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Back to October 2012 Motorsports News Archive
| 15-10-2012 at 01:00: Opel Confirm Astra OPC Debut for AIMS | |
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Powering the OPC is a 2.0 litre turbocharged direct injection engine and achieves a power output of up to 206 kW with a maximum torque of 400 Nm. The latest model to join the Opel Australia family can sprint from zero to 100km/h in just 6.0 seconds. Never before has an Astra been so fast, the Astra OPC will be the most powerful hatch available in its segment. Opel Australia’s managing director, Bill Mott was very pleased to announce that the Astra OPC will make its Australian debut at the Australian International Motor Show. “Australia has a long history of, and passion, for performance vehicles. Since launch we’ve continually been asked if and when OPC is coming and we are very excited to confirm that the Astra OPC will be in Sydney next week and will be available in our showrooms next year. “From early 2013 Australians will be able to experience what we think is the ultimate driver’s car. The Astra OPC offers drivers unparalleled driving dynamics combined with sleek sporty coupe-like styling. It is a car that driving enthusiasts can comfortably commute in during the week and on weekends, enjoy on the track,” he said. The body work of the Astra OPC is an expression of pure passion for power and speed. Building on the design of the Astra GTC, the Astra OPC is given extra sportiness with a set of specially sculpted front and rear bumpers, side skirts, an aerodynamic roof spoiler and two exhaust tail pipes in a trapezoid shape. Inside the cabin, high quality materials and OPC exclusive features create a sporty and premium atmosphere. The new flat bottom OPC steering wheel takes its inspiration from motor sport and is 10mm smaller in diameter than the wheel used in the rest of the Astra family, making the steering sensation even more precise, sporty and direct. The thumb areas in the wheel have been re-sculpted to optimise grip and the visibility of the instruments. New design front sports bucket seats, made with cutting-edge lightweight material and featuring state of the art technology are standard in the vehicle. Along with exclusive OPC stitching in Cool Pearl throughout the cabin, both elements add to the dynamic interior of the vehicle. Opel has designed a high performance chassis package geared especially towards lateral dynamics and superb handling qualities for the new Astra OPC. Setting it apart from all other current Astras is a specially developed mechanical limited slip differential, which works on the front wheels. In conjunction with the sophisticated HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut) package found on the Astra GTC, the LSD provides the Astra OPC with exceptional lateral grip and traction through the bends. The unit creates a locking effect with a ramp angle of 45 degrees under acceleration and 90 degrees under deceleration. The locking effect improves traction when it’s needed – such as under acceleration through bends or over changing cambers and surfaces – but the effect is relaxed off-throttle, when it’s not required, making the steering more benign. Further changes to the chassis include the addition of Brembo brakes and the standard fitment of Opel’s fully adaptive FlexRide damping system. With FlexRide, there is a choice of three separate chassis settings which can be selected at the push of a button. ‘Standard’ delivers all-round performance for a wide range of road driving, with ‘Sport’ stiffening the dampers for reduced roll and tighter body control. The third setting is ‘OPC’, FlexRide’s most extreme mode. Not only does OPC mode enhance throttle responsiveness, and change the instrument backlighting from white to red, but it alters the dampers settings once again. A ramp-control sub-mode further stiffens the dampers, but ensures that the wheels are in contact with the road instantly after hitting a bump. This means the car has a soft landing even when the springs on the struts rebound on an uneven surface. Meanwhile, the roll control sub-mode reduces tilt further during cornering. With cross-drilled and ventilated 355 x 32mm front discs, four-piston callipers and harder compound brake pads, Opel and Brembo have co-developed a bespoke braking system to cater for the high performance requirements of the vehicle. The brakes, as well as all other chassis elements, were tested on public roads and in the toughest of environments including the Nürburgring and Contidrom race tracks in Germany, as well as on ice and snow in Scandanavia, and in the searing Spanish heat at the Idiada test track. In line with the finest OPC traditions, the car was put through its paces and polished on the Northern Loop (“Nordschleife”) of the Nürburgring race track in Germany. All OPC cars are tested in this “Green Hell” which is widely considered to be the toughest and most demanding race track in the world. During the development phase, every OPC model has to pass a 10,000 kilometre endurance test at high speed on the 20.8 km long Nordschleife. That is equivalent to around 180,000 kilometres on the road. Under these extreme conditions the durability of all components are tested to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. Full pricing and specification will be announced closer to launch. |
Opel’s Astra OPC (Opel Performance Centre) is heading down under with the vehicle to make its local debut this month in Sydney at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show. The OPC is the brands most powerful Astra ever produced and will join the Opel Australia line up from early next year.^ Back to top ^
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