Opel/Vauxhall unveiled today the all new Cascada, the new all-season convertible that will be launched in early 2013. For those who don’t know, the Cascada is a midsize convertible measuring 4,697 mm in length and with a width of 1,840 mm excluding mirrors. Although it replaces the Astra TwinTop, the new Cascada comes with a retractable soft top and not with the modern hard top seen on the old Astra. As a result, the Cascada gas a perfectly clean profile and comes with a subtle Opel blade on the lower body side mirrored in its upper part by a sharp crease that swings upward to the rear end, into the wraparound rear lights. The new soft top can be hidden in just 17 seconds and at driving speeds of up to 50 km/h.
The minimum load volume with the roof open is 280 liters, and up to 350 liters are available when the soft top is closed. The front end is not new as this is seen also on the Astra Hatchback, Sedan, GTC and Sports Tourer. The interior features a sporty design highlighted by precise, handcrafted details. The new Opel/Vauxhall Cascada also features up-level AGR certified ergonomic seats wrapped in rich, soft Nappa leather and benefit from heating and ventilation systems.
Under the hood, we find a 1.4-liter gasoline turbo engine, delivering 120 hp or 140 hp and 220 Nm of torque thanks to an overboost function. This engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. A 2.0-liter CDTI diesel engine with 165 hp and 380 Nm of torque is also available with a 6-speed manual transmission. The most interesting engine is the 1.6 SIDI Turbo ECOTEC that runs on gasoline and delivers 170 hp and 280 Nm of torque. This engine will be available with manual and automatic 6-speed transmissions. The new, low-friction 6-speed automatic transmission in the Cascada features an Active Select function that allows manual shifting for a more sporty driving experience.
