01 Aug 05 16:31
Opel has released the first official pictures of the Astra TwinTop, its coupe-cabriolet rival to the upcoming Focus coupe-cabriolet, the Peugeot 307CC, Megane CC and so on. The TwinTop will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, with sales starting in spring 2006; it is to be built alongside the Astra saloon and GTC coupe in Antwerp, Belgium. It features a three-part retractable steel roof, giving boot space of around 440 litres roof-up and over 200 litres with the roof down, and Opel promises "ample space for four." The roof is said to open or close in less than 30 seconds at the touch of a button, and with the roof stowed away, the stacked sections can be raised by an extra 25cm to allow for access to luggage under the protective cover, thanks to an "Easy Load" function.
The TwinTop will come with four petrol engines from the entry-level 105bhp unit to the 200bhp 2.0-litre Turbo, or the 150bhp 1.9 CDTi diesel; options will include the Interactive Driving System (IDS) adaptive chassis settings, continuous damping control and adaptive bi-xenon headlamps. More details of the UK-spec Vauxhall models will be announced nearer to the on-sale date.
