Astra twin turbo diesel 212hp?

[Meetgrinder]

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/09/gm_unveils_opel.html

Did anything ever come of this? It made headlines a year or two ago at a motor show but all gone quiet since - just another concept never to be seen?

 

[Meetgrinder]

That thurlby car looks good value for 18k, but that amount of torque going through the front wheels makes a few problems - eats tires, understeers like mad and chews clutches up.

I should know - my leon slips the clutch like mad in cold weather, with chip running over 300lb ft and around 190hp I suppose, just changed front set of tires after 14k, and they were bald as a coot. Car stays with stock wrx imprezas and porsche boxster once you get past the initial wheelspin up to 45 mph in anything less than perfectly dry conditions

I expect that astra will be a lighter car/better to drive with those brakes and chassis mods.

Can't justify chopping my car in when it's not yet a year old for something barely quicker, if at all, but would have done for a twin turbo diesel astra if they were coming out

 

[Meetgrinder]

5k rpm redline I think - smokes like hell at anything over 4k

And yeah, the gearing is stratospheric. Something like 37.5mph per 1000 in 6th. Theoretical top speed of 187, but you'd be lucky to get more than 145 out of it, and even then checking your calendar as it crawls up past 125, all on ya private roads of course

80mph clock speed is something like 2k rpm, makes for decent motorway mpg.

 

[Meetgrinder]

That sounds a bit thrashy Something like 18 or 19mph per 1000 in top :S

 

[Meetgrinder]

With the chip turned off in mine, performance is *slightly* better than the 150hp petrol gti (mk4), chip boosts it up to something reasonable though. With a remap your friends td punto would be nippy I'll bet.

Saying that, even with the chip I'm bored with it, always looking out for the next decent diesel round the corner.

Used to have an audi around 350-400hp (would never put out full 2 bar boost on the rollers so not sure what max power was - over 344hp I know that for certain) and 405-450lb ft+ and it's hard to get excited after blasting around in that (the torque destroyed 1st gear, so I sold it rather than chuck more cash at it ). I used to want a TVR Cerbera till I went up against one in the audi, thought the TVRs were somewhat overrated after that

Still, had a reality check after that and now stick to diesels, but hoping to get a bike test sorted out this year. I love fast cars but £ for bhp, can't beat bikes.