Most car enthusiasts will base their choice when buying a new car on its performance, with style and reliability coming in next. Driving pleasure, safety, quality, comfort and features are all other criteria to take into consideration.
The practical driver, on the other hand, will usually look for quality as first priority, then come the car's features, price, reliability, style, comfort, consumption and safety. And probably in that order.
This is because enthusiasts clearly look for performance while the practical drivers think reliability should be their main concern.
To appease both the enthusiast and the practical driver, Opel have developed a car that performs as well as it looks, without compromising on quality and reliability. It offers the best of two worlds: the best for the free-spirited motorist whose heart is set on a convertible, and the world on wheels for the practical driver whose head says "coupe".
It was another sunny Saturday morning and another day in a coupe-, or rather twin-top, courtesy of United Automobile, who gave me some €30,000 worth of Opel in the form of an Astra twin top 1.8-litre (140bhp).
The car enthusiast would proudly own this car for its dynamic attributes and a good choice of engines, including a range of technologically advanced ECOTEC petrols and a diesel. The petrols include a 1.6 (115bhp), my test car the 1.8 (140 bhp) - also available with four-speed automatic; the 1.6 turbo (180bhp) and the 2-lire turbo (200 bhp). The diesel is a 1.9 CDTI (150bhp).
With its stylish looks, the Astra Twin Top stands out clearly among the new breed of hard-top cabrios. Its no-fuss external design, coupled with some classy chrome touches and its pointed nose, are evidence that functionality too was a priority for the design team.
Its interior is spacious by any CC standard, both in the front and the rear thanks to the ingenious design of the three-section steel roof's retraction. The roof will stow away compactly at the touch of a button, even while in motion. This Astra would seat four adults comfortably, and take on a few pieces of luggage adequately.
The interior also reflects quality and convenience, with good quality materials used, and efficient and uncluttered instruments with a sporty touch.
Standard equipment includes electric power steering, factory fitted stereo/CD player with MP3 reading; steering wheel controls for stereo; electric adjustable headlight; height adjustable driver's seat; adjustable steering wheel; front and rear electric windows, air conditioning, remote central locking; follow-me-home lights; front and rear disc brakes; electric mirrors; driver, passenger and side airbags; engine immobiliser; ABS; drag torque control; cornering brake control; electronic braking distribution; emergency brake assist, and a fixed roll-over protection scheme.
The version I drove also had a remote retractable hard top, 16-inch alloy wheels; car alarm; mobile phone provision and a driving control pack which includes ESP, hill start assist, tyre deflation warning, parking assist and cruise control. All these come at an added price.
As far as safety is concerned, the active roll-over protection system
is specially reinforced giving increased torsional rigidity. The additional SAFETEC system encompasses all active and passive safety elements, including the airbags. Opel's chassis engineering optimised by the optional IDS (Interactive Driving System) synchronises steering, suspension and braking designed to provide agile cornering and a precise steering response, enhanced comfort and reduced stopping distance and improved stability during emergency manoeuvres.
The practical driver, on the other hand, will usually look for quality as first priority, then come the car's features, price, reliability, style, comfort, consumption and safety. And probably in that order.
This is because enthusiasts clearly look for performance while the practical drivers think reliability should be their main concern.
To appease both the enthusiast and the practical driver, Opel have developed a car that performs as well as it looks, without compromising on quality and reliability. It offers the best of two worlds: the best for the free-spirited motorist whose heart is set on a convertible, and the world on wheels for the practical driver whose head says "coupe".
It was another sunny Saturday morning and another day in a coupe-, or rather twin-top, courtesy of United Automobile, who gave me some €30,000 worth of Opel in the form of an Astra twin top 1.8-litre (140bhp).
The car enthusiast would proudly own this car for its dynamic attributes and a good choice of engines, including a range of technologically advanced ECOTEC petrols and a diesel. The petrols include a 1.6 (115bhp), my test car the 1.8 (140 bhp) - also available with four-speed automatic; the 1.6 turbo (180bhp) and the 2-lire turbo (200 bhp). The diesel is a 1.9 CDTI (150bhp).
With its stylish looks, the Astra Twin Top stands out clearly among the new breed of hard-top cabrios. Its no-fuss external design, coupled with some classy chrome touches and its pointed nose, are evidence that functionality too was a priority for the design team.
Its interior is spacious by any CC standard, both in the front and the rear thanks to the ingenious design of the three-section steel roof's retraction. The roof will stow away compactly at the touch of a button, even while in motion. This Astra would seat four adults comfortably, and take on a few pieces of luggage adequately.
The interior also reflects quality and convenience, with good quality materials used, and efficient and uncluttered instruments with a sporty touch.
Standard equipment includes electric power steering, factory fitted stereo/CD player with MP3 reading; steering wheel controls for stereo; electric adjustable headlight; height adjustable driver's seat; adjustable steering wheel; front and rear electric windows, air conditioning, remote central locking; follow-me-home lights; front and rear disc brakes; electric mirrors; driver, passenger and side airbags; engine immobiliser; ABS; drag torque control; cornering brake control; electronic braking distribution; emergency brake assist, and a fixed roll-over protection scheme.
The version I drove also had a remote retractable hard top, 16-inch alloy wheels; car alarm; mobile phone provision and a driving control pack which includes ESP, hill start assist, tyre deflation warning, parking assist and cruise control. All these come at an added price.
As far as safety is concerned, the active roll-over protection system
is specially reinforced giving increased torsional rigidity. The additional SAFETEC system encompasses all active and passive safety elements, including the airbags. Opel's chassis engineering optimised by the optional IDS (Interactive Driving System) synchronises steering, suspension and braking designed to provide agile cornering and a precise steering response, enhanced comfort and reduced stopping distance and improved stability during emergency manoeuvres.