Shelsley Walsh is the world’s oldest motor sport venue still in regular use having been founded in 1905. The 1000 yard course has witnessed drives by the likes of Raymond Mays, Whitney Straight and even the great Hans Stuck when the hill was part of the European Hillclimb Championship in the 1930s. And last Friday saw me driving the hill for the first time in GM’s new Euro hot hatch, the Opel-Vauxhall Astra GTC.
For once the UK media got the drop on our European counterparts as the British Isles is, by some margin, the largest market for this model. Its predecessor, the Astra Sport Hatch, dominated the class outselling its nearest rival by three-to-one in 2010 with VW’s Scirocco second, the Audi A3 third and Renault Megane Coupe fourth. And with Ford deciding not to produce a hot three-door Focus, GM clearly sees this as a chance to increase its dominance in this sector.
The new GTCs slinky design only shares its roof panel and door handles with the more sober suited five-door, but despite its coupe styling there’s a generous helping of interior accommodation for both front and rear seat occupants.
Because of the UK’s dominant sales position steering and damper feel has been uniquely tuned for our roads. Much of the development centered around the introduction to the GTC of Vauxhall’s HiPerStrut, a first for an Astra model. Based on the system currently seen on the 320 bhp Insignia VXR, the HiPerStrut uses the Astra’s existing pick-up points, but reduces the kingpin inclination angle by 44% and shortens the spindle length (kingpin offset) by 46% versus the MacPherson strut-equipped models. This helps prevent torque steer allowing drivers to make more use of the GTC’s performance without the steering being corrupted.
Adding the HiPerStrut has also reduced the amount of camber change on the GTC’s front wheels during cornering, improving grip. Steering feel is enhanced, too, helped by reducing the steering system’s friction levels. The geometry changes brought by the HiPerStruts also mean that the GTC can be fitted with 20-inch wheels.
Commuting to Shelsley Walsh in a 1.4-liter diesel – 108 bhp and 206 lb.-ft. of torque – confirmed that GM has made big strides in the car’s ride and handling and while the diesel delivered a brisk performance, 10 seconds to 60 mph, it was a competent rather than exciting drive.
For that, the 1.6-liter gasoline powered option, with 177 bhp and a wide spread of 169 lb.-ft. of torque from 2200 to 5400 rpm, is far more suited with its 137 mph top speed and 7.8 seconds from zero to 60 mph. Fitted with a slick six-speed transmission the GTC puts in a strong performance on cross country dashes with smooth power delivery and a responsive, agile chassis that’s as good as it gets in this category. Ford is going to have its work cut out to equal it when sporty versions of the Focus debut.
Using a 1.6-liter turbo for my run up Shelsley Walsh resulted in a time of 42.22 seconds, compared to the outright record of 23.86 seconds set back in 2005. However, my time was good enough to beat Hans Stuck time of 42.8 seconds set in his 3.5-liter Austro-Daimler, mind you that was in 1930.
The silver coupe pictured in front of the GTCs is a 1975 Firenza HP ‘Droopsnoot’ penned by Wayne Cherry who eventually rose to the top of GM’s design tree. Its 2.3-liter slant four engine produced 131bhp and the car was the first Vauxhall fitted with a five-speed ‘box. An homologation special it formed the basis of Vauxhall’s race and rally program back in the 1970s and this example is now part of Vauxhall’s Heritage collection.
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