member of the Astra family. V-shaped tapering much more pronounced than the five-door model's, the newly designed bumper, a modified radiator grille and larger air inlets give the GTC an individual and unmistakable face. Although the front appears wider, thanks to a reduced frontal area and a slightly improved drag coefficient (cD =0.32), the GTC is roughly four percent more aerodynamic (cD x A = 0.66 m2) than its five-door counterpart.

The newcomer is no less distinctive from the rear. Here lamps consisting of two blocks mounted on chromed surfaces are among the GTC's striking features. The chromed surfaces magnify the taillights, making them even more clearly visible to drivers approaching from behind.

The Astra GTC's profile is dominated by its broad shoulders and strongly contoured side sills, as well as the characteristic arched sloping roofline. Together with the angular rear side windows, this creates a particularly taut profile. All this is further underscored by black B-pillars, which blend in with the side windows, giving the impression of a single uniform surface.

The GTC achieves its sporty look without compromise in terms of everyday functionality and spaciousness. Thanks to a sporty low seating position, headroom is only slightly less than in the five-door model. The GTC has the same wheelbase (2.61 meters) and luggage compartment volume (380 liters) as the five-door Astra. The rear seat backs can be folded down in a 60:40 split (optionally 40:20:40) for more flexible use of interior space. Even though the designers snugly pulled in the side windows to give the body-shoulder more tightness, the GTC seats three adults in the rear.

Quality from day 1: State-of-the-art production facilities

The new GTC is manufactured in the Belgian Astra plant in Antwerp. Like the other two Astra plants, located in Bochum (Germany) and Ellesmere Port (England), these production facilities were modernized at a total investment volume of one billion euro, to also ensure the carmaker's high quality standards for the newest Opel model.

The fact that GTC buyers - like all Opel customers - get a top-quality product is underlined by the two-year manufacturer's warranty that Opel offers instead of the customary compulsory version. Opel also grants a 12-year anti-perforation warranty.

Cost of ownership is further minimized by high value retention, long service intervals, low maintenance volumes and service-friendly design.

For 2005, production of the Astra GTC is planned at a capacity of around 60,000 units. Opel´s marketing experts expect that the GTC will make up 13 to 16 percent of total Astra sales, depending on the country.

New Opel Astra GTC: Technical data overview

Executive Statements on New Opel Astra GTC

Carl-Peter Forster, President, General Motors Europe

“The outstanding success of the new-generation Astra models launched so far – the five-door variant and the station wagon – makes me even more confident about the new Astra GTC. With its unique combination of expressive design and innovative technology, this car will win new customers and take Opel another step forward on its way into a successful future as the innovative brand at the core of GM's volume business in Europe.�

Hans H. Demant, Managing Director, Adam Opel AG and Vice President, Engineering, General Motors Europe

“The excellent results achieved by our cars in many comparison tests by car magazines, and in independent quality surveys, confirm that our strategy of the last few years has been successful. Continuous and consistent improvements in product quality, as well as state-of-the-art technology such as the IDSPlus chassis with electronic damping control, are making their mark. At the same time, it is a priority to ensure that all these benefits remain affordable for our customers.�

Bryan Nesbitt, Executive Director, Design, General Motors Europe

“The GTC is the most dramatic interpretation yet of the Astra design language. Even at first glance, its proportions and lines communicate dynamics and exciting driving. It's obvious that the GTC's positioning as a unique model variant was a major factor in the development of its design. And this is precisely what gave the Astra design team the opportunity to realize even more expressive styling than with the five-door variant or the station wagon.�

Alain Visser, Executive Director, European Marketing, Adam Opel AG

“With the new Astra GTC, we are introducing a model to the market that breaks away from the traditional 'two doors less than five-door variants' approach and offers a unique concept with no compromises. The GTC, which stands for Gran Turismo Compact, particularly appeals to drivers who place high value on expressive design, innovative technology and exciting driving - exactly the GTC's highlights. In my opinion, this makes it the most compelling and attractive car in a competitive environment in which I would also include the Alfa 147, Audi A3 or the upcoming three-door variant of the BMW 1 series.�

Jean-Marc Gales, Executive Director, Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Adam Opel AG

“The new Astra GTC extends the new Astra family with a particularly exciting model variant. With its top 200 hp engine, the GTC is one of the most dynamic and fastest cars in the compact class. The panorama windscreen, premiering in the GTC, adds to the car's appeal. This car represents the dynamic potential of the Opel brand.�

Reinald Hoben, Executive Director, Manufacturing, Adam Opel AG and General Motors Europe

“We've invested over one billion euro in the modernization of Astra production facilities, further improvement of quality management, and employee training. This ensures a high level of quality, reliability and value retention, also for the new Astra GTC. In addition, all the improvements that have gone into the other Astra models in the course of the last months were built into the GTC from the very beginning of production.�

Market and Model

New Astra GTC is Trend-Setter in Evolving Compact Segment

The compact class is changing: while traditional entry-level models designed according to the “five minus two doors� concept are losing market share, the so-called “modern three-door� sub-segment is steadily gaining popularity. This segment has significantly increased its share of the European compact three-door model market, from 28 percent in 1999 to 43 percent in 2003.

Buyers of the modern three-door are discerning, generally well-educated customers, who value expressive design, innovative technology and driving pleasure. And with its dynamic looks, state-of-the-art technology and wide range of powerful, fuel-efficient diesel and gasoline engines with outputs from 90 to 200 hp, these are exactly the new Astra GTC's (Gran Turismo Compact) highlights. GM/Opel designers, engineers and marketing experts agree that all these elements add up to make the new GTC the most compelling and attractive model of the modern three-door generation.

Design, innovative technology and driving pleasure are among the key criteria in winning over car buyers in the modern three-door class. According to Opel marketing specialists, this premium-oriented segment includes cars such as the Alfa 147, the Audi A3 or the upcoming three-door BMW 1 series. In addition to the Audi A3 and the BMW 3 series Compact, models like the Renault Mégane Coach and Fiat Bravo were the first vanguards of this new, modern three-door class in the mid-nineties.

Models based on the traditional “five minus two doors� concept, on the other hand, are on the decline. Their share of the three-door segment in the hatchback compact class dropped from 72 percent or around 764,000 units in 1999 to 57 percent or about 420,000 units in 2003. One reason for this development is the increase of alternatives available to function-oriented car buyers over the past years.

These include models that have grown in size but are still referred to as small cars, as well as practical and versatile vans such as the Opel Meriva.

The Astra GTC offers high everyday functionality, too. For example, this sporty variant in the Astra model range has five seats and offers 380 liters (according to VDA norm) luggage compartment volume, just as much as the five-door Astra. It also features rear seat backs that fold down in a 60:40 split (optionally 40:20:40) for flexible use of interior space.

The GTC's extensive standard equipment includes a wide range of comfort elements and the top-of-the-line SAFETEC safety system of the new Astra model range. In addition to the entry-level version, the new GTC is offered in three further model lines: Edition, Sport and Cosmo. Each version has a character of its own, thanks to distinctive visual and functional details.

Opel expects the Edition equipment line to top GTC buyers' list, with a share of roughly 45 percent, followed by Cosmo with 25 percent. The trend toward high-end equipment is also reflected in the choice of powerful engines. The four top-of-the-line gasoline and diesel engines – the 1.9 CDTI units with 120 and 150 hp, and the 2.0 turbo with 170 and 200 hp – are expected to have a share of 10 percent, four percent more than in the five-door model in 2004. Roughly 35 percent of GTC buyers will choose the 105 hp 1.6 TWINPORT, with approximately 30 percent selecting the 1.7 CDTI, 100 hp unit.

This year, Astra GTC sales throughout Europe are forecast to reach about 55,000 units. Around ten percent are to feature the innovative panorama windshield, which makes its world premiere in the newcomer. Opel says the sporty front-wheel drive, available at dealers for the first time between March 12 and April 16, 2005, depending on the country, will be seen most often on the roads in Germany and the UK. Approximately 17,000 and 8500 GTC models, respectively, have been allocated to these two major markets. They are followed by Spain with 7000, as well as France and Italy with 6000 units each.

These planning figures foresee the GTC accounting for roughly 13 percent (Europe-wide) up to 16 percent (Germany) of total Astra sales.

Interview

Peter Filsinger, Astra Marketing Manager, Europe

“There are no restrictions on everyday usability with the GTC�

What are the differences between the Astra GTC and a conventional coupe?

In addition to a certain sporty element, many people associate the term “coupe" with various disadvantages: first and foremost, cramped conditions in the rear seat area or a smaller luggage compartment. This doesn't apply to the GTC, which doesn't suffer from any day-to-day usability restrictions. The GTC is a five-seat car and has the same trunk capacity as a five-door hatchback.

Are there other distinguishing features?

Yes. Whereas other coupes are only available with very powerful engines, we offer a bigger choice for the GTC: the same potent engines as are available for the five-door hatchback and station wagon and a wide range with power outputs starting at 90 hp. The GTC isn't just an attractive choice in its category for sports car enthusiasts, but for everybody who loves beautiful cars.

So does the GTC define a new compact class segment?

I wouldn't call it an entirely new segment because, after all, there are other cars with styling and overall appearance that differ from traditional compact-class cars. Typical examples are the Audi A3, the Alfa 147 or the upcoming three-door version of the BMW 1 series. I feel that the new Astra GTC with its dynamic, progressive styling is the most compelling and consistent car in this group.

What role do you intend the GTC to play within the Astra model line?

Like all compact cars, the Astra is aimed at many different target groups almost one third of the total market consists of compact cars. The Astra GTC will mainly appeal to customers who aren't looking for a conventional compact three-door car; people for whom styling and innovative technology are a priority. Most of these customers today drive a compact car, a subcompact or a compact coupe.

The GTC is the world's first car with a panorama windshield. How important is this innovative optional extra for the GTC?

It sets the GTC apart even more from its rivals and emphasizes its unique status within the Astra model line. We expect that about ten percent of GTC buyers will choose this unique windshield system that extends back into the roof.

Is the GTC the most sporty Astra?

It certainly is at the moment if it's ordered with the 150 hp CDTI Powerdiesel or the 200 hp Turbo engine, but we will top this soon with an OPC version based on the GTC.

Will you wait for it, or is the GTC already your dream car?

I like design and the arts and I appreciate discreet sporty character. The GTC Cosmo with its part-leather sports seats, its instruments with chrome rings and the discreet decor strips is my favorite. I will go for the 150 hp 1.9 CDTI engine and the panorama windshield – of course!

Design and body

GTC Embodies Dynamics and Emotion

With its expressive and decidedly dynamic design, the GTC is the most dramatic interpretation yet of the Astra´s design language. It is the third model in Opel's new-generation compact class, following the five-door hatchback and the station wagon. Its most notable features are its sporty proportions (length/width including exterior mirrors/height: 4288/2033/1413 millimeters), its short looking overhangs, and, most important of all, the muscular shoulders and the sleek silhouette. The latter results from a body that is 15 mm lower than the five-door model, with a roof that is 32 mm lower, making the GTC look as if it's crouched and ready to leap.

The GTC's unique position within the Astra model line is emphasized by the fact that all the body parts except the engine hood, front fenders, headlights, door handles and mirrors are new. Even stronger proof is that the new three-door Astra is the first production model with a “panoramic windshield�. Opel exhibited a similarly attractive windshield back in the spring of 2003 on the “GTC Genève� study at the Geneva Motor Show.

The more extreme tapering in of the front and rear ends is one feature that adds emotion to the GTC's interpretation of the Astra's formal idiom, with its harmonious combination of taut surfaces and striking lines. The GTC's body is 39 mm longer than the five-door Astra, which in combination with its sleek silhouette makes it look even more athletic. The lightness of the delicate roof is a formal element, and an optical illusion is achieved at the same time: The bumper lines, which extend over the car's entire width, and the slimmer radiator grille make the engine hood look wider. In fact, the GTC has a slightly smaller frontal area and a lower drag coefficient (cD = 0.32) resulting in around four percent better aerodynamics (cD x A = 0.66 m2) than the five-door model´s.

Another characteristic styling element of the GTC is its arch-shaped, falling roof line. In combination with the windows, which come to a point at the rear, it gives the styling with extra tension when seen from the side. The stretched, elegant windows look as if they were made in one piece. This impression is created by the GTC's black B pillars. In addition to the shoulder, which dominates from every perspective and no matter where the light comes from, the powerful modeled sills are striking elements when looking at the car from the side. They make the center of gravity of the lowered body look even lower.

The GTC achieves its sporty look without compromise in terms of everyday functionality and spaciousness. Thanks to a sporty low seating position, headroom is only slightly less than in the five-door model. Moreover, the GTC has the same wheelbase (2.61 meters) and luggage compartment volume (380 liters) as the five-door Astra. The rear seat backs can be folded down in a 60:40 split (optionally 40:20:40) for more flexible use of interior space. Even though the designers snugly pulled in the side windows to give the body-shoulder more tightness, the GTC seats three adults in the rear. Rear legroom is 890 mm. Everybody who travels in a GTC feels as if they are wearing a sporty, tailor-made suit, due largely to the slightly increased slope of the windows and the lower seat position.

Striking looks: unique rear-lights accents

The new Astra GTC also features very dramatic rear end styling. This is emphasized by the roof, which is shorter and drawn in significantly more than on the five-door Astra, and by the striking rear lights. These are one of the GTC's unmissable highlights: they wrap around a long way toward the front, combining the rear and side graphic elements with the roofline on both sides. The light units consist of two colored blocks (anthracite at the top, red at the bottom) and look as if they float freely under a transparent glass cover. The special highlight here is that the chrome surface underneath the three-dimensionally shaped blocks makes them look slim and enlarges the light surface like a mirror at the same time. This improves the visibility of the flashers, brake lights and other lights for those who drive behind the GTC.

Despite all these unique features, the GTC is clearly recognizable as a member of the dynamic, successful Astra family. The V-shaped front end, the Opel “lightning flash� positioned on a chrome bar on the radiator grille and the “crease� are shared characteristics. The prominent crease quotes a classic Opel styling element, extending from the hood to the interior and then to the rear end like a continuous thread.

World premiere: Panorama windshield creates a new sense of space and visibility

Like the other Astra models, the new GTC's interior features dynamic shapes, high-quality surface 'feel' and top-quality materials. A whole new sense of space is provided by the optional panorama windshield (start of production: April 2005), implemented for the first time on a series-production car and available exclusively for the GTC. The driver and front passenger enjoy a view as if from a sport airplane's cockpit – almost limitless freedom when looking out of the car. The 1.50 meter long and 1.16 meter wide windshield, made of heat-insulating Solar Protect glass, seamlessly extends from the hood up into the roof as far as the B-pillar, without any cross-beam to obstruct the view. This panoramic view makes driving in the mountains or in a brightly illuminated big city at night a very special experience for all the GTC's occupants.

At daytime, a sophisticated shading system protects occupants - in addition to the Solar Protect glass - from too much sun. The stepless adjustable system is located in a space-saving fashion under the steel roof, is extremely easy to operate and includes two fold-out sun visors.

The panorama windshield is also an eye-catcher from outside, as it flows into the adjacent, black laquered steel roof, creating a visually integrated surface.

Numerous crash simulations and real tests show that the innovative panorama windshield system in no way impairs safety or stability. All results confirm that there are no noteworthy differences to the steel roof three-door model, thanks to the GTC's rigid A and B-pillars, an additional crossmember in the middle of the roof and the sturdy floor assembly. All tests regarding body rigidity had similar positive results.

Exemplary: SAFETEC safety system protects all the occupants

A highly rigid, deformation-resistant body forms a basis for the safety of the third-generation Astra and therefore of the new Astra GTC. These features create an equally strong foundation for the comprehensive SAFETEC safety system, which has received high praise from an independent source: During crash tests carried out by the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) consumer protection organization, the five-door Astra was awarded the maximum five-star ranking for occupant protection.

The well thought-out SAFETEC concept is based on the interaction of all standard active and passive safety features, including the following:

Driving safety is improved even more with innovative technologies that were never available in this quantity in the compact car segment before the start of the new generation Astra. Of particular note are the IDSPlus chassis system with electronic damping control and the networking of all dynamic driving systems and the steering-linked AFL-headlamp system (Adaptive Forward Lighting) with bi-xenon lamps and dynamic curve and adaptive highway light functions. Other important safety features include the automatic ALC (Automatic Lighting Control) low-beam headlight system, a rain sensor, the Quickheat heating system that prevents windows from fogging over again when the ice has been scratched off and heats the interior faster, and TPMS (the Tire Pressure Monitoring System).

Interview

Friedhelm Engler, the Astra's Chief Designer and Director for Design Integration

“Two doors less doesn't equal a unique profile�

The 'GTC Genève' study at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show was a preview of the design language of the new-generation Astra. How much of it can be detected in series production models?

My feeling is that the production cars are even more progressive and fresher than the design study. Overall, we have realized well over 90 percent of the show car's ideas on the production models. I'm sure anyone who sees especially the new GTC will notice this at once.

So the study was an appetizer rather than just a foretaste?

Yes, because we already knew what we wanted. This is why, when a competitor's chief designer asked me at the Geneva Motor Show how close the study was to the production models, I replied in all honesty that they were practically identical.

All Astra versions are visually very distinct. How did you achieve this?

From the outset, the architecture was planned to permit this dramatic differentiation. It was an opportunity for me and my colleagues to take a big step forward with the GTC's styling versus the five-door hatchback. We didn't simply leave out two doors! A solution as simple as that isn't enough today to give the model a unique profile.

How much time elapsed between the realization of the various Astra models at the Design Center?

The body outlines were created in parallel. This simultaneous method also had an important impact on the distinguishing featuress between the various models. For instance, emotional styling elements originally intended for the GTC were used for the five-door Astra. In order to retain the visual distinction, our next step was to make the GTC even more expressive.

What is the most exciting styling detail on the new GTC for you personally?

A very central element is the three-dimensional taillight assembly, in which the proportions and lines of the C pillars, the roof and the boldly-shaped shoulders reach their climax. To me, it's the GTC's strongest visual feature.

Interview

Matthias Hallik, Panorama Windshield Project Manager, Astra GTC

“It was time to think about the roof dividing line�

How did you get the idea for the panorama windshield?

On our modern cars such as the Vectra, there is already no sharp angle at the transition between the windshield and the roof. The time had arrived to think about the dividing line between the roof and the windshield and where it makes the most sense.

In 2003, we presented for the first time the concept of a windshield extending into the roof with our “GTC Genève� study.

What is the difference between the panorama windshield and some other competitors' glass roofs?

The most important difference is simply that it's a windshield extending into the roof. As the term implies, a glass roof is located in the roof. The panorama windshield's highlight is that there is no transverse cross-beam in front of the occupants' heads to obstruct the view. For the driver and front passenger in particular, this opens up an entirely new visual experience and sense of space. Even a convertible can't achieve the same effect, due to the windshield frame. Occupants in the rear, too, benefit considerably from the unobstructed panoramic view.

Why is there no difference in safety compared with the steel-roof GTC?

The front roof frame, which 20 years ago used to contribute decisively to the car's torsional rigidity, has become less and less important over time, whereas the dominating crash reinforcements that are increasingly important for overall rigidity are now in the side panels and floor pan. We were nonetheless slightly surprised that we were able to build the GTC with panorama windshield with only minor structural modifications to the basic vehicle and no losses in terms of rigidity and safety. The six-millimeter laminated safety glass also has a positive effect on structural behavior, but even without the glass, the structure would provide sufficient occupant protection.

How is the curved windshield manufactured?

It is manufactured by a company in Peru that specializes in producing armored-glass windows for politicians' cars and VIP limousines. They use the so-called gravity bending technique. A window is first heated at specific points in a special oven until it becomes so hot that it adopts a pre-defined form by gravity alone. This is far from easy with glass this thick and with a surface area of about 1.8 square meters!

What makes the panorama windshield attractive for you personally?

On your first ride, you feel as if you're on a mountaintop with no guard rails, but after a couple of minutes, you start to enthuse about it. You feel confined as soon as you get into a “normal� car again. You also see what's around you quite literally in a new light; it feels as if you're driving a route for the first time even though you may have traveled it a hundred times before.

Equipment and options

Tailor-made Offer with Four Model Lines

With its choice of powerful engines, agile suspension and expressive styling, the new GTC is a perfect example of the new dynamics now to be found in the compact car category.

In addition to the entry-level version, the GTC is also available in the Edition, Sport and Cosmo model lines. These four lines differ in their optical and functional details and each has its own character (see the detailed overview at the end of this chapter). This customer orientation makes it easy for GTC buyers to find the version that best meets their requirements and personal tastes.

All Astra GTC versions feature extensive standard equipment including the exemplary SAFETEC safety system and many items that enhance comfort and convenience, such as electrically adjustable, heated outside mirrors, power windows with anti-trap protection, an Easy Entry system for the front seats with memory function, cruise control, tinted windows, a height and reach adjustable steering column, electro-hydraulic power steering, seat height adjustment for the driver and a central locking system with radio-operated remote control. Standard equipment also includes another convenient function: The “Follow-Me-Home� light keeps the headlamps on for 30 seconds in a dark drive or garage, for instance, after the occupants have left the car. The Astra GTC Edition, Sport and Cosmo feature in addition air conditioning and an audio system with CD player.

Functional features, which are also available separately, and around 50 other optional extras offer further scope for customizing. In addition, buyers can benefit from price advantages when ordering from the choice of equipment packages. And: Optional extras for the GTC include a range of innovative technologies that were never available in this quantity in the compact car segment before the start of the new generation Astra.

Of particular note are the IDSPlus chassis system with electronic damping control and the networking of all dynamic driving systems and the steering-linked AFL-headlamp system (Adaptive Forward Lighting) with bi-xenon lamps and dynamic curve and adaptive highway light functions. Exclusively available for the GTC is a panorama windshield, having its world premiere in this new Astra model.

Here is an excerpt from available optional extras for the GTC:

Astra GTC buyers can also choose between state-of-the-art infotainment systems, which are known from the other Astra models, featuring many different functions and an intuitive operating concept. New is the DVD 90 Navi radio navigation system. In addition to the CD 70 Navi model, it provides a digital travel guide with a convenient search and select function and the major advantage that one DVD disk contains the map and navigation software for as many as 21 European countries.

Interview

Andreas Börner, Astra Product Manager, Europe

“There is strong demand for high-tech features and optional extras on the Astra�

Why does Opel offer equipment and trim lines with different styling and content for the Astra?

With these different structures we can satisfy our customers' requirements and tastes more specifically, true to our brand slogan “We build your car�. To define these preferences exactly, we studied the demands and expectations of compact car buyers in several European countries in a comprehensive survey.

The Astra GTC is not available with the “Elegance� line. Why?

The Astra GTC is aimed at a more progressive, styling-orientated customer group that isn't interested in the rather conservative elegance of that line. This is why do not offer it.

The GTC is available with technical innovations that are new to its segment; they can be ordered as optional extras or packages. How many of those who buy the Astra five-door and station wagon models, which have already been launched, take advantage of this offer?

More than 50 optional extras are available, and there is heavy demand for them, especially the high-tech ones. This is true in particular of the model versions with a higher positioning: In Germany, for instance, 34 percent of those who bought a five-door Astra Sport ordered the IDSPlus chassis, and more than 50 percent of Astra station wagon Cosmo sales in France include this sophisticated system.

Which of the other optional extras or packages are in strong demand?

Cosmo owners order twice as many navigation systems (in Germany: between two and four times as many) or the AFL Adaptive Forward Lighting compared with the average for all the model lines, where the ordering level is six percent (Germany: 12 %) and nine percent (Germany: 36 %), respectively. This trend is even more obvious for the optional 17-inch wheels, for which demand in Europe is five and four times respectively above the average for the Astra Sport and Cosmo models.

Does demand differ from country to country?

Yes, quite dramatically. Orders for AFL are especially high at ten percent in Germany and Switzerland, for instance, while 57 percent of the customers in France choose the light and visibility package with a rain sensor, electrochromatic inside mirror and Automatic Lighting Control (ALC). In Italy and Spain, on the other hand, the electronic climate control is particularly popular at 70 and 67 percent respectively.

What would the most important optional extra on the GTC be for you personally?

Definitely the panorama windshield, because my dream as a child was to be a sailplane pilot. The windshield extending back into the roof would give me that 'pilot experience' every day!

Chassis

High-tech for Dynamic Driving and Safe Roadholding

Exceptional agility, driving safety and great comfort – these were the most important criteria for Opel's engineers when they chose the suspension settings for the new Astra GTC. In accordance with its positioning as the most expressive and dynamic model in the new-generation Astra line, the GTC has been designed to convey its qualities not only visually, but also in every aspect of its road behavior.

In order to emphasize the third Astra generation's dynamic lines and proportion even more, the body has been lowered by 15 millimeters compared to the five-door hatchback by shortening the springs. The next step the engineers took was to modify the spring and shock absorber ratings. Depending on the engine, they increased the spring rate by four or five rate points. Opel's suspension specialists also tuned the dampers to make them slightly firmer. The GTC, which comes with 16-inch wheels as standard, feels even more sportive, with more responsive steering and less body roll than the five-door Astra. This enhanced sports character was not achieved by an inappropriate decrease in comfort – the GTC reaches approximately the same level of ride comfort as the five-door model with the optional sports suspension.

The ideal starting point for the GTC's fine tuning was the new model generation's IDS suspension (Interactive Driving System), which has been much praised by experts and Astra drivers. In addition to the ESPPlus electronic stability program, the TCPlus traction control, ABS anti-lock brake system and the fuel-saving EHPS Electro Hydraulic Power Steering, it has MacPherson front suspension struts and a hydro-formed suspension sub-frame with decoupled support bearings and weight-dependent spring rates, both of which increase ride comfort. The rear wheels are located by a specially adapted torsion crank axle of double-walled U section. This design combines the advantages of conventional twist-beam rear axles such as low space requirement, low weight, and high resistance to camber angle changes with scope for exact tuning to the specific requirements of different cars within a model line.

A 15-inch brake system (16-inch on models with more powerful engines) with disks at on all wheels ensures good deceleration values in all driving situations. In case of an emergency stop, a Brake Assistant boosts brake pressure and keeps stopping distances to a minimum.

In addition a special sport chassis is available for the Astra GTC, featuring a rear axle tuned for maximum dynamics. The IDS sport chassis is standard on the GTC Sport and can be ordered for all engines with a power output of 74 kW (100 hp) or more. It is always combined with the so called SportSwitch (see below).

The IDSPlus concept: The first networked high-tech solutions in a compact-class car

While the GTC's basic suspension already offers exemplary road behavior, the adaptive IDSPlus suspension system available as an optional extra for the new Astra generation sets new and even higher standards in road dynamics and active safety. Numerous high-tech solutions make this possible, including networking the sensors and control units of all the road dynamics systems together to create an integrated suspension control system. The various control units are networked via three innovative CAN bus systems (Controller Area Network) with a data transmission rate of 500 kilobits per second.

An essential element of the IDSPlus concept is the CDC (Continuous Damping Control) system, which used to be available only for exclusive luxury and sports cars before its introduction in the compact car category on the new Astra. CDC adjusts the characteristics of the four shock absorbers, which are controlled by solenoid valves, steplessly and continuously to match road conditions, vehicle movements and driving style. The controlled damping always offers the highest possible ride comfort, improves wheel grip in all driving situations and helps reduce braking distances.

Sports Program: Changing the driving characteristics at the push of a button

The driver more agile suspension settings with an extremely active driving characteristic can be selected from the driving seat with the SportSwitch (standard with IDSPlus and on the GTC Sport). Activating the sports mode influences the shock absorber settings (only on IDSPlus), steering and accelerator pedal response and the shift points for the automatic transmission or Easytronic automated-shift gearbox. The driver can also choose to switch off ESPPlus.

Opel's engineers have developed even more functions for the new Astra generation which are genuinely useful for everyday driving situations and increase active safety even further. They include:

Interview

Michael Harder, Manager, Chassis Development, Astra

“In the GTC, you always feel more sporty�

The Astra GTC's body is lower than that of the five-door hatchback. Is sports suspension standard on the GTC?

To enhance the car's emotional, dynamic look, we have fitted shorter springs and shock absorbers and tuned them specially to compensate for the shorter spring travel. In addition to the lowered body for all GTC versions, a special sports suspension is available, featuring a rear axle tuned for maximum dynamics. The standard GTC comes with the same IDS suspension known from the Astra models. However, you always feel more sporty in the GTC without any major sacrifices in comfort.

Are there other reasons too for this difference?

In addition to measurable factors, subjective perceptions also play a role. First, the GTC's slightly different interior dimensions conveys what our designers call the “sneaker feeling�, an impression that is reinforced even more on the GTC “Sport� model due to its dark roof lining. Second, the seat position is lower and therefore more sporty because the GTC's hip point – which we call the H-point – is around 10 millimeters lower.

Where was the GTC's suspension tuned during the development phase?

Settings for the spring rates, shock absorbers, stabilizers, suspension geometry and the ESP software were finalized on our test track in Pferdsfeld and on the Nürburg Ring racing circuit. During the cold season, we used the test tracks in Idiada (Spain) and Nardo (Italy) so that we had dry roads with lots of grip. We checked low-grip performance on ice and snow at GM's proving ground in Sweden.

In comparative and individual tests, car magazines have praised the Astra's suspension design. How important is this recognition of your work to you and your colleagues?

We're not immune to praise, of course, so we were very pleased with what they wrote. It clearly shows that we've achieved new compact-class suspension quality for the first time with the standard IDS suspension and the optional IDSPlus chassis with Continuous Damping Control (CDC) and networking of all electronic chassis systems; in other words, we're on the right path. This isn't only confirmed by the media, but also by the market: customer acceptance of innovation such as IDSPlus is very good.

What do you remember most vividly about your suspension development work?

During a trial run in Spain, we installed the suspension that we had pre-developed in component vehicles in a finished Astra prototype, and tuned the settings on the mountain roads around the Idiada test track. The driving dynamics and the car's dynamic styling were an excellent match right away.

Powertrain

Modern Engines for Top Dynamics and Exciting Driving

The two top-of-the-line engines available for the GTC, are the perfect match for the dynamic, sporting properties of the most athletic Astra model: The 200 hp 2.0-liter Turbo gasoline engine and the 150 hp 1.9 CDTI – one of the most powerful diesel engines in its class. The big range of state-of-the-art diesel and gasoline engines proves that the Astra GTC is not only made for drivers interested in ample power but is also an attractive offer for all other customers, thanks to its expressive styling. All nine ECOTEC engines have four cylinders with four valves per cylinder, comply with the Euro 4 exhaust emission standard and combine high performance with low fuel consumption.

The top-of-the-line 147 kW (200 hp) engine makes the new Astra GTC one of the fastest cars in the compact segment. The 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine enables maximum speed of 234 km/h and 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in just 7.8 seconds. For the sprint from 80 – 120 km/h in fifth gear the 200 hp GTC Turbo needs only 0.1 seconds longer. This superb elasticity is due to the torque characteristic: 250 Nm are available over a broad rev band from as low as 1950 min-1 and the peak value of 262 Nm is reached at 4200 min-1. The ECOTEC Turbo offers this performance at moderate fuel consumption of 9.3 liters per 100 kilometers.

The 125 kW (170 hp) version of the modern 2.0-liter Turbo engine also offers lots of acceleration and pulling power while consuming even less fuel (9.0 liters per 100 km). Maximum torque of 250 Nm is provided between 1950 and 4000 min-1. The 170 hp Astra GTC accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 220 km/h.

Both 2.0-liter engines feature Opel's typical turbo technology, which combines the exhaust manifold, turbine housing and other components into a single module to save space and weight. The engines are supplied as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox.

The third gasoline engine option is the 1.8-liter 92 kW (125 hp) ECOTEC unit with a maximum torque of 170 Nm. It is combined with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, a four-speed automatic transmission is available as an option. The performance and consumption figures for the Astra GTC 1.8 are: Top speed of 200 km/h (190 km/h with automatic transmission), acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds (11.7 s) and a fuel consumption of 7.7 liters per 100 kilometers (8.1 liters/100 km).

Innovative, fuel-saving TWINPORT technology is the key to the particularly low fuel consumption and good performance of the two other gasoline engines available for the GTC. TWINPORT was developed specifically for four-valve gasoline engines with displacements of up to 1.6 liters and reduces fuel consumption by up to ten percent in real-life conditions with the help of a variable intake control and high exhaust gas recirculation rates.

The 1.6 TWINPORT engine has a power output 77 kW (105 hp) and delivers maximum torque of 150 Nm. In combination with the standard five-speed manual gearbox, the Astra GTC 1.6 TWINPORT requires 6.6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. It accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 12.2 seconds and its maximum speed is 187 km/h. This engine is also available with the Easytronic five-speed automatic-shift gearbox, which reduces fuel consumption to 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers. For dynamic driving styles, Easytronic has a special sport program with all the shift points moved up into the upper, more powerful engine speed range for more dynamic shifting.

The 66 kW (90 hp) 1.4-liter TWINPORT unit with a maximum torque of 125 Nm has even lower fuel consumption, at 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers. The performance figures for the Astra GTC 1.4 TWINPORT, which is always combined with a five-speed manual gearbox, reaches a top speed of 180 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 13.6 seconds.

Four turbo-diesel engines with state-of-the-art common rail technology

The four common rail turbo-diesel engines for the GTC, which all comply with the Euro 4 exhaust emission standard, show that powerful but economical diesel engines are becoming a more and more important factor at Opel. The two most powerful CDTI units are available with an optional, maintenance-free diesel particulate filter (DPF) system that runs without additives.

The top-of-the-line GTC diesel engine is the 110 kW (150 hp) 1.9 CDTI that develops a maximum torque of 320 Nm between 2000 and 2750 min-1. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, enables maximum speed of 210 km/h and 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 8.9 seconds. Fuel consumption is as low as 5.8 liters per 100 km.

The 88 kW (120 hp) version of the state-of-the-art CDTI turbo-diesel has the same low fuel consumption, high dynamics and smooth running characteristics, which is mainly due to the latest-generation common rail multiple injection. The 120 hp 1.9 CDTI provides maximum torque of 280 Nm between 2000 and 2750 min-1 and accelerates the Astra GTC from a standstill to 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds and to a maximum speed of 193 km/h.

The 74 kW (100 hp) 1.7-liter CDTI is equipped with a variable turbo-charger and delivers maximum torque of 240 Nm. It accelerates the Astra GTC from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.2 seconds and enables maximum speed of 182 km/h. Fuel consumption is 5.0 liters of diesel per 100 km. The 1.7 CDTI comes with a five-speed gearbox as standard, and a six-speed manual gearbox is available as an optional extra.

The entry-level diesel engine is a newly developed 1.3 CDTI with 66 kW (90 hp) and maximum torque of 200 Nm. The state-of-the-art CDTI unit featuring latest-generation common rail multiple injection and a variable turbo-charger enables a top speed for the Astra GTC of 174 km/h and 0 – 100 km/h acceleration in 13.6 seconds. The Astra GTC 1.3 CDTI needs only 4.8 liters of diesel per 100 km and comes with a six-speed gearbox as standard.

Interview

Ludger Münch, Engine Development Director, Opel Powertrain GmbH

“High torque at low engine speeds – that´s our philosophy�

There is a trend towards more and more powerful cars in the compact segment. What is the advantage of the turbo technology that Opel favors?

Opel's philosophy has always been to sell engines that develop high torque at low engine speeds, which is precisely the characteristic of the two turbo-charged gasoline engines available for the Astra GTC. Modern turbo engines develop torque on the same level as naturally aspirated engines of significantly higher capacity, even at low engine speeds. We are convinced that the potential of high-revving naturally aspirated engines as offered by some competitors can rarely be utilized in customers' typical everyday driving.

What's so special about the Turbo technology used on Opel's gasoline models?

This innovative technology goes back to the Calibra Turbo, which proved as early as 1991 that performance and low fuel consumption can be combined with forced aspiration in a gasoline engine. A special feature of the integral turbocharger system used on Opel models is that the exhaust manifold, turbine housing and other components are all part of a single module. Among the advantages of this design are compact size and low weight. The rapid progress made in the field of control electronics has also led to further optimization in recent years.

For the first time ever, the Astra driver can change the engine setup by means of a Sport Switch in the cockpit. How does that work?

We have programmed additional accelerator-pedal maps into the engine management unit. The throttle opens more progressively when the switch is in “Sport� mode. This makes road behavior even more agile when combined with the sports suspension settings.

You offer one of the most powerful diesel engines in the compact car segment: the 150 hp CDTI engine. Where was this engine developed?

We have cooperated successfully for some years with the “Fiat-GM Powertrain� joint venture established by GM and Fiat. The successful use of synergies by the two partners allows us to introduce new technologies quicker and offer our customers even more attractive products. One effect of this was our successful diesel offensive, which was partly based on engines for which Fiat had developed the basic concepts and which were the subject of further work in the joint venture before they were fine-tuned in our development division for use in Opel cars. The task for our engineering team is to calibrate and match an engine to the respective Opel model so that it provides typical Opel driving characteristics.

Wouldn't a six-cylinder engine go well with the top-of-the-line version of the dynamic GTC?

At first glance, this is an enticing thought, but the heavy weight on the front axle would destroy the car's basic harmony – and our suspension development colleagues would certainly object to that.

The Astra GTC is a lot of fun to drive with either the 150 hp CDTI or the 200 hp Turbo engine. Which is your personal favorite?

Obviously I like both engines a lot, which makes the choice extremely difficult! A year or two ago, I would have tended to choose the 200 hp gasoline engine, which makes the car a lot of fun to drive due to its sporty character. Today, I prefer comfortable torque-orientated engines that you can drive with a minimum of gear shifts at low engine speeds and which also offer great elasticity and low fuel consumption. This is why the 110 kW/150 hp 1.9 CDTI ECOTEC is my personal favorite.

Production, service and quality

High Customer Satisfaction in Opel and Astra

Improving the quality of their products has been a top priority for Opel in recent years, and this systematic process is paying off, as confirmed by the excellent results achieved by Opel models in numerous competitive tests and independent quality surveys.

In the latest quality report published in the German car magazine “AUTO BILD�, Opel is rated the best German and European manufacturer. The quality report is published twice a year and is regarded as the most comprehensive survey of its kind. It contains evaluations of the 20 leading car brands' long-term quality, reliability and customer satisfaction in Germany. In addition to a representative survey among some 25,000 drivers, the assessment includes the results from seven million TÜV (German Technical Inspection Organization) tests, manufacturers' workshop and service quality, their warranties and AUTO BILD's own long-term test experiences.

The result of the German J.D. Power customer satisfaction study is also very positive: Opel gained a CSI value (Customer Satisfaction Index) of 79.0 percent – above the average of all other brands. It is particularly pleasing that the previous Astra generation had a CSI of 80.1 percent, making it the German compact model with the best ranking.

The new Astra generation will no doubt be even more successful, and each of the new GTC models will contribute to this. GTC production started at the beginning of the year in the Astra plant in Antwerp (Belgium), where it is built alongside the five-door hatchback and the station wagon. The planned production volume for the GTC is 60,000 units in 2005.

Like the entire Astra model line, the GTC satisfies the highest quality, reliability and longevity demands. This is based on the new model generation's solid design and the extensively modernized production facilities: GM/Opel have invested a total of one billion Euro for this purpose in the Astra plants in Bochum (Germany), Ellesmere Port (England) and Antwerp. Furthermore, quality management within the GM/Opel production system was further improved, staff underwent intensive training and a number of strict quality checks were added to the manufacturing process.

The two-year manufacturer's warranty for new cars that Opel offers in place of the legally required, basic guarantee underlines the fact that GTC drivers, like all Opel's customers, buy a high-quality car.

Astra buyers also make the right choice in terms of “re-sale value�. Thanks not least to its excellent retention of value, the Astra is at the top of its segment. Just weeks after the new model line had been introduced, the Eurotax Schwacke market observation company, for instance, forecast a remaining value of 51 percent of the purchasing price after 36 months and a mileage of 60,000 kilometers.

The new Astra GTC not only has excellent resale value – cost of ownership is minimized by low fuel consumption, long service intervals and minimum maintenance requirements, too. The inspection is due only after up to two years or up to 30,000 or 50,000 kilometers for gasoline- and diesel-engined models respectively. Customers also benefit from the Astra's repair-friendly design and the resulting low workshop costs and short standstill times. Other advantages, like the possible replacement of damaged parts individually and the use of bolted rather than welded joints in many crash-relevant locations also pay off for the customer in the form of advantageous insurance premiums. Those for the five-door Astra, for instance, are as much as 20 percent lower than those for its predecessor. Insurance experts have signaled that similar rates will be offered to GTC owners.

Interview

Volker Scharf, Chief Engineer for the Astra range

“Sound basic design and proven components are the keys to quality�

In the quality report in Germany's “AUTO BILD� magazine, Opel was rated as the best German and European manufacturer. How did you achieve this?

For some time now, quality has enjoyed absolute top priority in every area of our company. This benefits our customers as well as ourselves. The number of warranty claims, for example, dropped by about 50 percent between 1999 and 2002, and by about another quarter in 2003 compared with the previous year.

Will this trend continue for the new Astra?

I'm positive it will, since the quality of the new-generation Astra models was excellent right from the start of production, as confirmed by our own internal checks and the surveys conducted by independent market observation companies. Feedback from our sales partners and especially from Astra customers is exceptionally positive. Tests in car magazines confirm this too. An example that comes to mind is AUTO BILD's great comparison of ten compact cars, which the Astra won ahead of the competition from Europe, Japan and Korea.

How did you achieve this high quality standard on the Astra at such an early stage?

There are several reasons, ranging from the car's sound basic design and the careful selection of materials to a massive test program on all continents. In addition to countless tests at our proving grounds, Astra prototypes underwent 132 different test procedures in the most varied climatic conditions all over the world.

Are there other examples of how you ensure high quality during the development phase?

Rather than re-inventing every bolt and nut when we design a new model generation, we further develop and improve components such as the Astra´s well-proven torsion beam rear axle. This ensures good reliability and quality and reduces costs for the customer.

For you personally, what was the most important decision during the Astra's development?

This question isn't easy to answer, as a whole lot of decisions had to be made during the three-year development phase. One I remember particularly was the decision to continue using tried-and-tested components rather than develop the Astra from the ground up. This was the basis for the new Astra's high quality right from the start of production.