Apart from a few enthusiasts, most readers will be unaware that Vauxhall Ironworks made their first car in 1903 and, with the later 30/98, introduced the first production car to exceed 100m/ph.
General Motors took over in 1925, and until a rationalisation programme came into force locally, some years ago, Vauxhall and Opel were basically importing the same product range and selling by badge preference to the local market.
Recently, as part of the 25-year celebrations for United Automobile and Opel, the Old Motors Club arranged an interesting morning run for old Opels and Vauxhalls interspersed with the latest offerings from the Opel range.
The oldest car was a 1934 Big Six BXL Regent, seven-seat Vauxhall. Part of a production run of only 796 vehicles, your scribe was in the lead contemporary Opel with Ryan Buttigieg, United's sales and marketing manager.
The lead car was a 1.6-litre, 16-valve, 105 bhp engined Astra GTC Cosmo. This was a stylish way to travel in a beautifully crafted sports saloon, but because of the excessive demands made on the car for extended periods to maintain the low average speed that we wandered along at, it was as if we were spending hours of motoring in excessive traffic congestion.
Even at slow speeds for long periods, the engine never missed a beat, nor did it get remotely near to the point where it would overheat. This was a test drive that I would never have willingly subjected a car temporarily in my care to, but it came through it with flying colours.
The GTC is a pleasure to look at, and in Cosmo trim with a domination of chrome and leather (optional), it's like being cosseted in the interior of a car costing over twice as much. For the first time in a passenger series vehicle, Opel have incorporated a panoramic windscreen which stretches from the edge of the bonnet to behind the driver's seat.
Obviously it caters for a full passenger load with total aplomb. However, I found it to be a real driver's car with adjustable seat height for both front occupants which is unusual and with height adjustable and telescopic steering as well.
The speed-dependent electric power steering took all the fuss out of kilometres of slow turns, and as the local limit was approached the steering began to get more and more 'feel' and no longer responded with the same lightness. Obviously this was no high-speed test drive, but abroad the car would cruise all day at 140km/h with never the slightest complaint.
The Astra, in all its models and incarnations, has proven to be a good car, and latterly a grand and interesting one to drive. Never more so than this GTC, and the standard list of fixtures and features reads like a decent 'who's who'.
Obviously the expected crumple zones and safe passenger cell are part and parcel of the package, but so are driver, passenger and side airbags, anti-lock brakes with Straight-Line-Stability (SLS), drag torque control (DTC), cornering brake control (CBC), electronic brake distribution (EBD), emergency brake assist (EBA), and a pedal release system (PRS) that ensures that it's more difficult to trap your feet if a heavy front-end smash occurs.
Among a host of other standard features the GTC Cosmo has an easy entry memory function for the front seats, a lowered 'Sports Chassis', 17-inch alloy wheels with a full size spare wheel. The rear spoiler is useful at very high speeds and the split rear seat 60:40 is ideal for allowing two people a magnificent amount of luggage, or the shopping run to end all shopping runs.
Electrically adjustable headlights height makes night-time motoring ever easier and the outside mirrors fold and heat up thanks to electronic solenoids.
The front electric windows have remote closing and a 'pinch' protection, presumably to stop an arm or head from becoming stuck in a closing window.
This car was great fun to drive, and proved to be a real and genuine eye-catcher as we found out when the 16 old GM cars and their modern cohorts stopped to allow drivers and passengers a well-deserved rest. Many members of the public took photos of the contemporary cars as well as the grand selection from the distant past.
At a glance
• Engine: 1.6 Twinport.
• Displacement: 1,598cc in 4 cylinders.
• BHP: 105 at 6,000 rpm.
• Maximum pulling power [torque]: 150Nm at 3,900 rpm.
• Maximum speed: 187km/h. 0-100km/h: 12.2 seconds.
• Fuel consumption: Urban, 8.5-8.8 litres/100kms. Non-urban; 5.4-5.6 litres/100kms.
• Turning circle: 11.2 metres.
• Dimensions: 4,290mm long, 1,755mm wide, 1,435mm high.
• Price: from €20,265.
General Motors took over in 1925, and until a rationalisation programme came into force locally, some years ago, Vauxhall and Opel were basically importing the same product range and selling by badge preference to the local market.
Recently, as part of the 25-year celebrations for United Automobile and Opel, the Old Motors Club arranged an interesting morning run for old Opels and Vauxhalls interspersed with the latest offerings from the Opel range.
The oldest car was a 1934 Big Six BXL Regent, seven-seat Vauxhall. Part of a production run of only 796 vehicles, your scribe was in the lead contemporary Opel with Ryan Buttigieg, United's sales and marketing manager.
The lead car was a 1.6-litre, 16-valve, 105 bhp engined Astra GTC Cosmo. This was a stylish way to travel in a beautifully crafted sports saloon, but because of the excessive demands made on the car for extended periods to maintain the low average speed that we wandered along at, it was as if we were spending hours of motoring in excessive traffic congestion.
Even at slow speeds for long periods, the engine never missed a beat, nor did it get remotely near to the point where it would overheat. This was a test drive that I would never have willingly subjected a car temporarily in my care to, but it came through it with flying colours.
The GTC is a pleasure to look at, and in Cosmo trim with a domination of chrome and leather (optional), it's like being cosseted in the interior of a car costing over twice as much. For the first time in a passenger series vehicle, Opel have incorporated a panoramic windscreen which stretches from the edge of the bonnet to behind the driver's seat.
Obviously it caters for a full passenger load with total aplomb. However, I found it to be a real driver's car with adjustable seat height for both front occupants which is unusual and with height adjustable and telescopic steering as well.
The speed-dependent electric power steering took all the fuss out of kilometres of slow turns, and as the local limit was approached the steering began to get more and more 'feel' and no longer responded with the same lightness. Obviously this was no high-speed test drive, but abroad the car would cruise all day at 140km/h with never the slightest complaint.
The Astra, in all its models and incarnations, has proven to be a good car, and latterly a grand and interesting one to drive. Never more so than this GTC, and the standard list of fixtures and features reads like a decent 'who's who'.
Obviously the expected crumple zones and safe passenger cell are part and parcel of the package, but so are driver, passenger and side airbags, anti-lock brakes with Straight-Line-Stability (SLS), drag torque control (DTC), cornering brake control (CBC), electronic brake distribution (EBD), emergency brake assist (EBA), and a pedal release system (PRS) that ensures that it's more difficult to trap your feet if a heavy front-end smash occurs.
Among a host of other standard features the GTC Cosmo has an easy entry memory function for the front seats, a lowered 'Sports Chassis', 17-inch alloy wheels with a full size spare wheel. The rear spoiler is useful at very high speeds and the split rear seat 60:40 is ideal for allowing two people a magnificent amount of luggage, or the shopping run to end all shopping runs.
Electrically adjustable headlights height makes night-time motoring ever easier and the outside mirrors fold and heat up thanks to electronic solenoids.
The front electric windows have remote closing and a 'pinch' protection, presumably to stop an arm or head from becoming stuck in a closing window.
This car was great fun to drive, and proved to be a real and genuine eye-catcher as we found out when the 16 old GM cars and their modern cohorts stopped to allow drivers and passengers a well-deserved rest. Many members of the public took photos of the contemporary cars as well as the grand selection from the distant past.
At a glance
• Engine: 1.6 Twinport.
• Displacement: 1,598cc in 4 cylinders.
• BHP: 105 at 6,000 rpm.
• Maximum pulling power [torque]: 150Nm at 3,900 rpm.
• Maximum speed: 187km/h. 0-100km/h: 12.2 seconds.
• Fuel consumption: Urban, 8.5-8.8 litres/100kms. Non-urban; 5.4-5.6 litres/100kms.
• Turning circle: 11.2 metres.
• Dimensions: 4,290mm long, 1,755mm wide, 1,435mm high.
• Price: from €20,265.