Friday Frivolity: Panoramic Astra

I think this is very cool:

http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/0...panoramic2.jpg

To help kick off sales of its new Panoramic windshield option, Vauxhall has released a special edition Astra GTC that features the snazzy glass up front, exclusive GTC badging, 18" rims, foglights, ESP and interior goodies like A/C and sport seats. Only 500 of the special editions will be built, and they're being sold for £15,995 -- undercutting the more vanilla Astra Sport Hatch 1.8 SRi's asking price by a few pounds.

The Panoramic windscreen is made of heat-absorbing glass (a good thing) and wraps up and over the two front seats, greating an airy, open cabin feeling that can't be matched by a mere sunroof. For days when it gets extra-hot, a power shade can be pulled forward to shield the front passengers from the sun's rays

Why should you care? Because GM is bringing the Astra over to replace the Saturn Ion and, well, it's a pretty cool car.

S.

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Originally Posted by srivendel

Why should you care? Because GM is bringing the Astra over to replace the Saturn Ion and, well, it's a pretty cool car.

S.

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Still don't care! ::Clown::

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

Still don't care! ::Clown::

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I dunno, the Astra VXR would be pretty entertaining...

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/V...-vxr-s-st2.jpg

The car it has chosen to take the fight back to VW is this Astra VXR and its headline numbers make compelling reading: 240bhp versus the Golf's 200bhp, a top speed of 152mph (Golf 146mph), a 0-60mph time of 6.2sec (the Golf's claim is 7.2sec to an admittedly fractionally faster 62mph) and, best of all, a price of £18,995 which quite deliberately undercuts its old enemy by precisely £1000. Is a new hot hatch king upon us?

If the pure driving experience were the only measure, I'd say undoubtedly that it was. Indeed the very fact that Vauxhall's engineers (with a lot of help from super-talents at Lotus) have been able to create a car capable of directing so much power through its front wheels alone is no mean achievement; ten years ago the result would have been a monster to drive. But in 2005 it's quite the reverse. Indeed I think the single most impressive aspect of this frankly astonishing new hatch is the fact that the engine, for all its power, is far from its best feature. What really makes this such an outstanding driver's car is the way it tackles a really difficult road.

If nothing else, it sounds one HELL of a lot better than the Ion.

S.

I see an opportunity for product placement in a well-produced adult film.

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Originally Posted by redmenace

I see an opportunity for product placement in a well-produced adult film.

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Boo2 ::Ban::

S.

It's amazing what's old is now new again! ::Clown::
http://www.collectorcarbuff.com/coll...op_blk_wht.jpg

That must be one powerful defroster in the winter. Does it come with it's own bottle of Rain-X?

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

It's amazing what's old is now new again! ::Clown::
http://www.collectorcarbuff.com/coll...op_blk_wht.jpg

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You're new? ::Clown::

S.

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Originally Posted by srivendel

You're new? ::Clown::

S.

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Again! ::Fruity::

So do ya get sunvisors on the Saturn/Vauxhall??

I see one heck of a suntan................

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

So do ya get sunvisors on the Saturn/Vauxhall??

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Nope! But my Miata no longer has them, either, so that's obviously not a huge concern...
http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/0...panoramic3.jpg

S.

That interior will be a humongous leap over the current Ion dreck:
http://www.foreignautosalvage.com/ca...os/satrn-3.jpg

S.

Is it just me... or does anyone else really hate those center mounted guages?

All I see is higher insurance due to the cost of replacing that sucker. That's got to be $$$$$$.

The Concept for the upcoming Kabura has a windshield like that, and I have read that the designer is insisting that this feature over everything else makes it into production.

http://www.kaburaforums.com/goodiesf...ranzkabura.wmv

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....ticle_id=10554

there's serveral Astras in my office lot here at work... They're very sharp looking cars. A world ahead of the Ion from pretty much any perspective..

I dunno if the glass roof is going to sell all that well, but it is unique?

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Originally Posted by Dave04

Is it just me... or does anyone else really hate those center mounted guages?

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http://www6.semo.edu/thetaxi/Picture...k_me.sized.jpg

Oooooo! I do! I do!

Since my current commute home involves driving 50 miles west at around sundown, I really couldn't think of a worse car design than one with a giant windshield and no sun visors. ::Bleh::

Who needs visors when you have a "power shade that can be pulled forward to shield the front passengers from the sun's rays". You can see the tracks for it in this pic, and it seems to come a fair distance down the A pillar.

http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/0...panoramic3.jpg

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Originally Posted by Dave04

Is it just me... or does anyone else really hate those center mounted guages?

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Oh I do, i couldn't ever own a car with center gauges - uh - oh yeah, never mind.

Actually, as long as the tach and oil pressure gauges are in front of me, I could care less about the speedo.