Opel Astra F (1991–1998)

From Kadett E to Astra F

The F was the sixth model in the Kadett and Astra line and the first to use the Astra name in Germany. German Wikipedia says the name was chosen because General Motors was aligning model names with Vauxhall, which had used "Astra" on its Kadett-based cars since 1980. The F kept the GM T platform of 1979 that had also carried its predecessor.

What was new was the body engineering. Opel used computer-calculated reinforcement points, double-tube door beams and stronger pillars, sills and door frames. Belt tensioners and height-adjustable front belts were standard from launch, the seat rails were designed to stop occupants sliding under the belt, and the rear head restraints had a frame design.

The F also served as a test bed. English Wikipedia lists two electric prototypes, the Impuls 2 with nickel-cadmium batteries and a range of 80 km (50 miles), and the Impuls 3 with sodium-nickel-chloride batteries and 140 km (87 miles). The Opel Astra overview of all generations covers the five Astras that followed; the Kadett years are part of the history of Opel.

Hatchback, Caravan, saloon, cabriolet and van

German Wikipedia gives this sequence of launches:

• September 1991: three- and five-door hatchback. Demand for the three-door was low, and it was later dropped.
• October 1991: Caravan estate.
• May 1992: four-door saloon.
• 1992 onwards: a three-door van with front seats only and metal rear side panels, registered as a commercial vehicle.
• August 1993: cabriolet, designed and built by Bertone on the basis of the saloon, with steel tubes in the windscreen frame and doors and fixed rear head restraints for rollover protection.

German production of the closed bodies ended in March 1998, while the cabriolet carried on into early 2000. The Astra Classic, built in Poland for Eastern Europe and Turkey from a mix of original and facelift parts, ran until July 2002 according to German Wikipedia; English Wikipedia dates it 1999 to 2003. The F was also assembled or sold under licence in South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and India, and Holden imported British-built cars to New Zealand from 1995 and Australia from 1996 as the Astra TR.

What the 1994 facelift changed

The update of August 1994 was more than cosmetic. Two front airbags became standard on German-market cars, with volumes of 67 L for the driver and 120 L for the passenger; a driver's airbag had been optional since spring 1993. Rust protection was improved and gas dampers replaced oil dampers.

On the outside, the facelift brought a new grille and headlamps, clear fog-lamp lenses, white front indicators, revised mirrors, side mouldings, rear bumper and roof spoiler, and four- or five-chamber tail lamps. New door handles followed from late 1995, and ABS, optional from the start, became standard for model year 1996. The engine range also changed, with X-coded units meeting the Euro 2 standard.

Astra F engine range by code

Data is from German Wikipedia's engine table, cross-checked against the power ranges in English Wikipedia. Opel's engine code letter matters: "C" marks Euro 1 units and "X" Euro 2 units.

German Wikipedia also lists 1.6 engines with 52 to 74 kW (71 to 100 PS) and a post-facelift 1.8 with 85 kW (115 PS); after 1994 the German cabriolet came only with the 55 kW (75 PS) 1.6 and that 1.8. Most versions had a five-speed manual, and a four-speed Aisin automatic was optional. Some export cars kept carburettor or non-catalyst engines.

According to German Wikipedia, many Euro 1 petrol engines can be upgraded to at least Euro 2 with a cold-start regulator or a small catalytic converter, which can matter for low-emission zones.

GSi 16V and the sporty models

GSi stands for Grand Sport injection. The first-series GSi was a three-door only, lowered by 15 mm (0.6 in), with a multi-function display and, on the 16V, a rear anti-roll bar and 50-series tyres. Electronic traction control was available only with the C20XE. From model year 1995 the GSi was also offered as a five-door and as a Caravan; a Caravan 16V with the 110 kW engine had already appeared for model year 1994.

GSi engines changed over time: the C20NE with 85 kW (115 PS) from 1991 to 1994, the C20XE with 110 kW (150 PS) from 1991 to 1996, the C18XE with 92 kW (125 PS) from 1993 to 1994 and the X20XEV with 100 kW (136 PS) from 1995. In the UK, English Wikipedia notes, the GSi was replaced in 1995 by the SPORT.

Astra F size and luggage space

Complete official dimensions were not available in our sources. Lengths are from English Wikipedia, boot volumes from German Wikipedia.

The Caravan's 1,630 L with the rear seat folded makes it the most useful F today, and it sits among the older estate cars in our catalogue.

Rust, recalls and other known weak spots

German Wikipedia names rust as the main problem of the F, mostly at cut edges and traced to manufacturing faults; the 1994 facelift improved protection. The same source mentions a recall for a fuel tank design fault and a recall of GSi models with the C20XE for cylinder head gasket problems, handled under warranty. First-series cars also had weak timing belts, ignition distributor faults and alternator failures. Euro NCAP published its first results in 1997, and our sources list no test of the F.

Choosing an Astra F as a classic

The F now counts among the classic cars of the 1990s, and of its many versions the C20XE GSi, the Caravan 16V and the Bertone cabriolet stand out. For any F, check the cut edges, sills and wheel arches first, then the timing belt history. A post-August 1994 car brings dual airbags and better rust protection; a car from model year 1996 also has standard ABS. For the GSi, ask for proof that the head gasket recall was done.