Signal flare. How we enjoyed the Opel Astra GTC Turbo

And I was right! Now I can say the same about her. Our Astra GTC also has turbocharging, sporty tires, and a corresponding suspension. And behind the wheel, it brings a lot of pleasure! Of course, under the hood there aren't as many horses, and there's no all-wheel drive. But still, I didn't expect this from Opel.

And about the Opel brand in Russia, people say all sorts of things. At best, you might hear that they are decent cars for moderate money. At worst... well, you know it all yourself. And this is despite the fact that customer loyalty to the brand is quite high — 27%, with an industry average of 17%. That is, every fourth Opel owner will choose this brand again for their next purchase. And they won't pay attention to jokers who tell anecdotes and "folk wisdom" about it. So, does the world divide into those who like Opel and those who have never driven one? Not quite.

Everything in this life happens for a reason, and Opel also had problems in its time. It wasn't even about quality, but about "character" — many models were frankly boring. But recently Opel stated: "We are improving!". First, they tightened up quality, and then they took on charisma. They kicked out the retirees from the design department, and their places were taken by young and ambitious guys. The result — the company's revenues even fell due to decreased demand for spare parts (since cars started breaking down less often), and cars like our bright red Astra GTC attract glances on the streets. Now Opel is modern and even fashionable. The Astra is blooming and smelling. It blooms beautifully, and if you put a turbo engine on it, the smell will be corresponding.

By the way, there are as many as three engines with the characteristic "snail" for the Astra GTC. All of them are two-liter, with 170, 200, and 240 horsepower. The second, "middle" option, however, is not brought to us, and the last one is installed on the Astra with the OPC badge, which has just recently entered the Russian market. We got the first, the "weakest" option, if you can say so, with a six-speed manual and "electronic" IDS+ shock absorbers. In addition, there are sport seats and 17-inch wheels with 225/45ZR17 Ultra High Performance tires. Of course, there's also an MP3 stereo — that won't surprise anyone these days. But tire pressure sensors or swiveling bi-xenon headlights — easily.

But the main thing in this car is not the equipment, but what I said from the very beginning. That is, how it drives. The engine doesn't start "working" right away. Up to 3 thousand revolutions, the engine is dozing. Then, closer to 3.5 thousand, it wakes up, drinks coffee, and goes on shift, which lasts until 6.8 thousand revolutions. Moreover, judging by the sensations, it works at a shock pace, clearly exceeding the "plan" of 170 horsepower — it presses you into the seat back quite noticeably. Of course, there's no such effect when internal organs stick to the spine, like in the Impreza, but it's still impressive. Especially impressionable passengers — even too impressive. At the same time, it asks for little for its services — only 12.9 liters of 95-octane gasoline per 100 km.

The steering wheel is very pleasant. Not only is it covered with good perforated leather, but it's also filled with pleasant effort. And even despite the fact that the rear suspension here is semi-independent, it handles excellently — this is the merit of the electronically controlled IDS+ shock absorbers. If you decide to drive fast, you should press the Sport button on the center panel. Then the shock absorbers become stiffer, reducing body roll and making reactions more composed. Interestingly, the ride comfort won't suffer much. But there's a downside. The Astra, of course, enters steep and not-so-steep corners excellently, holds decent lateral G-forces, but the price for this is a slight nervousness in handling. At "autobahn" speeds, if the asphalt under the wheels isn't very smooth, it behaves uncertainly. And in ruts, especially if you decide to accelerate, you have to hold the steering wheel firmly — it keeps trying to tear out of your hands. Why it doesn't like lying in my palms is unclear, but the fact remains — it tries to show "independence". It's not that it interferes much, but still. So the compact Astra GTC is a weapon for close, urban combat. But in dense traffic, it feels like a fish in water.

And what about civilian qualities? Sitting in the front is comfortable, but rear visibility is about the same as a tank's forward visibility. That is, none. But if a tank can afford the luxury of not noticing most obstacles, the Astra has to reckon with them. Fortunately, the rear overhang is minimal, and you don't experience particular problems when parking. But the side mirrors are excellent, practically without blind spots. The interior is pleasant to look at and made very well — materials are decent, build quality is up to par. And the non-locking steering column stalks, which have been scolded more than once by journalist colleagues, turned out to be very convenient; you just need to get used to them a bit. But the on-board computer menu is confusing, with a "hostile" interface. Fortunately, all basic actions can be performed without it, using ordinary knobs and buttons.

But the main complaint is that there's too little space in the cabin for small things. The glove box, of course, is huge, but there's nowhere to put a phone or a bottle of water in the front. And oddly enough, in the back, all these conveniences are present. And it's quite comfortable to sit there — passengers up to 180 cm tall can easily sit in the rear seats. There will be enough legroom for taller people, but such an important organ as the head will have nowhere to put. The trunk is quite deep, but narrow and with a high opening. It'll do — we decided.

In total: Opel surprised everyone. It pleases the eye and knows how to drive well. Seriously, this is a car you don't want to get out from behind the wheel of. Of course, it's unlikely to suit lovers of calm movement in space (though for them, Opel can offer naturally aspirated versions of the GTC), but for those who like fast driving — very much so. Arriving somewhere ahead of schedule (and in such a fast and nimble car, that's a piece of cake), I would drive around the area every time and end up being late. True, the price is not at all Opel-like — $29,750 (for the trim that we had). But in absolute terms. And in relative terms, for this money (or for $27,490, which is the base version without bi-xenon, tire pressure sensors, MP3 stereo, and heated seats), it's hard to find a car that is equally beautiful and "angry". Perhaps the Ford Focus ST — but its competitor would rather be the Astra OPC for $31,230, even faster and stiffer. And the GTC turbo, with its dynamics, still remains a fairly comfortable car for everyday use.

And the fact that the Opel brand isn't too loved here yet isn't so scary. On the road, this car can be respected or not — it doesn't matter. After all, you don't need to let it pass; it will squeeze into any gap in traffic itself, quickly and without bothering anyone. Besides, if Opel's design continues to develop in the same vein, in a few years no one will remember what they thought about it before. And so, judging by everything, it will be. And in this light, the Astra GTC turbo is not just a rocket, but a signal rocket. Beautiful, fast, convenient. It shows everyone that new times are coming for the Opel brand.

Equipment of the tested car

• Base equipment
  • Steering wheel, leather-wrapped, 3-spoke, sporty, with 3 matte chrome inserts
  • Dark headliner
  • Sport front seats
  • Sport pedals, light alloy
  • Sport chassis with reduced ground clearance
  • Radiator grille with chrome plate
  • Rear bumper with body-colored molding (incompatible with B87) for 5-dr and Caravan
  • Alternator 100 A (not possible with C32/K07)
  • Battery 55 Ah (not possible with C32/K07/T2C)
  • Door sill protector plate
  • Glasses case
  • Package "Sport chassis" (incl. ESP dynamic stabilization system, sport mode switch)
  • Folding ignition key
  • Center console trimmed with matte chrome
  • Battery discharge prevention system
  • Lower door seal
  • Black instrument panel with chrome trim
  • Exterior mirrors in body color
  • Air conditioning
  • Five-point wheel mounting
  • Interior lighting for rear passengers
  • Sun visors with mirrors and illumination
  • Alternator 120 A
  • Manual folding of exterior mirrors
  • Roof moldings in body color
  • Dynamic stabilization system (ESP)
  • Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
  • Upper rear interior lighting with local reading lights
  • Full-size spare wheel
  • Radio with CD Radio CD30
  • Side airbags
  • Ashtray
  • Door handles in body color
  • Side moldings in body color
• Additional to base equipment
  • Heated front seats
  • Tire pressure monitoring system
  • MP3 audio system
  • Swivel bi-xenon headlights

The car for the test was provided by
LLC "General Motors"

Behind the scenes