Opel Astra OPC Review in South Africa

I do feel at the moment that all I write about is hot hatches. I started thinking this could be my fault, but it isn’t. I’ve just done a count, and depending on your criteria, there are nine of these creatures in the C segment alone. It’s symptomatic of an industry that needs halo cars in its most important segments. And as emission laws intensify, fuel prices increase and customer’s demand better, smaller cars, the humble hatchback is an incredibly important segment. And even if you aren’t in the market for one of these, everyone likes to know about the hero cars, and the Opel Astra OPC is one of these cars.

Opel Astra OPC review by Ciro De Siena

So I’ve organised to test the latest Volkswagen GTI against the recently-ousted segment leader – at least in terms of power – the Opel Astra OPC. You can read my driving impression of the Golf GTI here. I took the two cars to one of Cape Town’s swoopiest and most scenic roads, Chapman’s Peak Drive. Not that scenery helps me test cars, obviously, but it certainly makes for a nice day out.

Exterior Styling – New Opel Astra OPC

The Opel Astra OPC by anyone’s definition is a sensational looking car. There is no pretence of trying to hide its ability – this is a powerful car and Opel wants everyone to know about it. Fantastic in pictures, it’s even more striking in the metal. While the Golf looks great regardless, parked next to the OPC, the VW looks a bit boxy; plain even. The test car lurking outside my window is a colour I can only describe as “phonebook yellow”. It looks wicked, but I think you’d tire of it. In the same way that it might be fun to have a bright purple cocktail every now and then – you know, live La Vida Loca – it wouldn’t be your every day drink. The Opel Astra OPC comes with a fantastic aero pack that really helps it look the part. And running on those massive, exclusive 20 inch alloys, this is certainly in the running for the hottest-looking hot hatch.

Performance – The heart of the OPC

Sitting snugly under the bonnet of the Opel Astra OPC is a 2.0 litre, inline 4 cylinder turbocharged petrol motor that has been tuned to produce more power than British Touring car specifications. 206kW and 400Nm in a hatchback is no laughing matter. Compared to the Golf’s 162kW and 350Nm, on paper at least, the OPC looks like it will make a mockery of the Golf. Up until recently, this was the segment leader, but Merc’s new A45 AMG has just gone full mental, and raised the bar even higher. Details under “Rivals” below. However, weight is a key influencer of ultimate performance, and the Opel Astra OPC is a bit of a big bully. Weighing in at 1550kg, the Astra is a good 170kg’s heavier than the GTI, and you can feel it. Where the Golf feels like it can skip through corners, the Astra feels like it will just flatten them. Both are satisfying, but for the daily drive, the Golf is easier to manage. Acceleration times are close, with the OPC reaching the standard 100km/h from standstill in 6.2 seconds, and the GTI in 6.5 seconds.

Handling and ride

The Opel Astra OPC is quite a Jekyll and Hyde machine. Extracting all that power from 2.0 litres of engine has required a fairly hefty turbocharger, which takes a while spool up. There is noticeable turbolag below 3000rpm. This has a few affects. Firstly, it makes crossing that rev point very exciting. It’s like hitting warp drive. All of a sudden, the wheel tugs at your hands, the scenery starts moving very quickly and the car makes the most astonishing growling/whooshing noise. It’s quite unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It sounds like a massive transformer (the Hollywood kind) breathing loudly through a steel pipe. And it seems to come from inside your own head. It’s German voodoo I’m sure. Once you become aware of warp drive, you can actually get the Opel Astra OPC to plod along in quite a civilised manner, by gearing up early. Unless it’s raining – then you have to be very careful indeed. The front tyres just can’t cope with all that twisting force when the tarmac is wet. You have to be very restrained, otherwise you will wake up the traction control every time you flex your right foot. But today it’s not raining, and the road surface is perfect. And the Astra feels fantastic. It has loads of grip, but for some reason it doesn’t inspire the same confidence as the GTI. I’m just more tentative to get on the power coming out of the corner, in case of a whack of twist makes the nose drift wide. Given more time with the Opel Astra OPC, I might enjoy it more, but this thing just makes me nervous. It feels like the Astra has been set up more for track driving. And I’m sure on a track it would be quite a bit quicker than the GTI. Those big takkies, the Brembo brakes, the firm suspension set up, it all makes for a potentially great track day car.

Interior

The interior is a mix of awesome and frustration for me. In an age of touch screens, the Opel Astra OPC feels dated – buttons everywhere. All the kit is there though, heated seats, automatic climate control, electric hip and torso bolsters to hug you tight in corners. The bucket seats are radical – they look like they’ve been nicked from a race car and covered in leather. But for such a big car, I don’t know where all the space has gone. It’s quite cramped in there. And then there is the centre bin. It’s got a cushioned lid which is perfectly placed for your elbow to crash into every time you change into 2nd or 4th – I had to drive with it open.

Summary – Opel Astra OPC

If the most exciting part of your life is your drive to work, then I would heartily recommend the Opel Astra OPC. It’s a brawler; it’s always up for a fight and makes a tremendous noise. You will love the turbocharged whooshiness that the engine provides and your friends will be jealous of how damn sensational it looks. But if you aren’t interested in raising your heart rate to clinically worrying levels every time you need to pick up some milk, there are more sane options out there, like the GTI. It is an exercise in excess, the Opel Astra OPC, not least in price. R435 000 compared to R368 500 for the GTI. Race cars are expensive pieces of kit, and I imagine a lot of the cost has gone into ensuring the OPC goes and feels like one. But if you need a practical, fast hatchback, you might feel a little short-changed.

Quick specs – 2013 Opel Astra OPC

View the vehicle: New Opel Astra / Used Opel Astra OPC

Rivals

Mercedes Benz A45 AMG If it’s power you’re after, Mercedes will sell you the world’s most powerful production 2.0litre engine. The A45 AMG packs 265kW and 450Nm – quite mad really. But it will set you back R555,000. That’s a lot of money for a hatchback. Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI What it lacks in power it makes up for in planted dynamics and lighter weight. Interior is bang up to date with a standard touch screen that works like a touch screen. 5 doors makes it more convenient if you have offspring/friends. R368,500