WORLD PREMIERE FOR ASTRA COUPE

R�sselsheim/Frankfurt. When the new Astra Coup� celebrates its world premiere at the 1999 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in September, it will open another chapter in Opel�s long history of stylish, sporting cars. Powered by its top-of-the-line engine, a new 2.0-liter turbo with 140 kW/190 hp, the two-door coup� has a top speed of 240 km/h. An all-new 108 kW/147 hp, 2.2-liter aluminum power plant and a 1.8-liter unit with 85 kW/115 hp complete the range of modern, four-valve gasoline engines.

The self-stabilizing DSA chassis has been adapted to the coup�s high performance. Every version of Opel�s newcomer will be equipped with TC Plus traction control and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) will be available. The stylish four-seater will be in Europe�s showrooms in the spring of next year.

The Astra Coup� is available with two equipment packages, with the entry-level version already offering numerous comfort, convenience and functional features. These include easy-entry sports seats with memory function, a leather-covered steering wheel, power windows, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, split folding rear seats with load-through capability and light alloy wheels. Standard safety equipment includes Active Head Restraints, front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, ABS and traction control.

The "Bertone Edition" additionally features a high-end audio system, electronic climate control (standard in the turbo), a steering column adjustable for reach and angle and remote-control central locking. The Astra Coup� is 4267 millimeters long and 1390 mm high; that is roughly 156 mm longer and 34 mm lower than the three-door Astra hatchback. The coup�s wheelbase (2614 mm) and body width (1709 mm) remain identical. Alongside its stylish flair, the front-wheel drive coup� also provides a generous amount of space. The luggage compartment�s capacity of 460 liters (according to the VDA test method) equals that of the Astra notchback.

Evolutionary design: Smooth Silhouette and Dynamic Lines
Skillfully uniting a sense of pace with understated elegance, the Astra Coup�s styling is an evolution of Opel�s new design philosophy first seen on the 1998 Astra. The more steeply raked windshield and harmonious roof line contribute significantly to the excellent aerodynamics (cD = 0.28) and, at the same time, hint at its dynamic driving characteristics. The subtle aerofoil on the trunk lid provides additional downforce, thereby improving stability.

Seen from the side, frameless doors and black B-pillars create the impression of a single, one-piece window section, emphasizing the car�s sporting character. This effect is reinforced by the body-colored roof strips, door handles, mirror housings, side-protection moldings and sills, as well as the exclusive light alloy wheels in 15 to 17-inch sizes. Sporting styling cues differentiate the coup� from its Astra stable-mates. They include tightly bolder front and rear bumpers, eye-catching air intakes at the front, headlights with darkened frames, a unique radiator grille and an oval-shaped exhaust tailpipe. A total of ten paint finishes, of which four are exclusive to the coup�, guarantee an individual appearance.

A choice of interior equipment and trims emphasizes either the sporting or the elegant side of the Astra Coup�s character. Special design features include instruments which - depending on the version - are available with either white or black backgrounds, surrounded by aluminum or chrome. The center console trim has either a metal or a wood look. Four kinds of leather upholstery and trim are optionally available, including the color red. The striking black / silver-gray Alcantara / leather constellation is another first in the Astra Coup�.

Top-of-the-range Power: New 2.0-liter Turbo Engine with 190 hp
The Astra Coup�s engine range consists of three, state-of-the-art ECOTEC units with differing characteristics. Equipped with the powerful 140 kW/190 hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, the new Astra Coup� shows its true colors as a high-performance sports car of the first order. Acceleration from 0 to 100 takes only 7.2 seconds and the top speed is 240 km/h. The engine is extremely responsive even in the lower engine speed ranges, thanks to the maximum torque of 250 Nm which is developed at only 2000 rpm. Just how efficiently the engine utilizes its full potential can be seen from its fuel-consumption (MVEG standard). At 8.9 liters per 100 kilometers the sporting top-of-the-line model is among the most economical in its class.

The turbo engine is a new development based on the 100 kW/136 hp, naturally aspirated units available in Opel Astra and Vectra models. Although major components such as engine block and cylinder head are retained, all turbo-relevant parts such as the exhaust manifold, charge-air hoses, pistons, management system and engine mounts are new. As with the new 2.2-liter, aluminum ECOTEC unit, Opel�s engineers also installed two counter-rotating balance shafts in the Astra Coup�s turbo engine, in order to guarantee a high degree of refinement and significantly lower vibration. Effective exhaust emission reduction (Euro 3) is assured by the electronic accelerator pedal system and the primary and main catalytic converters.

Debut: New Aluminum Engine with Balance Shafts
Visitors to the "IAA" in Frankfurt will witness more than the debut of the Astra Coup� itself: the hood of the four-seater conceals a brand new engine. The 2.2-liter, four-valve ECOTEC unit is the first European representative of a new generation of engines, in which both the cylinder head and the crankcase are made of aluminum. General Motors will be introducing a whole family of four-cylinder spark-ignition engines worldwide, covering the popular displacement range from 1.8 to 2.2 liters. The engine range takes future developments into consideration and can be adapted for turbocharging, variable valve timing, or conversion to gasoline direct injection. Production for the American market started at the beginning of the year in GM's largest engine plant in Tonawanda, near Buffalo in the State of New York. From 2001 onwards the 2.2-liter unit used in the Astra Coup� will be built at Opel�s engine plant in Kaiserslautern where a new production line is under construction.

Plus Points: Low Consumption and Early Euro IV Compliance
With an output of 108 kW (147 hp) and maximum torque of 203 Nm at 4,000 rpm, the 2.2-liter unit in the Astra Coup� ensures excellent performance. The two-door Opel needs only 8.5 seconds to sprint from a standing start to 100 km/h, and on to a top speed of 220 km/h. The ECOTEC engine has a minimum specific fuel consumption of 240 grams of fuel per kilowatt hour. The MVEG figure for the coup� is only 8.2 liters per 100 km. Thanks to its state-of-the-art design and highly efficient exhaust-emission control system, the engine already complies in full with the Euro IV emissions norm planned for 2005. Its advanced technology also fulfils the requirements for the European On-board Diagnosis System (EOBD) which will become statutory at the same time.

A trend-setting feature is also the low maintenance requirement of this lightweight, 138-kilogram engine (DIN 70020A figure not including lubricants and coolant). With the exception of the oil change no further service work is required. The General Motors "Lost-Foam" casting technique ensures precision and environmental acceptability. This was made possible by a series of innovations in the construction of the compact light-alloy engine, which with its bore of 86 millimeters and stroke of 94.6 millimeters is of long-stroke design. The two overhead camshafts which actuate the intake and exhaust valves via roller cam followers mounted on needle bearings are driven by a 12.5 millimeter wide single roller chain instead of a conventional, relatively wide toothed belt. This assembly is maintenance-free throughout the engine's working life. The same applies to the ignition module with its two individual coils in the cylinder-head cover and the new roller cam followers with hydraulic valve clearance compensation. They also help to reduce fuel consumption by keeping the 2.2-liter engine's friction losses low.

Environmental Advantages: Reduced Catalytic Converter Warm-up Time
Major contributors to the engine's exemplary emission characteristics are the central engine-management processor, which controls both ignition timing and injection, the electronic accelerator pedal ("drive-by-wire") and a whole package of other measures. These include smaller spark plug gaps and valve lift dimensions, pistons with only with three-millimeter high fire-lands. Efficient exhaust emission control is assured by a primary catalytic converter with metallic monolith and a ceramic main converter - both with their own oxygen sensors - and by an exhaust-gas recirculation system. In addition to this the Opel engineers have installed the transversely-mounted engine so that the exhaust side is no longer in the direct airflow, but in the engine's "slipstream". This enables the catalytic converter to reach its light-off temperature of between 300 to 350 degrees Celsius more rapidly.

Balance Shafts: High-Level Refinement
For a four-cylinder unit, the engine is unusually quiet and smooth-running. This is achieved by a two-piece crankcase, reinforced at the crankshaft centerline and bolted to the transmission and aluminum oil pan to form a stable combination. The major contribution to the engine's exemplary refinement is, however, made by the two counter-rotating balance shafts which significantly reduce the unwanted vertical vibrations which always occur in four-cylinder engines.

Entry-Level Efficiency: Good Performance with 1.8 16V Engine
The Astra Coup�s entry-level engine is the 1.8-liter, four-valve unit used in the Astra, Vectra and Zafira models, which has an output of 85 kW/115 hp and, thanks to its maximum torque of 170 Nm at 3,400 rpm, ensures lively performance combined with low fuel consumption. It takes Opel�s new coup� briskly from a standing start to 100 km/h in only 9.5 seconds, and on to a top speed of 205 km/h if desired. Fuel consumption is only 7.8 liters per 100 kilometers (MVEG standard) and this efficient gasoline unit meets the strict German D4 emissions norm.

Advanced design features such as the variable intake manifold, 16-bit high-performance engine management processor, ignition distribution with four single-spark ignition coils and cylinder-selective knock control make the 1.8 16V entry-level engine particularly efficient. Additionally, there have been improvements leading to reduced friction and weight in the crank drive and valve gear, which, in mechanical terms, too, make the engine one of the most advanced in its class.

Chassis: Sporting, Agile Handling and High Safety

The coup�'s self-stabilizing DSA (Dynamic SAfety) chassis complements the high performance potential of its engine range. Opel's engineers have lowered the body by about 20 millimeters compared with the Astra, increased the front spring and anti-roll bar ratings and installed firmer shock-absorbers to achieve sporty road-holding and agile handling without compromising ride quality.

The turbo�s four disc brakes (308 mm ventilated at the front, 264 mm at the rear) provide impressive deceleration. The other Astra Coup� variants have the same disc brake system as the Astra 2.0 16V (280 mm front, 264 mm rear). Every Astra Coup� will be equipped with ABS and TC Plus traction control operating on both the brakes and engine. An Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is also available. ESP recognizes via several sensors critical driving situations and helps the driver retain control over the vehicle by regulating engine torque and applying the brakes of individual wheels. ESP offers an additional increase of the Astra Coup�'s high chassis ability, especially under difficult driving conditions such as rain, snow or ice.

Production at Bertone: 30,000 Astra Coup�s a Year
The Astra Coup� will be built by Bertone, at the well-known Italian coachbuilder's and designer's new plant near Turin. Opel�s planners forecast more than 30,000 of these elegant two-seaters rolling of the production line for the European market annually. In Germany alone, sales are expected to reach approximately 20,000 units per year.

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