Chevrolet Astro
| Chevrolet Astro | |
|---|---|
| Production period: | 1985-2005 |
| Class : | Van |
| Body versions : | Station wagon |
| Successor: | Chevrolet Uplander |
| Astro 1st generation | |
|---|---|
 Chevrolet Astro (1985-1994) |
|
| Production period: | 1985-1994 |
| Body versions : | Station wagon |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 2.5–4.3 liters (72–147 kW) |
| Length: | 4491-4773 mm |
| Width: | 1955-1969 mm |
| Height: | 1872-1946 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2819 mm |
| Empty weight : | |
| Astro 2nd generation | |
|---|---|
 Chevrolet Astro (1995-2005) |
|
| Production period: | 1995-2005 |
| Body versions : | Station wagon |
| Engines: |
Otto engine : 4.3 liters (140 kW) |
| Length: | 4821 mm |
| Width: | 1969 mm |
| Height: | 1900-1935 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2819-2824 mm |
| Empty weight : | |
The Chevrolet Astro is a rear-wheel drive van that Chevrolet introduced in 1985 as a competitor to the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager from the USA and the Japanese Toyota Van . The Astro was also sold as the GMC Safari with a different grille . In addition to the equipment for passenger transport, the two are also available as delivery vehicles. They also served as the basis for customer-specific modifications.
Characteristics
The Astro is referred to as a van and is between the Venture and Lumina APV on the one hand and the Chevrolet Van / Express on the other. It has 8 seats. Like the Ford Aerostar , the Astro took over the drive system and components from other vans from its manufacturer. But it has a body that is based on a frame (body-on-frame) with a front subframe to accommodate the engine and front wheel suspension. Because of the van drive, the Astro and Safari have a gross vehicle weight of around 2500 kg and a payload of around 600 kg. The engines developed between 98 SAE-PS and 200 SAE-PS (72–147 kW), depending on the equipment and year of manufacture.
Model history
Chevrolet also previously used the name Astro for the Astro I concept vehicle , which, however, has nothing to do with the van described here and was shown at the New York Auto Show in 1967.
Chevrolet initially advertised that "this vehicle makes you realize that life is too big for a minivan," which was aimed at Chrysler minivans .
In 1990 a new dashboard was introduced and there was also a model with a longer body (Astro EXT). However, the wheelbase is the same for all models. In 1995 the model was given a facelift ; it got a longer front section that looked similar to the new Express . In 1996 there was again a new dashboard with a passenger airbag . From then on, the style of the vans remained unchanged until production was discontinued in 2005.
The Chevrolet Astro, which is based on the GM M platform , was sold not only in the USA but also in Japan , where it became a cult vehicle. In the last year of production, 2005, Chevrolet Japan offered a limited edition . Although the car was only offered with left-hand drive, it became so popular in Japan.
End of the model range
When GM sales fell, the company closed various plants and discontinued models that were not performing well. As new technical standards for side impact protection and the protection of passengers from head injuries were to come, GM decided that it would not make sense to invest a lot of money in the redesign of poorly salable model series. The production of Astro and Safari was discontinued on May 13, 2005 and the long-standing Baltimore plant , where the two were made, was closed. The Astro and Safari were the only rear-wheel drive vans to have been in production for over 20 years - a much longer model cycle than that of direct competitor Ford Aerostar , which had been phased out in 1997. As of 1998, when the original Mazda MPV was discontinued, the Astro and Safari were the only rear-wheel drive vans available in the US and Canada. In total, the Baltimore plant produced around 3.7 million Astro and Safari.
The Chevrolet Astro was replaced by the "Crossover" Uplander , which also served as the successor to the Venture . Like the Astro, the Uplander came as a delivery van and minibus. GMC presented the Acadia as the successor to the Safari 2007 .
landing gear
As with the second generation vehicles with GM-F platforms and GM-X platforms, the Astro / Safari has a front-connected subframe with the front suspension of the GM B-platform from the combination versions of the Chevrolet Caprice and the Cadillac Brougham and leaf springs at the rear. The lower ball joints are larger than those of the B platform (e.g. the Fleetwood sedans). These ball joints were built into the 9C1 police package for the Chevrolet Caprice in 1995/1996. The cars also share many mechanical features with the GMT 325/350 pickups and vans.
As mentioned earlier, the Astro and Safari have rear-wheel drive as standard, but in 1990 there was an all-new four-wheel drive option, designed by FF Developments (FFD) . Four-wheel drive is more fuel-efficient: it came in at just 17 mpg ( miles per gallon ) versus 20 mpg. with the rear-wheel drive van. Premature wear on the handlebars was a problem. There have been hundreds of instances of torsion bar failure in the undercarriage of four-wheel drive vehicles. The torsion bars failed without warning, which led to the landing gear dropping. For repairs, both torsion bars had to be replaced with improved ones, which cost around $ 1,000. There were no deaths.
In 2003, GM improved the chassis of the Astro and Safari with certain suspension components, larger brakes, and 16 "wheels from the large Chevrolet and GMC 0.5-ton trucks. These changes improved the driving and braking behavior of the vans.
Safety and crash tests
The IIHS ( Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ), which tests vehicles for their safety, rated the 1996 Astro model year “poor”, as its entire vehicle structure collapsed against a solid barrier in a 64 km / h offset crash . The vehicle floor was deformed and pushed both front seats with the dummies forward into the dashboard and into the steering wheel.
In the tests of the NHTSA ( National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ), Astro and Safari did better. The cars improved from one star in 1990 to 3 stars (driver) and 4 stars (passenger) in model year 1999. In the side impact test, both vehicles achieved the highest rating of 5 stars from the point at which this was carried out .
Popular tags
In addition to their popularity with professional tuners, Astro and Safari were also popular with "backyard tuners". There are conversions for road and terrain. In some vans, the original 4.3-liter V6 engine has been replaced by a 5.7-liter V8 engine from the small-block range. This is simply because the 4.3 liter V6 engine is based on the engine from the small block range, so most of the original drive components can still be used.
Because of its design based on a delivery truck, the Astro is also often used by off-road and camping enthusiasts. The combination of a powerful drive, a high passenger and loading capacity, the all-wheel drive and an optionally available limited slip differential for the rear axle makes the conversion to off-road use easier. The vehicle can be placed higher, which allows changes in the tires and the ground clearance with relatively little change in the external appearance.
Web links
- AstroSafari.com "The original Astro / Safari site" (English)
- astrosafarivan.com (English)
- Astro-Van.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Russell Wood: How to Remove an Astro Van Subframe Assembly | It still runs. In: itstillruns.com. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Chevrolet Astro I concept vehicle at www.ultimatecarpage.com (English)
- ↑ 1990-05 Chevrolet Astro | Consumer Guide Auto. In: consumerguide.com. Retrieved January 20, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ tygerstrypes: 1985-2005 GMC Safari / Chevrolet Astro (M-body platform) | It rolls. In: itrolls.wordpress.com. January 17, 2017, accessed January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Chevy Astro And GMC Safari To Be Discontinued In 2005 - Motor Trend. In: motortrend.com. November 19, 2004. Retrieved January 20, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ GM to End Production of Astro and Safari Rear-Drive Mid-Vans | Car News | Auto123. In: auto123.com. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .
- ^ History of the General Motors Assembly Plant in Baltimore, Maryland (Untitled Document). In: gmbsrc.org. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Martin Padgett: 2008 Chevrolet Uplander (Chevy) Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The Car Connection. In: thecarconnection.com. July 22, 2008, accessed January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ No giant here - FF Developments Ltd - Company Presentation, Ward's Auto World (12.1999)
- ↑ Chevrolet Astro Suspension - 1994 CHEVROLET ASTRO Problems With Suspension. In: arfc.org. Retrieved on January 20, 2019 (English, this source is ultimately questionable).
- ↑ 2005 Chevrolet Astro. In: iihs.org. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ 1990 CHEVROLET ASTRO 4 DR | NHTSA. In: nhtsa.gov. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ 1999 CHEVROLET ASTRO 4 DR | NHTSA. In: nhtsa.gov. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .
- ↑ swaptastic: For Sale: AWD Astro Van with a V8 - Engine Swap Depot. In: engineswapdepot.com. March 19, 2018, accessed January 20, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ Harry Wagner: 1998 Chevy AWD Astro Van - Don't Call It Mini. In: fourwheeler.com. February 9, 2015, accessed January 20, 2019 .
