![]() ![]() Holden claims a fuel economy rate of 9.1 L/100 km (manual) for the DOHC 16-valve Ecotec engine. It's an attitude reinforced by an easy-shifting long-throw manual gearbox and an engine that is responsive without ever feeling muscular. The TwinTop is a very enjoyable cruiser rather than focused sports car. Roll along at a relaxed gait and the disturbances diminish. A little front-wheel-drive torque steer is also evident. The body has been reinforced and strengthened - it is 30 per cent more rigid than the old convertible - but again rough roads tend to produce some steering kickback, a little scuttle shake and, when the roof is down, some flexing of the frameless windows. But it only becomes intrusive on rougher roads. The suspension set-up is quite firm, no doubt also wound up to cope with the car's substantial 1590-kilogram kerb weight. The boot is a winner because it provides a hefty 440 litres of space with the roof up and 205 litres with it down.įor a car shorn of the body strength a permanent roof provides, the TwinTop is still a nice drive. Reversing sensors are a good idea as the rising bootline obscures rear vision. Four airbags, stability and traction control, air-conditioning, six-CD audio, cruise control and leather-faced front seats are the highlights. The equipment level is adequate for the price. That means the centre console controls are pointed down from the driver, which hardly helps keep eyes on the road. The dash is a barely dressed-up version of the Astra hatch. With the roof in place there is limited head space, but adequate leg room. That's a pity because the TwinTop can seat two adults almost comfortably in the rear. The standard wind blocker restores calm, but sacrifices the rear two seats. ASTRA TWINTOP MANUAL BOOT RELEASE WINDOWSIt has a sound-deadening package worthy of a car with a fixed roof.īy contrast, remove the roof and there's an intrusive level of turbulence even with all four windows raised. With the roof in place, the Astra is commendably quiet. It will operate on the move at up to 30 km/h. Using five electric motors, eight hydraulic cylinders and 13 sensors, the automated electro-hydraulic system drops or raises the roof in 26 seconds. To watch the roof open and close is intriguing. Styling is a very subjective area, but it's hard to imagine too many people finding the TwinTop unappealing. It's longer, lower and wider than the Astra hatch sold here since late 2004, but employs the same wheelbase. This is a small price rise over the old cloth-roofed Astra convertible, but it still undercuts the Peugeot, Renault and VW.Īnother area where the Astra does well against its rivals is exterior looks. It is powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine and priced from $45,490 for the six-speed manual. Then there is the subject of this road test, the Astra TwinTop, a car Holden sources from GM's European division Opel.Ī single model of the second-generation Astra drop-top has been on sale since December. The Volkswagen Eos has just been launched and the Ford Focus CC arrives in August. The hotbed of activity is in the small-medium category, where the Peugeot 307CC and Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet have been the star attractions. That's because the ability to transform a car from (usually) steel-roofed coupe to wind-in-the-hair convertible at the touch of a button has proven immensely popular. Over a few short years hard-top coupe-cabrios have gone from rarity to necessity. ![]()
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