Opel Cascada is Europe's Buick convertible

[MummyChunk]

From AB










New Opel Cascada: Athletic, glamorous midsize convertible

-Elongated 4-seater midsize convertible with muscular, timeless
elegance
-Sophisticated, high-quality soft-top system operates at driving
speeds of up to 50 km/h
-Outstanding body stiffness combined with HiPerStrut front suspension
technology
-Broad powertrain line-up with new generation direct injection
gasoline 1.6 Turbo

2012-10-17 Rüsselsheim. Back to the most intense automotive
experiences: cruising along with the sun softly warming your skin;
feeling the air thickening in your open hand as speed increases;
tipping back your head and finding no limit to your view, just diving
into the deep blue sky. These are typical Cascada moments. The
Cascada, Opel's new all-season convertible due to be launched in early
2013, is a classy four-seater with an elongated silhouette and a
high-quality soft top. Heading to the top of Opel's line-up, the
Cascada is a midsize convertible not only by its size (length: 4,697
mm; width 1,840 mm excl. mirrors) but also by its allure and the
premium technologies and features it offers.

After several generations of compact Kadett and Astra cabriolets, Opel
returns to an older tradition of prestigious and rare midsize,
four-seat soft-top convertibles from the fifties and sixties like
the Kapitän and the Rekord but in a new, refreshing way and with the
best of modern technologies. The Cascada provides a sharp driving
experience thanks to its super-rigid body, HiPerStrut front suspension
and FlexRide adaptive damping system. Its driver and passengers can
enjoy the open-air feeling thanks to the premium soft top that can be
opened at the touch of a button in 17 seconds while driving at speeds
of up to 50 km/h. Electric seat belt presenters, exclusive Nappa
leather and ventilated, ergonomic seats as well as invisible, watchful
safety systems make life serene and safe.

Thomas Sedran, Deputy Chairman of Adam Opel Management Board:
"The midsize cabriolet segment is only occupied by very
high-priced cars from premium manufacturers. With the Cascada, Opel
offers all the typical features and premium qualities of a midsize
convertible, but at an affordable price. The Cascada rounds off Opel's
product offensive: in 2012 and 2013, we're enhancing our portfolio and
entering all-new segments, with the electric Ampera, the small SUV
Mokka, the fashionable, urban ADAM, and now this midsize
convertible."

Attitude: Pure soft-top elegance enables full open-air enjoyment

With its broad stance and a flowing continuity of sculptured shapes
that is typical for Opel, the Cascada design reflects the classic and
timeless elegance of the "Grandes Routières" of a bygone and
glamorous age. With the top down for open-air drives, the Cascada has
a perfectly clean profile: behind the fast and gracefully raked
A-pillar, no roof top cover or visible rollover protection disturbs
the silhouette. Below this clarity and to add some drama, the subtle
Opel blade on the lower body side is mirrored in its upper part by a
sharp crease that swings upward to the rear end, into the wraparound
rear lights. The gently upswept waistline is highlighted by a
horizontal chrome strip that elegantly sweeps around the cockpit,
fluidly and elegantly marking the boundary between the roof top and
the body.

"Most convertibles look good with the top down, but many seem
clumsy with their roof up. Thanks to its high-quality, aerodynamically
clean soft top with a perfect, seamless profile, the Opel Cascada also
cuts a fine figure when closed," says Malcolm Ward, Director
Exterior Design.

Tastefully sculpted in a purposeful power bulge, the bonnet tops a
deepened front grille with bold chrome applications. The fog lights
are carried in two overturned shark fin elements, which are visually
enhanced and balanced by chrome inserts. Both using LED technology,
the daytime running lights in the headlamps and the rear lights
incorporate the Opel-typical wing signature. In the rear, the LED
lighting modules are diffused for giving a solid and sharp light
signal - a typical feature of premium class cars. A proud chrome strip
linking the lighting units set into the boot lid balances the front
chrome trim.

Top quality materials selected from suppliers of the most prestigious
premium cabriolets are used to build Opel Cascada's soft top. It
benefits from superior acoustic and thermal insulation thanks to a
special layer of polyester fleece between the outside layer and the
interior lining. An electro-hydraulic mechanism activated via a switch
located between the front seats opens the roof in 17 seconds at
driving speeds of up to 50 km/h placing the Cascada among the
benchmarks in roof-top operation. In addition, key-operated remote
control for opening and closing the top is standard in all Cascada
models. Three soft top colors are available at launch. They can be
coordinated with ten different body colors.

Indulgence: Crafted cockpit with outstanding comfort and
functionality

The Cascada's cockpit offers a striking, sculptural yet sporty design
highlighted by precise, handcrafted details. The lines of the
wing-shaped instrument panel, which features real stitching on soft,
wrapped surfaces, flow into the doors, dynamically embracing the
front-seat occupants. All new richly trimmed seats are offered in
several elegantly embossed fabrics and leathers. The up-level AGR
certified ergonomic seats are wrapped in rich, soft Nappa leather and
benefit from heating and ventilation systems: on hot, sunny days,
fresh air is drawn through the holes in the perforated leather to
increase front occupants' comfort. Securing them is easy and
comfortable due to the electric seat belt extender which brings the
seat belt within close reach using a telescoping arm. An electric Easy
Entry system makes access to the rear seat swift and comfortable.

The Opel Cascada benefits from great storage and stowage capacity for
a convertible, allowing comfortable, all-season daily use. Several
useful, large storage spaces have been placed around the driver: in
the door, in and under the instrument panel and, thanks to a standard
Electric Park Brake, in the center console just where you need
storage space the most. The minimum load volume with the roof open is
280 liters, and up to 350 liters are available when the soft top is
closed. To extend its load volume or transport exceptionally long
objects, the Opel Cascada benefits from the FlexFold system that
electrically releases and folds down the 50:50 split rear seat back
rests a feature that cannot be offered in hard-top cabriolets.

Excellence: Superior body stiffness combines with outstanding chassis
technology

Body stiffness is a key criterion for open-roof vehicles; it has a
high impact on their driving behavior, steering precision, acoustics,
safety and comfort and also conveys a clear feeling of their genuine
quality. The Opel Cascada provides an superior balance between
torsional and bending stiffness thanks to several measures including
impressive underbody crossed steel bars and reinforced rocker
profiles. Compared to Opel's previous generation cabriolet, the Astra
TwinTop, the Cascada's body is 43% stiffer in torsion and 10% in
bending. This layout provides a solid basis for the suspension and
contributes towards significant reduction in noise, vibrations and
harshness.

The new midsize Opel Cascada naturally has a more impressive footprint
than the 2006 compact Astra Twin Top. The wheelbase is 71 mm longer,
the front tread 56 mm and the rear tread 70 mm wider. That benefits
handling and stability. The front axle of the Cascada features as
standard the best of Opel chassis technology with the HiPerStrut
layout that was initially developed for the Insignia OPC. HiPerStrut
(High Performance Strut) separates the functions of damping and
steering and provides highest traction and cornering precision as well
as reduced torque steer and improved grip under all circumstances. The
Opel Cascada has electrically powered rack-and-pinion steering with
speed sensitive assistance. For more direct steering feel and
precision, the electric motor is mounted on the rack, as opposed to
the base of the steering column. FlexRide, Opel's integrated, fully
adaptive chassis control system is of course available in the Cascada.
It enhances its ride and handling performance and safety as it adapts
to the driving situation, driving style as well as the drivers'
preferences. The Opel Cascada can be equipped with 17" to
20" wheels. Brake discs have sizes of up to 326 mm in front and
325 mm in rear.

Performance: New generation direct Injection 1.6 Turbo gasoline
engine

A broad powertrain line-up will be available in the Opel Cascada
convertible. The 1.4 gasoline Turbo opens the portfolio; it is
combined with a manual 6-speed transmission and is available in two
output versions of 88 kW/120 hp and 103 kW/140 hp, both delivering up
to 220 Nm thanks to an overboost function. On the diesel side, the 2.0
CDTI with 121 kW/165 hp comes with either a manual or an automatic
6-speed transmission. This engine delivers up to 380 Nm when its
overboost is active.

The highlight in the Cascada powertrain line-up will be the 1.6 SIDI
Turbo ECOTEC gasoline engine. This midsize direct injection unit is
part of a fully new generation that makes its debut in early 2013 and
is geared to very smooth ride and torque delivery and great fuel
economy. It delivers 125 kW/170 hp, between 1,650 and 3,200 rpm and
280 Nm thanks to an overboost function. 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.

More powerful versions of both gasoline and diesel engines will be
launched in the Cascada at a later stage.

Serenity: Sophisticated technology and safety features

The Cascada combines an open-air driving experience with the best of
Opel technology. This includes the AFL+ Adaptive Forward Lighting
system with up to 11 automatic functions, the second generation Opel
Eye front camera with its new, extended functionalities (enhanced
Traffic Sign Recognition and Lane Departure Warning, new Following
Distance Indication and Forward Collision Alert), a rear-view camera
and an Advanced Park Assist that eases parking maneuvers, an
ultra-sonic based Side Blind Spot Alert, ergonomic front seats, a
heated steering wheel, and Hill Start Assist.

The Cascada's extremely rigid passenger cell is mainly fabricated from
high-strength steel for the least deformation and largest possible
survival space in crash conditions. Doors have diagonally mounted
ultra-high strength steel beams and beltline reinforcements. The
A-pillars supporting the windscreen are in press hardened steel. In
case of roll-over, pyrotechnically activated spring-loaded
high-strength bars automatically deploy behind the rear seats. These
pop-ups are also triggered during other severe impacts when airbags
are deployed in order to prepare the vehicle for possible secondary
impacts and resulting roll-over. Front seats both benefit from two-way
active headrests and double seat belt pre-tensioners and even the two
rear seats have seat belt pre-tensioners.

View the attachments for this post at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=193338016#193338016