It’s not that long since Vauxhall gave its Astra a facelift and now they are launching a BiTurbo 2litre diesel model.
The new Astra BiTurbo
Available in the five door hatch and the Sports Tourer, the new performance diesel has 195PS and 400Nm of torque. Both versions of the model will do 0-60mph in less than 8 seconds. The top speed is 135mph.
Twin turbo technology is rare in this class and the Astra uses a sequential turbocharging system, with the smaller turbo accelerating quickly at lower speeds to eliminate ‘lag’. In the mid-range of rpm, both turbochargers operate together, with the larger turbocharger pre-compressing the intake air, before it is fully compressed in the smaller one. A bypass valve is controlled continuously to pass on part of the exhaust gases to the larger turbo.
This means the driver still enjoys smooth acceleration. At higher rpm (from around 3,000rpm) all the gases flow directly to the larger turbocharger, maintaining the fluid power delivery at higher speeds.
There’s also some new styling which makes the five door models look more like the sportier three door versions.
The British-built Astra BiTurbo is available to order tomorrow, with first deliveries expected late 2012. Prices start from £24,095 for the hatch and from £25,110 for the Sports Tourer.
As with all Vauxhall passenger cars, Lifetime Warranty is standard, giving first owners the peace of mind of a warranty that lasts the car’s lifetime, up to a maximum 100,000 miles.