Month: August 2012

  • Opel releases most powerful diesel Astra ever


    Opel has released details of its most powerful diesel-engined Astra using the company’s 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI unit.

    Previously seen in the Insignia, the brawny, twin-turbocharged four-cylinder engine is now available for the Astra GTC coupe, five-door hatchback and Sports Tourer estate version, providing an output of 143 kW (195 hp) and 400 Nm of torque, a sub-eight second 0-100 km/h time and a top speed of 226 km/h (140 mph) in the five-door model (Sports Tourer: 222 km/h, GTC: 223 km/h). The addition of a Start/Stop function helps to keep consumption to a minimum, with the GTC using just 4.9 litres every 100 kilometres and its counterparts needing just 0.2l more to cover the same distance.

    Visually, the 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI cars wear slightly restyled bodywork, with a colour-coded grille bar, more aggressive front bumper with revised air intake, rear bumper insert and twin exhaust tailpipes. Inside the cabin there’s a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, JetBlack fabric or optional leather seats with red stitching and seams and exclusive floor mats with red edging.
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  • Volkswagen T5 by mcchip-dkr


    Obergartzem chip tuning company mcchip-dkr has developed a program to suit Volkswagen latest T5 models fitted with the 2.0 TDI CR engine.

    The software specialist had previously only offered a Stage One ECU optimization, which sees output rise from 76 kW (102 hp) and 250 Nm of torque to 101 kW (135 hp) and 310 Nm. That conversion is priced at €679, but for an extra €120 it’d be rude not to go for the Stage Two option, which yields 116 kW (155 hp) and 350 Nm.
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