Finally! Holden Sticks The Diesel In Astra Wagon

[mikmak]

Wheels Magazine

Appropriate oil for Astra

Samantha Stevens | May 26, 2008

Holden has finally oiled up its Astra Wagon.

In a rather timely move, Holden has finally secured a diesel option for its small family wagon.

The Astra CDTi diesel runs a 1.9-litre turbocharged four developing 88 kilowatts at 3500rpm and 280Nm at 2000rpm, and claims a combined fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km.

The same diesel in the manual sedan makes a greater 110kW and 320Nm, so it may seem a little disappointing that the lesser powered sportshift auto is the only wagon option.

[mikmak]

For the love of all that's holey! No freakin' manual!AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!! !

[RedVee8]

Great that the diesel is in the wagon, bad that it is auto only.
Why can't they get the 110kw engine with an auto? it seems it is a Euro thing to have detuned engines in the auto variants.

BTW Mikmak, saw your comments on the Wheels forum that accompanied the article. It's not true that no-one bought Astra wagons in manual, my sister bought a manual Astra wagon in blue. .

[bcjohnso99]

Originally Posted by mikmak

Wheels Magazine

Appropriate oil for Astra

Samantha Stevens | May 26, 2008

Holden has finally oiled up its Astra Wagon.

In a rather timely move, Holden has finally secured a diesel option for its small family wagon.

The Astra CDTi diesel runs a 1.9-litre turbocharged four developing 88 kilowatts at 3500rpm and 280Nm at 2000rpm, and claims a combined fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km.

The same diesel in the manual sedan makes a greater 110kW and 320Nm, so it may seem a little disappointing that the lesser powered sportshift auto is the only wagon option.

I don't get it. I drive a cobalt 2.2l (until the end of the week - lease is up) which is pretty close to an astra and I regularly get 8.0l/100km (+/- 0.3) with very few trips over 20km on the highway so the diesel only saves 1 l/100km, which means is saves between 150 and 250 litres per year for most people. Even with high gas prices, most people would not recover the extra cost for many years.

This engine/car combo should be closer to 6 l/100km (~40 USmpg).

[osv_alero]

Holden seems to move quickly when they see the opportunity. It's too bad GM North America can't move so quickly. GM has a great opportunity to offer those vehicles as diesels in the US through Saturn. Why aren't they? I know, I know EPA regulations, but I'm sure GM could figure it out if VW and Mercedes can.

[montrealvue]

Originally Posted by osv_alero

Holden seems to move quickly when they see the opportunity. It's too bad GM North America can't move so quickly. GM has a great opportunity to offer those vehicles as diesels in the US through Saturn. Why aren't they? I know, I know EPA regulations, but I'm sure GM could figure it out if VW and Mercedes can.

+1.....I will never understand Saturn having a vehicle like the Outlook but not having something like this. My local Saturn salesguy is starving as he can't move anything but 4 cyl models that have low margins and are in short supply. All the SUV/Crossover sales are lost to Toyota and Honda lately due to fuel economy ratings. Diesels would be a great fit for Saturn as Saturn buyers tend to be looking for something different from other GM products. I will never understand how other brands are faster to react to market conditions than GM.

[benroethig]

Originally Posted by osv_alero

Holden seems to move quickly when they see the opportunity. It's too bad GM North America can't move so quickly. GM has a great opportunity to offer those vehicles as diesels in the US through Saturn. Why aren't they? I know, I know EPA regulations, but I'm sure GM could figure it out if VW and Mercedes can.

Diesel has yet to overcome some misconceptions. Being nearly $1 per gallon more expensive than gasoline might also have something to do with it. Even with being more fuel efficient, they're more expensive to run and that's on top of hefty upcharge for the engine.

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by RedVee8

Great that the diesel is in the wagon, bad that it is auto only.
Why can't they get the 110kw engine with an auto? it seems it is a Euro thing to have detuned engines in the auto variants.

BTW Mikmak, saw your comments on the Wheels forum that accompanied the article. It's not true that no-one bought Astra wagons in manual, my sister bought a manual Astra wagon in blue. .

I wish more supported the cause. It does after all increase fuel efficiency which is my main concern

(Yes I know the difference is minimal with DSGs etc.)

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by bcjohnso99

This engine/car combo should be closer to 6 l/100km (~40 USmpg).

- Yes - even below.

Power on the wagon is low as well.

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by bcjohnso99

I don't get it. I drive a cobalt 2.2l (until the end of the week - lease is up) which is pretty close to an astra and I regularly get 8.0l/100km (+/- 0.3) with very few trips over 20km on the highway so the diesel only saves 1 l/100km, which means is saves between 150 and 250 litres per year for most people. Even with high gas prices, most people would not recover the extra cost for many years.

This engine/car combo should be closer to 6 l/100km (~40 USmpg).

I would have thought the same since I get around 6.4 on average with my 2.2 5M Vectra, however, with all the extra kit plus being generally larger (+120kgs), they haul around, it's easy to see where the consumption goes.
Here's a comparison

[AMERICA 123]

When I think about Australia and diesel - this always comes up.
From a Hyundai press release;

In a performance of comic over- achievement, eco-futurist Hans Tholstrup has driven a Hyundai Santa Fe CRDi turbo-diesel AWD about 400 kilometres or 30 percent further than envisioned in a fuel economy run.
Attempting the 1400km trip from Adelaide to Sydney without refuelling the car's standard 75 litre tank, Tholstrup arrived at Sydney City Hyundai with at least a quarter full gauge reading so he pressed on north, eventually petering out with the daylight yesterday on the outskirts of Port Macquarie, 1776.6 kilometres from the RAA office start point in Adelaide last Tuesday.

The Santa Fe CRDi averaged 4.67 litres / 100km, an astoundingly frugal figure for a 1.9 tonne, medium-sized AWD SUV which seats seven in some variants.
The figure is based on the tank's actual capacity of 83.15 litres, achievable with very patient pumping.

The trip took in five Hyundai dealer/media stops which included battling out through metro Sydney's Pacific Highway and similarly threading into and out of metro Newcastle, not bypassing it. Cruise speed on the flat was around 85-90 km/h and 100 plus downhill and when followed by press-on pantechs on single lane highway stretches. -

."Santa Fe CRDi demonstrates better than any other SUV that the latest, high technology diesel engines are the most appropriate response to the volatile cost of and CO2 emissions from petrol engines, especially in larger, heavier 4WD vehicles.

They make more sense than high-priced electric/petrol hybrids which still have costly and unresolved battery replacement and disposal issues."

"- sipped fuel almost as sparingly as the 4.65 l/100km I got driving a now-superseded Getz XL 1.3 petrol the 10,000km from Darwin to Brisbane via Perth in 2003, a much smaller car."

State Motoring Clubs helped with the venture. The RAA's Mark Borlace sealed the tank in Adelaide, NRMA's Tim Pomroy inspected the seal in Sydney and NRMA Country Road Service's Taree base patrolman Ben Van Baars demonstrated his award-winning service by following Hans from Taree and officially breaking the tank seal for the refuel in Port Macquarie.

Hans drove a completely standard Santa Fe SX CRDi manual with no special preparation apart from its sealed fuel filler. -

.

The Santa Fe CRDi (Common-Rail Direct injection) introduces the latest clean, quiet and smokeless turbo-diesel technology to the class which can:

• cut fuel use by up to close on half that of its petrol-powered competitors,
• better the fuel economy of the electric/petrol hybrid Lexus RX400h,
• deliver stronger acceleration
• enhance towing performance with very moderate fuel use, and
• emit much less CO2 than any of its petrol competitors.

Santa Fe is a sizeable family wagon, big enough to offer seating for seven - - and weighs between 1.78 and 1.9 tonnes depending on variant.

Its Australian Design Rule 81/01 comparative figures for urban-biased combined city/highway fuel economy range from its industry-best SUV figure of 7.3 litres/100km to 8.2l/100km, depending on variant, compared with the 11.5 to 12.8 l/100km of its major competitors above.

[nota]

^^^ This bloke the adventurer Hans Tholstrup is a genuine legend having amassed an incredible list of achievements over many years, including navigating across the treacherous Bass Strait from the Oz mainland to Tasmania .. in a Mini Moke!

Worth checking out...

http://www.hyundai.com.au/Hans-Thols...e/default.aspx

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by mikmak

I wish more supported the cause. It does after all increase fuel efficiency which is my main concern

(Yes I know the difference is minimal with DSGs etc.)

Well, on a cruise in my 5dr 5speed the instant consumption shows up in the 5s and 6s / 100k. Which is pretty economical in my book.

Anyone know what the story is with not offering the 110kw 320Nm engine with the 6sp auto? Cost?

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by mikmak

I would have thought the same since I get around 6.4 on average with my 2.2 5M Vectra, however, with all the extra kit plus being generally larger (+120kgs), they haul around, it's easy to see where the consumption goes.
Here's a comparison

I added one of my old cars to the camparo.

http://www.redbookasiapacific.com/au...337&id2=399155

not too bad, almost the same power as the Diesel

[mikmak]

Hahaha, it's funny how the fuel consumption has stayed about the same for the small-mid sizers. only the weight has changed...by 400kgs!

I got 6.35l/100kms this week and i wasn't really trying, not to mention I got stuck behind a few accidents as well. At least I wasn't stuck in a Camira I suppose