irishcar.com OPEL REVIEW ARCHIVES
AGILA

Opel shares with Suzuki (Mar 01) - Gerry Boud

CORSA

Of Corsa, it's great! (Oct 00) - Andrew Hamilton

A Corsa for a new generation (Dec 00) - Trish Whelan

The new Opel Corsa, recently voted Irish Semperit Car of the Year 2000, is set to appeal to a whole new generation of car buyers, writes Trish Whelan. This third generation of Corsas is bigger and roomier front and back than before and has a certain amount of panache and flair. full story

Corsa has affordable autobox (jun 01) - Brian Byrne

Opel Combo builds on successful platform

So what do you do if you want a successful small light commercial? Well, one way is to build it on a successful car platform, writes Brian Byrne. And, if Opel’s new Combo is NOT successful, it will prove that particular formula very wrong. But I don’t think there’ll be a real problem. A couple of days in Hamburg with this latest small van from GM’s European arm has provided us with experience of a vehicle which appears to be solid, sweet, and very practical. Full Story.

Drive easy, save money
To coincide with the launch of the most economical petrol-engined car in its class, the Corsa ECO, Opel asked Martin Holzhofer, the man in charge of the ECO model programme, to produce his top practical hints to wallet-friendly motoring. He says handling the car correctly is one of the biggest and often insufficiently explored factors in saving fuel. Full Story.

Corsa hits the big 2 Oh (Sep 02)
Opel’s Corsa nameplate celebrates its 20th birthday this month after selling 11 million cars in three basic ‘generations’, writes Brian Byrne. Today in Ireland, the Corsa has a 12.1 percent share of a segment which represents around a quarter of all cars sold in this country. In very short order after the launch of the first Corsa in Spain, in 1982, it was selling in excess of 1,600 units a year in Ireland.

MERIVA

Opel's Meriva likely to win friends (May 03)
Some 20 per cent of Opel production in future will be 'niche' cars, as opposed to traditional and innovative vehicles, writes Brian Byrne. I suppose the new Meriva straddles both innovative and niche.

Meriva makes quiet impression (Jan 04)
Opel has picked up on the swift-moving trend for diesels in smaller cars with the 1.7-litre Meriva turbodiesel, writes Trish Whelan. This friendly car is extremely spacious inside and can cater well for a growing family’s needs.

ASTRA

Astra Coupe must be liked (Dec 00) - Brian Byrne

It’s getting more difficult to shout out loud about liking cars, isn’t it?, writes Brian Byrne. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t hold a brief for traffic jams. And I happen to believe in public transport as an option. When it goes where you want to go, WHEN you want to go. But just because public transport doesn’t suit me, I shouldn’t be penalised. Worse, I shouldn’t be made feel guilty. more

At home with an open roof (March 01) - Brian Byrne

Ten minutes out from Faro Airport the balmy late February sunshine disappeared behind a black cloud and then big blobs of raindrops spattered the windscreen, writes Brian Byrne. There was no roof up to stop them spattering us too. The choice was simple ... keep moving at over 40mph and we were likely to remain dry, or pull over and put up the roof of the Astra Cabrio and be sure of it. There were traffic lights ahead. The possibility of keeping going wasn’t good. So we pulled over. full story


NEW ASTRA

Opel aims for stars with Astra (Aug03)
Opel's upcoming new generation Astra, which will debut in Frankfurt next month, is intended to make the car a leader in its segment in terms of technology, economy and safety, writes Brian Byrne. A major highlight optionally available is adaptive IDSPlus suspension, with electronic Continuous Damping Control.


New Astra vista (Mar 04)
Whenever Opel brings out a new generation of a model they 'explore the new possibilities', writes Brian Byrne. And so, with their Astra and its Kadett predecessor, we have always got something very fresh from GM's European subsidiary.

NEW VECTRA

Vectra will have enhanced levels of quality (Jan 02)
There’s more than a hint of the old Opel Calibra in the high waistline and wedge lines of the upcoming new Vectra, making its world premiere in March at the Geneva Motor Show with sales beginning in Europe shortly after. Read June for Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. There’s also nodding acknowledgment to the curved rooflines of VW’s Passat and Ford’s Mondeo. If these things work for other people, we shouldn’t ignore them, right? Full Story.


Opel plant 'sets standards for industry' (Feb 02)
Opel’s new production facility in Rüsselsheim for the new Vectra sets new standards in terms of productivity, quality and flexibility, writes Brian Byrne. It represents a 750 million euros investment, will produce 270,000 cars a year, and has meant the biggest employee training programme in Opel’s history. Full Story.

Vectra has no place for the bitter word
The Opel Vectra is famous for being excoriated by a particular UK motoring personality, writes Brian Byrne. Many of his compatriot carscribes followed suit. Like a sheep following its mouth. But there are several millions of Vectras out there performing faithfully, fusslessly trolleying families and business people around. The Vectra has been a very successful car. So much for the mouth and its following sheep. Full Story.


New Vectra expands Opel horizons
Opel’s stylish new Vectra is now roomier, safer and more comfortable, opening a new chapter in its history in the midsize market segment, writes Trish Whelan. Following investments of 750m, the new Vectra is produced in Opel’s massively extended Russelsheim factory which is now the most modern car and van manufacturing plant in the world.


Vectra's top diesel is a real all-rounder (Jun 02)
The latest Vectra is the spiritual successor to a long line of Opels, from the Rekords of my driving youth through Asconas and Cavaliers to the current name that links both Opel and Vauxhall brands, writes Brian Byrne. And in the review car's 2.2-litre turbodiesel form, it lacked only an autobox to make it as good as you're going to get in the segment.

And you thought a seat was just a seat? (Jul 02)
Opel has invested about 75 million euros in trying to give the Vectra the best seats in its class, writes Ray Bernard. Opel says this means that Vectra drivers and passengers enjoy a standard of seating formerly expected only from a large luxury sedan. The new Vectra’s seats are not only notable for high standards of comfort, convenience and safety; they also make a contribution to the ‘intelligent weight-saving’ that has been applied to the car’s design.

Vectra enhances the line (Feb 03)
Opel's GTS is designed to attract the more adventurous in the middle/upper management sector, writes Brian Byrne. The ones who haven't yet succumbed to the lure of the expensive badge.

Opel Signum aims at new class (May 03)
They call it in Germany, on poster sites all over the place, 'Dei Signum Klasse', writes Brian Byrne. But in looks, it could at first be mistaken for a Vel Satis in Opel drag. But the latest Opel variation on the Epsilon 'Vectra' platform is more than just a luxury car.

TIGRA

SPEEDSTER

Speedster is terrific from any angle (Apr 01) - Tony Conlon

You could ask the audience, go 50/50, or phone a friend - and I would bet £1 million no one would give the correct answer, writes Tony Conlon. If Gay or Chris showed a photo of one of the newest sports cars and asked is it (A) Ferrari (B) Lamborghini (C) Maserati or (D) Opel, no one would believe the stunning, brilliant new Speedster comes from the Opel stable. full story

Opel's Speedster can mean difficult choices (Aug 01)

When I first drove the Opel Speedster, they’d conveniently taken the roof off, writes Brian Byrne. It was in Portugal, so they could depend on the weather. But when I took delivery of the review car here in Ireland, it was a different situation. Being 6’2” and unusually long in the legs, it took me some time to get in. In the end, I had to do it by the passenger side! Full Story.

ZAFIRA

First drive of Zafira uncovers sparkling jewel (Feb 00) - Brian Byrne

OMEGA

FRONTERA

NOTES:

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