THE NEW ASTRA SPORTS TOURER: THE ATHLETIC ALL-ROUNDER.
16-Jun-2010
• Sporty, elegant looks backed by agile handling
• First class practicality wrapped in a compact estate format
• Extended powertrain line-up enhanced by Start/Stop technology
Rüsselsheim. Opel introduces the Astra Sports Tourer – a sleek estate featuring first class practicality in an athletic and stylish shape. This compact estate is set to build on the outstanding sales success of its five-door hatchback sibling, for which more than 160,000 orders have been placed in only six months.
Sharing the same Opel design DNA and Sports Tourer name as its larger counterpart the Insignia, the Astra Sports Tourer has a dynamic yet practical appeal: Its good looks are combined with an ample flexible cargo carrying capability. Efficient trunk design and premium features that enhance the functionality effortlessly raise load space up to 1,550 litres .
The Astra Sports Tourer is presented with a high quality finish and incorporates exciting Opel innovations that make life more comfortable and driving safer. These include the adaptive mechatronic FlexRide chassis, the AFL+ adaptive forward lighting and the ergonomic front seating system. In addition, Opel engineers are developing a next-generation FlexFix integrated rear bike carrier, which will be introduced for the Sports Tourer next year.
Estates traditionally account for about 25 percent of all Astra sales in Europe, a much higher proportion than the compact segment average of 17 percent. The new Astra Sports Tourer now draws on more than 50 years of Opel’s unique competence in designing and building estates. Opel was the first automaker in Europe to introduce this body style in Europe with the Rekord CarAvan in 1953. It continued to evolve the format by adding style and dynamic appeal to pure functionality as first seen in the 1971 Ascona Voyage. The Astra Sports Tourer makes its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show (October 2-24), and goes on sale in November.
Astra Sports Tourer offers the same agile handling as the hatchback.
Athleticism is also found in the Astra Sport Tourer’s mechatronic chassis. Opel Vehicle Dynamics engineers have ensured that it offers the same level of comfort and agility as that of the five-door hatchback. The Sports Tourer shares its footprint with its five-door sibling, with a similar 2685 mm-long wheelbase and wide front and rear tracks of 1544 and 1558 mm respectively.
The rear axle also benefits from the highly innovative combination of a compound crank and a Watt’s link as used on the five-door variant – an ingenious construction unique to Opel. The settings and damping calibrations are adapted for higher load capabilities, while the Watt’s link supports lateral forces during cornering to give the Astra Sports Tourer dynamic and agile handling without compromising stability or comfort.
Chassis behaviour can be further enhanced by the sophisticated FlexRide adaptive suspension system, a true rarity in the compact segment. The system continuously adapts to changes in road conditions and driving style. In the Standard mode, the FlexRide offers the whole bandwidth of settings available. In the Sport and Tour modes that can be selected by the driver, the FlexRide system applies respectively the sportiest or the most comfortable settings. The Sport mode additionally tenses the throttle and steering responsiveness.
As the Astra Sports Tourer is likely to pull trailers, Opel’s electronic Trailer Stability Assist system is also available.
Extended powertrain line-up to soon include Start/Stop technology.
The Astra Sports Tourer powertrain line-up includes eight vigorous yet frugal petrol and diesel engines, ranging in power from 95 hp to 180 hp.
A new addition to the existing line-up is the 1.4 litre turbo petrol unit providing 120 hp. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission. The 140 hp version of the 1.4 Turbo engine is now also available with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The 2.0 CDTi engine with 160 hp tops the diesel line-up and is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox. It combines high performance and torque of up to 380 Nm (with overboost) with 5.1 litre fuel consumption and 134 g/km CO2 emissions. An automatic six-speed transmission is also available.
To optimize fuel economy all variants equipped with a manual transmission now include a shift-up indicator.
Start/Stop technology will be introduced soon in the Astra Sports Tourer and across the Astra line-up. The first application is the new ecoFLEX variant with the 1.3 CDTi engine delivering 95 hp.
The new Astra Sports Tourer has been entirely designed and developed at Opel’s International Technical Design Center in Rüsselsheim and is expected to go on sale in Ireland in December 2010.
THE NEW ASTRA SPORTS TOURER: THE ATHLETIC ALL-ROUNDER.
