MODERN CLASSICS
James Walshe says it’s time to cherish one of the best-selling cars in British motoring history
The very definition of street furniture, examples of the popular second-generation Vauxhall Astra could once be seen in every car park and driveway in Britain. From base spec Merit to GTE, Cabrio, booted Belmont, estate, van or standard 5-door hatch, this stylish family car was everywhere during the Eighties and Nineties. It was the fourth best-selling model in Britain, so it seems astonishing that almost all of them have since vanished. But what if you’ve been hankering for an example and then find one for sale? What should you look for? Here’s how to buy an extremely likeable, practical family classic that’ll be sure to spark nostalgia at your local classic car show and, in the case of the GTE, set some pulses racing!
Which one do I want?
The Astra (Opel Kadett in Europe) was a breath of fresh air when it arrived in 1984, especially against a backdrop of mostly quite boxy rivals. The engines and running gear were the same as the MkI, but the new, low-drag body helped earn it the title of 1985 European Car of the Year, and buyers came flocking. Today you’re most likely find a GTE or similarly posh model, as so many standard Astras weren’t deemed exciting enough to save. What you’ll find depends very much on how hard you look.
What you will discover is one of the 17 variations Vauxhall boasted of when the car was launched. Base-spec cars got reasonably lively 1200cc or 1300cc units and, wait for it… a push button radio and ‘continental style’ front door armrests, according to the period brochure. The car was marketed as being more exotic than the rest, but these days a bottom-of-the-range Astra (like the later Merit model) is charmingly basic. Above that, the usual badge hierarchy applied, with L and GL models getting trim improvements while 1.6 and 1.8-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines were available on all models. The early 1.6-litre SR is a rarity, as is the later 1.8-litre SRi. None offered much in the way of ou
