One of the most beautiful cars we have seen lately wearing the Opel/Vauxhall badge is the recently announced Cascada mid-size four-seater convertible. The car is bigger than the one it replaces, the Astra Twin Top, measuring 4697mm long and 1840mm wide, which makes it 85mm longer than the BMW 3-Series Convertible and 71mm longer than the Audi A5 Cabriolet.The platform is based on a combination of the Astra and Insignia, but with a 71mm longer wheelbase and 56mm / 70mm wider front/rear tracks than what the Astra Twin Top has. Despite the increased size, Opel’s officials have stated that the body is 43% stiffer and 10% more resistant.
The 2013 Opel/Vaxuhall Cascada has a HiPerStrut front suspension borrowed from the Insignia VXR, while the back features a crank beam axle design. All of the variants can be fitted with the firm’s FlexRide fully adaptive chassis control system. Wheel sizes range from 18 to 20 inches.
Compared to the Astra Twin Top which has a metal hardtop, the Cascada adopts a soft top that has a triple layer construction which should provide adequate acoustic and thermal insulation. This soft top is electrically operated and needs 17 seconds to go up or down, and this can be done by hitting an interior switch or pressing a button located on the key fob at speeds of up to 30 mph.
Engines include a 1.4-liter turbocharged with 138 hp and 220 Nm connected to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Other than that, there’s also a 2.0-liter turbodiesel that produces 163 hp and 280 lb-ft, and can be linked to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The novelty would have to be a 1.6-liter SIDI Turbo ECOTEC gasoline engine that outputs 168 hp and 206 lb-ft.
The 2013 Cascada will have a starting price in UK of approximately 25,000 pounds (about $40,500 or 30,800 euros).
Source: Opel
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