As the all-new 2016 Astra K hits its stride, Opel has announced an all-new BiTurbo variant, appealing to those who still want a diesel engine, despite the recent scrutiny the segment has come under.
The readily-available power comes from the latest 1.6L BiTurbo CDTI, which is rated at 118 kW (160 hp) and 350 nm of torque (258 lb/ft of torque) in this application. The twin-turbo diesel allows the Opel Astra BiTurbo to have an impressive fuel economy of 4 l/100 km (about 59 mpg directly converted) while impressively emitting just 109-106g/km of CO2. In fact, it makes this Astra one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the compact class. Equally impressive is that this BiTurbo hatchback can accelerate from 0-100 km in 8.9 seconds, and can reach speeds of nearly 137 miles per hour.
“When we launched the Astra last year, its combination of space, equipment, comfort and connectivity shook up the competition in the compact class,” says Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Opel CEO. “The new Astra is one of the lightest cars in its segment and with the new 1.6-liter twin-turbo engine, few cars can match the BiTurbo’s unique blend of power, performance, refinement and fuel economy.”
The refinement of this vehicle gives it that ‘all around package’ appeal. It’s quiet and comfortable, efficient, and can get out of its own way when necessary. We started by pointing out the lack luster 0-60, but 250 pounds per feet of torque is quite a bit of hustle for such a small car. We doubt anyone using the Astra BiTurbo to reach its maximum speed in normal driving conditions, but with a standard 6-speed manual transmission this diesel hatch could be more fun than you’d expect – and it start’s at €27,310 ($31,064 USD). Is the new Astra K BiTurbo a precursor to an upcoming Chevrolet Cruze diesel hatchback? We can only hope.
[nggallery id=833]
Comments
This is almost as Earth-shaking as GM’s recent new cars that are larger yet lighter and safer than the cars they replace because if you do the Google search for how much CO2 emission is generated to recharge a Tesla S battery by a power plant it’s 292-346 grams of CO2 per mile which means Opel’s Astra Biturbo’s emission of 106-109 grams-of-CO2 per mile is more efficient than a Tesla because a power plant does not use advance exhaust system as this car; President Obama would have a heart attack if he was told that a turbo-diesel car was more efficient than a Tesla.
Fingers crossed that this is the turbo-diesel engine we’ll see in cars like the Chevrolet Cruze and possibly Buick’s Encore as it would give high fuel economy without the need of a hybrid.