RE: PH Heroes: Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V

RE: PH Heroes: Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V

Friday 26th September 2008

PH Heroes: Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V

The Astra GTE was a raucous hot hatch that did things its own way. Ollie Stallwood drives Vauxhall's answer to the Golf GTI...



Ancient Chinese philosophy states that everything has an opposite. If this is the case the Astra GTE 16v was the complete antithesis of the Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V. Where the VW was subtle and grown-up, with the emphasis on agile, sure-footed handling, the Astra was brash and boorish, with alarming straight-line speed and screw the handling.

If the looks of the GTE are anything to go by it was no wonder the MK2 Astra was once Britain's second most stolen car. It couldn’t have stood out more if it had tinsel hanging from the bumper and so it attracted thieves like a silver ring to a magpie.

The GTE had been around since the MK2’s launch in 1984 and had 130bhp but just 999kg to haul around. It sold well, thanks mainly to its handsome, well-proportioned looks, but towards the end of the eighties it was clear that more power was needed if the GTE was to have a crack at the dominant 16-valve Golf.


The Astra 16v looked almost identical to the 8v when it was unveiled in 1988 apart from subtle red badges on the front and back, but underneath the bonnet sat the ubiquitous ‘red top’ 2.0-litre, that packed 150bhp. Baring in mind this car weighed around a tonne it was no surprise that it gave the Astra serious performance. Some journalists reported a 0-60mph sprint of just 7.5 seconds and the 16v could easily hit north of 120mph, usually with a 15-year-old behind the wheel down the M6.

There was a time when you couldn’t move for this automotive equivalent of a white stiletto, but sadly most have now rusted away from the rear arches upwards. This is sad because even though the styling was lairy, and in white more Eighties than a neon shell suit, somehow the Astra pulled it off. Whatever way you look at it the GTE is an icon of the hot hatch glory days, the perfect antidote to the smug VW.


Today I am standing inside the Vauxhall Heritage Centre admiring the brilliant white 29,000 mile Astra 16v in front of me, in virtually showroom condition. It looks fantastic and brings back a flood of memories from my teenage days. Only when you see a car like this do you remember how long it is since you’ve seen one on the roads.

Inside it is mint, familiar, and surprisingly modern. Being a Vauxhall there is a smattering of goodies inside, including sunroof, electric windows, Recaro seats, and of course the digital dash that has ‘LCD ELECTRONICS’ proudly written across it. Push in the timewarp immobiliser key and then the key, before the 16v unit bursts into life immediately.

The leather-rimmed wheel only adjusts for rake and the positions available are knee-scraping and bus. As is traditional when testing a PH Hero it is raining outside, which should sort out that freshly-cleaned, glistening white bodywork in no time.

The 16v is easy to drive and doesn’t feel anywhere near its 24-year-old roots. The view down the road is underlined by the white bonnet with twin vents sunk into it. Feed in the power and you’ll notice that the Astra will light up its front tyres with no qualms on these greasy roads in both first and second, but stickwith it and you will find third. And this is where things start to get a little absurd.


Once the 16v has decided to transfer its power into the road rather than the thin layer of grime sitting on top of it, the car starts to accelerate at an alarming rate. Most old school hot hatches feel quick, but not that fast, but the Astra really gets going over 4,000rpm. The 16v lump revs freely all the way through the rev range and by the time you are half way through fourth you start to wonder where that initial feel from the steering has wandered off to.

Although the wheel feels fairly well weighted around town the steering lightens when you don’t need it to, leaving you with a feeling of vagueness the more speed the GTE happily piles on. How much speed exactly is unclear because the LCD dash doesn’t seem to be able to keep up with the velocity, throwing up numbers that probably relate to a different section of road.


The gearbox is a little agricultural but it is light and snicks into gear easily and suits the low-tech character of the car. Thankfully my thumbs haven’t yet been sheared off by the rampant torque steer so it is time to attack my first corner. The GTE has a reasonably hard ride and from the sweeping curves I have encountered out of Luton body control seems half-decent. I’m starting to wonder whether the countless tales of woeful handling were perhaps a little unkind and the GTE is better round the twisties than I’ve been led to believe.

This is not so. Faster bends can be taken with caution, dialling in the power progressively, but roundabouts expose the unresolved chassis that is clambering to control the huge wedges of power being thrown into it.  The problem is unpredictability. You’re never quite sure what the car is going to do next, with all four corners having a mind of their own.


The weight shifts around the car almost randomly and pushing the accelerator causes the nose to scrub out wide, but lift off for a second and this turns into oversteer without warning. This isn’t helped by the wet conditions but it’s almost like there is a slightly different damper on each corner, and also the fact the steering could do with being a lot quicker.

Later I find out that the dampers and tyres on the car are probably the originals, which may go some way to explaining the handling, but driving the car quickly takes nerves of steel. My recommendation is to go slow into the corners and ease the power in, before booting it in the straights to make up for lost time. It may sound unlikely but despite the idiosyncrasies of the handling this is still a fun car. It’s scorchingly rapid in a straight line and trying to get the best out of it in the corners requires guts and concentration.


Perfect it may not be, but the Astra is still a hero. It harks back to a time when fast cars were rough and ready and didn’t pander to all levels of driving ability. It never was as good as the Golf, choosing to be an underachieving rebel instead of teacher’s pet, but at least it had a go. 

Author
Discussion

dpbird90

Original Poster:

5,535 posts

189 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
For some unknown reason to me, I am attracted to this almost as much as I am attracted to a 205 GTi.

In white it is a symbol of British 80's cool

paul26982

3,850 posts

217 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
owned a red j reg one, loved it to bits, also love them in silver

Tonto

2,983 posts

247 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Had a red 16v. Fantastic performance for the day. Handling was not what you would call good! VX ran out of cash developing the handling, so they put 65 series tyres on to give the ride some additional compliance.
They should really have stiffened up the bendy body. Maybe then, I wouldn't have stuffed mine backwards into a hedge !eek

theturbs

949 posts

235 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all

A lovely car for the reasons set out above, yes, but a PH Hero? I'm not so sure.

Good write up though.

chris_w666

22,655 posts

198 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Had an E reg 8v for about a week, was great to drive but some bd knicked it and I went of vauxhalls for good.

The 16v was always seen as the ultimate trophy for council estate car theives.

Mafioso

2,349 posts

213 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Don't mean to sound bhy, but would a little proof reading be out of the question!? Several mistakes in the article.

Niiick

196 posts

194 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
I had a black 8v GTE back in '89. Fond memories, but it was very skittish cornering wise.

Waugh-terfall

18,488 posts

199 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
My old neighbors had one as their family car for years through the 90s. It was white but I can't remember whether it was an 8v or 16v. I thought it was so cool, never went in it though. I like how they go and make the speedo, rev counter and the auxillary dials digital and then keep the analogue odometer and trip-meter

Harsh

4,551 posts

210 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
probably the worst handling car i have ever driven,

but i owned 2 of them, an 8v and a 16v...
loved them both, just because they were so mad.

they felt even faster than they were, which was quite scary!

love them love them love them....

good write up smile

Sciroccology

29,908 posts

229 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
I had the Astra SR, the poor cousin of the GTE but always hankered after one of these monsters (in much the same way I did previously with my Mk1 Cavalier and the Manta GTE).

A classic.

tim2100

6,279 posts

256 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Always loved these cars, my father had a 'B' plate 8v GTE, a few friends had 16v ones when we where all driving.

Fantastic cars, loved the dash in them. really did fly!

BadBoyAndy666

89 posts

188 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
This brings back fond memories – way back in 1991…

My White, 8v, B Reg GTE

What a great car (on a straight bit of road), until it got nicked after 5 months of ownership nono

powerhungry

54 posts

190 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
i had a red 16 valve with all the courtney bits on it was about 200 bhp and probably one of the fastest cars i owned great lift off oversteer and yes i crashed it ..

daninsidious

156 posts

186 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Ah the GTE's......it's all about the engine with these. A barnstormer and when I used to sell these (as well as the GSI's) every once in a while one of the 'gary boys' I sold them to used to come back and boast that they regularly take it 'off the clock'. Shame that these vauxhalls have terrible interiors and skittish handling.

Similar thing is happening nowadays with the MK5 GTI and the VXR Astra (although Vauxhall have improved the Astra somewhat).

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

252 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
BadBoyAndy666 said:
This brings back fond memories – way back in 1991…

My White, 8v, B Reg GTE

What a great car (on a straight bit of road), until it got nicked after 5 months of ownership nono
I too had a white B reg GTE, absolutely loved it. Originally looked at an 'A' reg one with an Irmscher body kit on it but decided I wanted the new rather than old shape. Found a good one i.e. not wrecked or nicked and 5 weeks into ownership I was the victim of a hit and run drink driver who pretty much wrote off the car from the windscreen forwards. I say hit and run he actually stopped in his Vauxhall Viva and gave me his name and address and I walked the 200 yards home......yes I managed to get my car nearly written off just 200 yards from being home safe. By the time I got home my mouse mate told me the police had been on the phone could I go back to my car which I did only to find the banana shaped Vauxhall Viva had gone and when I gave the police his details they checked to find out his name and address were both false and the car was still registered with the previous owner which back in the day meant I was bollexed........banghead

All my no claims went (I was early 20's at the time) as I had to claim on my insurance and surprisingly the car was repaired. I owned it for a further 5 years. I also had it broken in to, stolen and recovered and eventually the engine blew up on the M40 when the water pump failed.

Guaranteed to get a pull from the police every Saturday night in Reading if I was out in the car they were that popular with car thieves.


jcwuk

1,127 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Mafioso said:
Don't mean to sound bhy, but would a little proof reading be out of the question!? Several mistakes in the article.
Take a day off will ya !

dubbs

1,588 posts

283 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Was sure I remembered a Mk1 Astra GTE so looked it up on google and sure enough I'm right.

Come on guys.... not the first time a blatant mistake that 15 second with google can't solve. If I can do it then you certainly can when you're paid to.

:-) nice to see our old school hot hatches up there though, good work :-)

chrispedoe

30 posts

189 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
The mk1 astra was my first car, always hankered after a gte version. My mate ended up with a mk1 with a 16v red top engine which had been tweeked a lot, loads of fun

Zippee

13,438 posts

233 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
Had an F plate white 16v, identical to the one in the artical. It was my first decent car back in 1994 (I was 19) and I loved it! Handling wasn't up to much but in a straight line nothing could touch it.

Urban Sports

11,321 posts

202 months

Thursday 25th September 2008
quotequote all
My Renault 19 16 valve had the measure of the astra.










When it worked frown