Frustration sums up our previous acceleration-run attempts in the Opel Astra OPC on our test strip; 206 kW tried to dissolve the massive 20-inch Pirelli PZero front tyres in plumes of smoke and the gearbox did not want to play ball. Then we got lucky; there was a slight scrabble from the front wheels before they bit and then shot the yellow fireball down the strip. A measured shift into second gave the synchromesh time to play catch-up and was followed by a slight chirp from the front wheels to announce clutch engagement. Third to six followed in quick succession, with the tornado in the exhaust growing ever louder and the whoosh-whoosh sounds accentuating every gear change. The results: zero to 100 km/h in 6,55 seconds and the kilometre marker reached in 26,80 seconds at a terminal speed of 202 km/h. In short – the Boss is alive.
Things haven’t always been rosy, however. In recent years, die-hard Opel fans in South Africa have had good reason to feel disillusioned. Nowadays, Chevrolet is viewed as General Motors’s favourite son, while Opel has become somewhat of the black sheep in the family. By neglecting Opel, GM has been missing an opportunity to rekindle the passion and spirit of the public that was so prevalent in the Nineties. Mentioning the words Superboss, Mike Briggs and motorsport in the same breath round a campfire and the conversation quickly changes as the assembled couch enthusiasts remember the “good ol’ days”. Can the Astra OPC reignite that flame?
Styling-wise, Opel has gotten it spot on. Never has a mainstream-production hot hatch (excluding limited runs or special editions) appeared so ominous and purposeful from the outside. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the massive 20-inch wheels filling the flared wheel arches and the purposeful wing above the rear window.
Inside, the ambience is a bit more subdued, but in combination with excellent sport seats and rubber-studded aluminium pedals, the designers have done just enough to spice up the standard Astra’s solid but drab cabin. The electronic handbrake in a car encouraging hooliganism might raise a few eyebrows, though. The driving position is excellent owing to the wide range of adjustment on the steering wheel and seat, but the small glass areas and wide B- and C-pillars hamper visibility to the rear and sides. Access to the rear is difficult, although there is sufficient space and the boot is generous. But this is no family car: the long doors make exiting the vehicle in a tight parking area a mission and moving the seats backwards and forwards will soon become tiring.
The ride is quite firm and feels somewhat compromised on less than silky smooth tar. This makes the vehi- cle feel jarring and jerky at low speeds. Up the pace, though, and everything falls into place (except for the recalcitrant shift action). The chassis relishes in being pushed to the limit and grip levels are extremely high. The inclusion of a mechanical limited-slip dif works wonders in slow-speed turns where the driver can jump on the throttle early without the inside front wheel spinning or the nose pushing wide. The OPC loves twisty roads and encourages the driver to push just a little harder and brake that few metres later.
When we returned to the test to put the massive Brembo brakes through their paces, we were further impressed with the thorough engineering job done by the Opel magicians. The average braking time across 10 stops from 100 km/h was 2,70 seconds, which beats the times posted by most serious sportscars.
Test Summary
The C-segment hot-hatch arena is highly contested and unforgiving. When a manufacturer decides to sacrifice two doors in a marketplace that trades on practicality as much as driving pleasure, the latter has to take a significant leap forward to justify the former decision. The OPC has unequivocally succeeded. It’s undoubtedly aimed at the hardcore end of the market with its storming engine, excellent chassis and remarkable brakes. The gearchange action is the only fly in the ointment. Otherwise, the Astra OPC is an unabashed reminder of Opel’s halcyon days.