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With a 0-60mph time of just 8.5 seconds
and combined mpg of 62.8, the new Astra 2.0 CDTi Start/Stop Hatch really
is a case of having your cake and eating it.
By adding Start/Stop tech to the
existing Astra 2.0 CDTi Hatch, Vauxhall has not only maintained the
model’s robust performance, but reduced its fuel consumption and CO2
emissions, too. Compared with the outgoing 2.0 CDTi Hatch, the
Start/Stop version’s fuel consumption improves by over 5mpg on the
combined cycle, from 57.6mpg to 62.8mpg. Naturally, drivers will
experience the biggest fuel consumption gain around town, where
Start/Stop has meant a gain of 13 per cent on the urban cycle.
Better still, for business users,
Start/Stop tech on the Astra 2.0 CDTi Hatch has dropped CO2
emissions from 129g/km to 119g/km, meaning that the model’s BIK rate
(percentage of the car’s price to be taxed) for standard rate tax-payers
is down by five per cent to 13 per cent. And both private and business
users will benefit from the Start/Stop’s lower VED band, which will save
them £65 each year (down from £95 to £30).
Start/Stop is also available on the
latest addition to the Astra range, the Sports Tourer, which benefits
from an equally impressive 4.7mpg rise on the combined cycle, from 55.4
to 60.1mpg.
The Astra 2.0 CDTi Start/Stop also
incorporates Vauxhall’s CleanTech Combustion Technology, which
guarantees exceptionally clean combustion and reduces engine noise, too.
CleanTech is a closed-loop system which adjusts fuel injection to the
combustion process in real time. Combined with reduced friction camshaft
bearings, the system ensures that the engine runs more quietly and
efficiently.
Start/Stop – Vauxhall’s
pain-free solution to lower-emissions motoring
Vauxhall’s automatic Start/Stop system
reduces the engine’s time spent idling, and therefore the car’s overall
emissions and fuel consumption, especially during town driving. The
engine automatically stops when the driver engages neutral and releases
the clutch pedal, sending it into ‘Autostop’ mode. When the vehicle
needs to move away again, the driver simply presses the clutch to
re-start the engine and engages first gear.
For safety reasons, and for passenger
comfort, the temperature regulator and brake booster vacuum control
remain active in Autostop mode. And if circumstances require – for
example, in start-stop traffic – the driver can manually deactivate the
system using the ‘eco’ labelled Start/Stop switch.
In order for Start/Stop to function,
certain criteria have to be met. The engine needs to be up to full
operating temperature, and the battery needs to be sufficiently charged.
The outside temperature also needs to be above freezing and the Defrost
function not activated.
Apart from these parameters, the
Start/Stop system includes the following ancillaries:
- A more robust starter motor
- A high performance battery, which
ensures maximum reliability of the electrical system and the
engine’s capacity to start without delay
- An intelligent battery control
with sensor, providing reliability and consistent quality
- An energy management system
responsible for trouble-free re-starting of the engine.
Start/Stop tech to roll out
across almost all of Vauxhall’s car lines
The introduction of Start/Stop for
ecoFLEX models is part of Vauxhall’s ongoing strategy to reduce fuel
consumption and emissions across its fleet. The system first appeared in
the Corsa 1.3 CDTi ecoFLEX model last year, allowing the car to retain
its healthy performance from its 95PS engine, yet reducing emissions to
94g/km for the 3-door model (making it the most economical production
Vauxhall in the company’s history) and boosting its combined fuel
consumption to 80.7mpg.
By Spring 2012, most of Vauxhall’s
model lines will feature Start/Stop technology on ecoFLEX models,
including many petrol-engined cars too.
Pricing & Availability
The Astra 2.0 CDTi Start/Stop 5-dr
Hatch and Sports Tourer are available to order now. The model replaces
the outgoing Astra 2.0 CDTi and is only available with manual
transmission (a 2.0 CDTi auto model is also available without
Start/Stop).
Pricing for the 5-door Hatch starts at
£22,410 for the SRi model, and £23,430 for the Sports Tourer SRi. The
2.0 CDTi Start/Stop can also be ordered in SE and Elite trims (Hatch)
and SE (Sports Tourer).
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