Vauxhall Astra GTC Bi-Turbo review – 2014 UK test

Like the Vauxhall Astra VXR but not the turbo petrol fuel bills? Here's your 50mpg turbodiesel answer...

Vauxhall Astra GTC BiTurbo review
Bi-Turbo engine makes diesel Astra GTC a leftfield VXR alternative
  • 195hp diesel version of good-looking GTC Astra ‘coupe’
  • Offers twin-turbo performance without the OTT turbo roar of a full-fat VXR
  • Priced from £24,175 | On sale now

Richard Aucock | May 2014

The Vauxhall Astra VXR is a bit of an animal. Which is how it should be. So too was the 1980s Astra GTE, and that’s what made it so distinctly appealing alongside the Ford Escort XR3i and Volkswagen Golf GTI. It’s taken Vauxhall a few goes to discover the dose of sophistication that modern buyers demand with the VXR, but the latest one is a very well engineered machine.

But still, with 280hp, an absolute ballistic missile.

For some (many?), it’s a bit too much. One for the enthusiasts only, really. So, for those who want some of its performance potency in a slightly more daily-use package – and who’d like to benefit from the extra fuel efficiency that’s made the Volkswagen Golf GTD such a hit – Vauxhall now has another special GTC variant: the Bi-Turbo.

As the name indicates, it has two turbocharger, and 195hp. Heavens, even the latest Golf GTI only has 220hp in base guise, and its 258lb ft of torque is also dwarfed by the Astra’s 295lb ft.

Vauxhall’s not given it the full on VXR visual makeover but there’s enough bespoke stuff here to mark it out: twin exhausts, Corvette Stingray-style black edge to the rear spoiler, more heavily sculpted front bumper. Add in the already striking GTC shape and you potentially have something rather unexpectedly special.

What is the 2014 Vauxhall Astra GTC Bi-Turbo like to drive?

Vauxhall_Astra_GTC_02

Vauxhall fits its expensive HiPerStrut front suspension to all Astra GTC. This is proper engineering: it gives the car a well-honed feel because it allows lots of drive to be channelled through the front wheels without the steering throwing a hissy fit.

It’s particularly impressive with the Bi-Turbo.

The engine is nice too. Vauxhall’s 2.0-litre CDTi motors are typically clattery things, but the dual turbos has taken the edge off that racket here. More impressively, it delivers its pulling power with expensive sophistication, driving near-immediately to the throttle from 1,000rpm round to the redline without hesitation or rumble. In use, it feels high-quality, even if the rather baulky and loose six-speed gearbox slightly spoils the sensation.

The flipside to the grumbly gearbox is the sensation of power coming instantly as you change gear. There’s no sense of waiting for the turbo to speed up again and this linearity feels very satisfying, particularly when you’re pedalling hard. It also responds with accuracy to tiny throttle inputs, something that complements the surprising sensitivity of the steering to small, measured inputs.

Is the 2014 Vauxhall Astra GTC Bi-Turbo a better VXR?

Vauxhall_Astra_GTC_08

The Vauxhall Astra VXR is a 280hp monster. Its 2.0-litre turbo engine has never been subtle and, with that 295lb ft of torque from 2,400-4,500rpm to play with, it can seem demonic (not through an excess of torque steer, we hasten to add – that HiPerStrut again). The Bi-Turbo isn’t as fast or as fearsome as this, but still delivers usefully hot pace – and does so in a more precisely engineered way.

Some who remember woolly old performance Vauxhalls won’t believe this but the sense of precision quality (yes, we said precision) you get from the Bi-Turbo is very pleasing. It’s not Focus-like (or, perhaps, not how the Focus used to be) in its feedback-laden detail. But drivers will still draw pleasure from it, in a similar way they do from an Audi or Mercedes-Benz.

It also doesn’t have the slight Asbo appearance of a VXR (or the sounds effects of one in action). You decide if that’s a good thing or not: we’re big fans of the VXR here…

MR VERDICT: 2014 Vauxhall Astra GTC Bi-Turbo

Vauxhall_Astra_GTC_10

The classy performance diesel hot hatch of choice is the Volkswagen Golf GTD. But we reckon the Astra GTC Bi-Turbo is just as appealing, mainly through the interesting and very pleasing power delivery of its more-powerful oil-burning motor. A car enthusiast will find a little bit intriguing, and certainly something that shouldn’t bore them.

We know from experience that the Astra VXR is an incredibly fast hot hatch – a level above things like Golf GTIs and Ford Focus STs. But for some, it’s too much of a hotshot. The Bi-Turbo may thus be just the thing for them – and 50mpg potential in daily running rather than half that adds not a little further bit of appeal too…

MR_4_star

 

 

Rivals

  • Volkswagen Golf GTD
  • SEAT Leon FR
  • BMW 220d
  • Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 CDI
  • Audi A3

Specification: 2014 Vauxhall Astra GTC Bi-Turbo

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel

Drivetrain: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive

Prices from: £24,175

Power: 195hp

Torque: 295lb ft

0-62mph: 7.8 seconds

Top speed: 139mph

MPG: 57.7mpg

CO2: 129g/km

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Richard Aucock
Richard Aucockhttps://www.richardaucock.co.uk/
Richard is director at Motoring Research. He has been with us since 2001, and has been a motoring journalist even longer. He won the IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future Award in 1996 and the acclaimed Sir William Lyons Award in 1998. Both awards are run by the Guild of Motoring Writers and Richard is currently vice chair of the world's largest organisation for automotive media professionals. Richard is also a juror and Steering Committee director for World Car Awards and the UK juror for the AUTOBEST awards.

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