Opel Ascona C.

Opel
Opel Ascona notchback (1981–1984)
Ascona C
Production period:	1981-1988
Class :	Middle class
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon
Engines:	Otto engines : 1.3–2.0 liters (44–96 kW) Diesel engine : 1.6 liters (40 kW)
Length:	4264-4366 mm
Width:	1668 mm
Height:	1385-1395 mm
Wheelbase :	2574 mm
Empty weight :	920-1090 kg
Previous model	Opel Ascona B.
successor	Opel Vectra A.

The Ascona C is a mid-range car manufactured by Adam Opel AG from August 1981 to October 1988. It was the Opel variant of the so-called J-Car models produced by General Motors in numerous countries .

Model history

General

Opel Ascona as a four-door sedan (1981–1984), rear view

The Ascona C was the first Opel car in this class with front-wheel drive and, unlike its predecessor, had a transversely mounted engine. It was offered as a two- and four-door notchback and as a five-door hatchback with a large tailgate. Several coachbuilders also modified the two-door notchback sedan into a convertible, which in one case was available from the Opel dealer network.

The history of the Opel Ascona C can be divided into three sections. The versions differ slightly in body and equipment. The biggest change was the transition from the Ascona C1 to the Ascona C2 with extensive changes in the body area. Among other things, the seat mountings in the sheet metal were changed.

Ascona C1 (08/1981 to 10/1984)

Available with the following engines: 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH, 1.8 E (from model year 1983), 1.6 D.

Equipment levels

• Basic equipment (not specified, all body styles, not with 1.8 e-motor)
• Luxury (all body styles, all engines)
• Berlina (all body styles, all engines)
• CD (from model year 1983, only four and five doors, only with 1.8 electric motor)
• SR (all body variants, only with 1.6 SH engine), SR / E (from model year 1983, all body variants, only with 1.8 electric motor)

Special models

• Touring (from model year 1983, four and five door, 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH, 1.6 D engine)
• J (from model year 1983, all body variants, with 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH engine)
• Sport (model year 1984, two- and four-door, only with 1.6 SH and 1.8 E-motor)

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  Opel Ascona J (1983–1984)

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  Opel Ascona as a two-door sedan (1981–1984)

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  Opel Ascona hatchback (1981–1984)

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  Opel Ascona hatchback (1981–1984)

Ascona C2 (10/1984 to 08/1986)

Changes compared to Ascona C1 among others

• new headlights and indicators
• Front grill from Ascona CD now for all models
• Taillights now with black stripes
• Cover between the taillights
• new seats and seat consoles as in the Kadett E.
• Instruments in the new design of the Kadett E.
• large interior light in a new design, like the Kadett E
• Attachment of interior mirror to windshield
• Bumpers and moldings now in gray instead of black. Also brown on some models.
• Engines with Varajet carburettors now have manual choke.

Available with the following engines: 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 N with Euronorm from model year 1986, 1.6 SH, 1.8 E, 1.6 D, 1.6 DA, 1.8 NE from 1985 (not for two-door notchback)

The C18NE had a G-KAT in Ascona for the first time

Equipment levels

• LS (formerly Ascona, all body styles, all engines, except 1.8 E)
• GL (formerly Luxus, all body styles, all engines)
• GLS (formerly Berlina, four and five-door, all engines)
• CD (four and five doors, only with 1.6 SH, 1.8 NE and 1.8 E-motor)
• GT (formerly SR and SR / E, all body styles, only with 1.6 SH, 1.8 NE, 1.8 E-motor)

Special models

• GT / Sport (model year 1986, all body styles, engines like GT)
• Touring (model year 1986, four and five doors, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH, 1.8 NE, 1.8 E, 1.6 D engines)

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  Opel Ascona hatchback (1984–1986)

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  Rear view

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  Opel Ascona GT

Ascona C3 (08/1986 to 10/1988)

Changes compared to Ascona C2

• new taillights including new rear panel
• new front spoiler for all models
• Interior fittings of higher quality
• White front turn signals
• new grille, painted in body color
• Bumpers, moldings and lettering in blue-gray

Available with the following engines: 1.6 N, 1.6 SV (only model year 1987), 1.8 NV, 1.6 NZ, 1.6 NZ, 1.6 LZ, 2.0 NE, 2.0 NEF, 2.0 SEH, 2.0 NE, 1.6 DA,

Equipment levels

• LS (all body styles, all engines, except 2.0 SEH)
• GL , from model year 1988 Touring (only four and five-door, all engines, except 2.0 SEH)
• GLS , from model year 1988 GLS Exclusive (only four and five doors, all engines, except 2.0 SEH)
• GT , from model year 1988 GT / Sport (all body variants, 1.6 SV (only 1987), 1.8 NV (only 1988), 2.0 NE, 2.0 SEH)

Special models

• Jubilee (model year 1987, four and five-door, 1.6 NZ, 2.0 NE, 1.8 NV engine 1987 exclusively for Jubilee)
• Sprint (Irmscher version, from model year 1987, only four-door notchback, 2.0 NE, 2.0 SEH engine), 1,399 units built by Irmscher in four colors. In Switzerland, the Ascona Sprint was on offer as the i200, which Irmscher built 879 times. Irmscher built around 500 right-hand drive vehicles for the British market under the name Vauxhall Cavalier Caliber.

In October 1988, the Opel Ascona C was the Opel Vectra A detached. 1,721,647 Ascona Cs had been manufactured by the end of production.

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  Opel Ascona notchback (1986–1988)

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  Rear view

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  Opel Ascona hatchback (1986–1988)

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  Opel Ascona hatchback (1986–1988)

Engines

• 1.3 l, 44 kW (60 PS) (carburetor Solex 35PDSI) - engine 13 N (LY1)
• 1.3 l, 55 kW (75 PS) (Varajet II carburettor) - 13 S engine (LX9)
• 1.3 l, 55 kW (75 PS) (Pierburg 2E3 carburettor) - 13 S engine (LX9)
• 1.6 l, 55 kW (75 PS) (Pierburg 1B1 carburetor) - 16 N engine (LY5)
• 1.6 l, 55 kW (75 PS) (Multec central injection with catalytic converter) - engine C 16 LZ (L73)
• 1.6 l, 55 kW (75 PS) (Multec central injection) - engine E 16 NZ (L73)
• 1.6 l, 55 kW (75 PS) (Multec central injection with catalytic converter) - engine C 16 NZ (L73)
• 1.6 l, 60 kW (82 PS) (Pierburg 2E3 carburettor) - 16 SV (2H1) engine
• 1.6 l, 66 kW (90 PS) (GM Varajet II carburetor) - 16 SH engine (L16)
• 1.8 l, 62 kW (84 PS) (E-carburettor Pierburg 2EE carburettor) - engine E 18 NV (LV9)
• 1.8 l, 74 kW (100 PS) (Bosch Lu-Jetronic injection with catalytic converter) - engine C 18 NE (LV6)
• 1.8 l, 85 kW (115 PS) (Bosch LE-Jetronic injection) - engine 18 E (LV6)
• 2.0 l, 74 kW (100 PS) (Bosch Motronic ML4.1 injection with catalytic converter) - engine C 20 NEF, government version
• 2.0 l, 85 kW (115 PS) (Bosch Motronic ML4.1 injection) - engine 20 NE (LE4)
• 2.0 l, 85 kW (115 PS) (Bosch Motronic ML4.1 injection with catalytic converter) - engine C 20 NE (LE4)
• 2.0 l, 96 kW (130 PS) (Bosch Motronic ML4.1 injection) - engine 20SEH (2H4)
• 1.6 l, 40 kW (54 PS) (swirl chamber diesel) - engine 16 D / 16 DA (L53)

J-Car models worldwide

( Main article: GM-J platform )

Vauxhall Cavalier Mark II

Vauxhall Cavalier Mark II Estate

The Ascona C was sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Cavalier . This model was also available in a station wagon version (Vauxhall Cavalier Estate), which was not offered in Germany. Holden manufactured the necessary components in Australia . The low number of units of the hatchback variant and the great sales success of the Kadett Caravan and the direct competitor VW Passat Variant lead to the conclusion that Opel would have sold more Ascona models with this station wagon variant in Germany. Oddly enough, you ignored this phenomenon during the eight year production period of Ascona and continued the strategy until Vectra B continued.

In North America, the J-Car family, which also includes the Ascona C, comprised the models Chevrolet Cavalier , Buick Skyhawk , Oldsmobile Firenza , Pontiac J2000 and Cadillac Cimarron , which were sold there as notchback sedans, station wagons and hatchback coupes. In Brazil, the Ascona C was also sold as the Chevrolet Monza in a three-door fastback version that was not available elsewhere. In Australia, the Ascona was retouched on the body and was assembled as a Holden Camira . In Japan its own J-Car version came off the production line as the Isuzu Aska with its own engines. In addition, the Ascona C-based Espero , produced by Daewoo, was also sold in Germany in the mid-1990s .

Convertible conversions

Keinath C3

The Ascona C was also offered as a convertible with various engines and various equipment options . The two-door notchback sedan served as the basis for this. Hammond & Thiede converted most of the vehicles at the Voll car body factory in Würzburg-Heidingsfeld. Almost 2,900 units were produced from summer 1983 to autumn 1988. In Germany, the Hammond & Thiede convertible could be ordered through any Opel dealer. In the UK it was sold under the name Vauxhall Cavalier Convertible . Another version, the Keinath C3 Cabriolet, was built in 434 units. Further attempts at a convertible version of the Ascona C by Michelotti , Tropic and Hy-Tech had previously failed.

Web links

Commons : Opel Ascona C  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Very detailed website about the Opel Ascona C

Individual evidence

1. ^ Werner Oswald: German Cars 1945–1990. Volume 3, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-613-02116-1 , p. 286.