Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v | Spotted
Recently restored, in the best colour, with a working digital dash and a new red top - you know you want to...
Whether new, lightly used, or classic, the appeal of a great hot hatch is easy to grasp. Because these humble hatchbacks can be as rare, exciting and entertaining as many more overt sports cars, while retaining almost all the usability, simplicity and ease of use of the base car. The older a car gets, the more complexity becomes a burden rather than a boon, as it’s one more thing to monitor and potentially replace.
Similarly, if your old car is millimetres from the ground, awkward to get in and stubborn when cold, then you’re less likely to use it. But if there are doors from a family-friendly hatch, a spacious enough interior and a lusty yet simple engine under the bonnet, there is no excuse not to.
We all know the Astra GTE. Plenty of us probably love it. Along with various GTIs of the era, it’s the peak for many of the true back-to-basics hot hatch, before turbos, limited-slip diffs, huge wheels - even airbags, in this case. It’s raw, rare, and likely huge fun, with 150 16-valved horsepower hurling along a tonne and a bit. If you didn’t want one 30-odd years ago, it was because you already had one.
Or you had one of the innumerable alternatives, of course. With the 205 and Golf GTI at their best around 1990, there were reasons not to get a GTE. Some people would buy a Ford instead of a Vauxhall, no matter what. And an eight-valve version of this car offered up the look (very important for a hot hatch) without the performance (or the insurance premium).
But this is the real deal, a 2.0-litre GTE with the digital dash, white wheels and some very jazzy seat fabric. More than that, in fact, it’s an extensively restored 16-valve Astra. With rust taking hold at the end of the '00s, this GTE was taken off the road and a host of new parts - think doors, bonnet, bumpers - fitted to bring it back to its best. And it didn’t stop with bodywork, either, with fresh brakes and suspension - even a new C20XE engine - installed. A huge amount of time and love has been put into this Astra, not just in terms of fitting new bits but tracking them down in the first place.
It’s a surprise, really, to find the Vauxhall for sale, given so much has gone into it. Probably it looks even better than expected, gleaming like a fresh set of Turkey teeth and with a spotless underside. The engine bay is like a redtop shrine, and the interior looks great for 160,000 miles (probably as some lightly used seats were sourced - told you the effort had been invested). In truth, it’s probably an Astra that’s impossible to repeat now, given the scarcity of similar cars and the availability of parts. Does that make it worth £20k? Over to you…
SPECIFICATION | VAUXHALL ASTRA GTE 16V
Engine: 1,998cc four-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 158@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 145@4,800rpm
MPG: 33.4 (Autocar road test average)
CO2: N/A
Recorded mileage: 159,659
Year registered: 1991
Price new: £9,879.48 (1987)
Yours for: £19,750
Maybe for a SuperBoss but not a "Basic" GTE
Needs to be the lightened race version with Schrick cams, Black colour, dark grey Aluette wheels, 170bhp, No fog lights but brake cooling ducts, Lightened, No sound deadening, No radio. etc
Then its £20k. Actually, Those were being sold at R1 000 000 at auction
only 500 made for homologation
Built solely for racing homologation purposes, only 500 units of the Superboss were built at the Delta Motor Corporation plant in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Loosely based on the Big Boss, the Supie, as it is affectionately known, went under further engineering development that included a higher engine compression ratio to go with the Cosworth developed engine head, 276-degree Schrick cams – with a street and track setting – and an Andre Verwey developed LSD (Limited Slip Differential) for maximum traction. It was truly well ahead of its time, including forged pistons and sodium-filled valves. There was also a revised air intake and a 4-to-1 exhaust manifold.
At each corner were Black Aluette five spoke wheels shod with 195/50/15 tyres. According to one of the Superboss engineers at the time, Wendle Roberts, some of the design challenges of the Superboss was to ensure that the lowered suspension could accommodate the rear tyres without them touching the inside of the fender and thus, these were machine rolled to ensure that the required clearance was achieved.
MOTORSPORT ENGINE UPGRADES
The engine, meanwhile, traded the Big Boss’ Bosch Motronic ECU (Engine Control Unit) in favour of the Promotech unit and a K&N racing air filter was also employed. The total sum of the mods saw power jump from the standard 115 kW and 203 Nm of the Big Boss to 125 kW and 228 Nm in the Superboss. The close ratio F20 five-speed manual gearbox harnessed the power to the road and ensured the engine spun at optimal revs relative to road speed. Niceties such as power steering, electric widows and air conditioning were left by the wayside in this application. This meant that the Superboss’ excellent power to weight ratio ensured its success both on the road and racetrack alike. Independent magazine tests recorded a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 223 km/h, which were impressive figures at the time.
I was never a huge fan of these as I was always a Ford man when younger, but I can see why someone would lust over this one. Looks in lovely condition and, as the article says, it's in proper spec being a white 16v.
I went out with another mate as a passenger who had one in white as well, fond memories of the time back then really. I've always admired the Red Top engine for sure.
If It's too expensive for you then just quietly move along. No need to tell the world you are a peasant !
If It's too expensive for you then just quietly move along. No need to tell the world you are a peasant !
Love the effort that's gone into the sales process. Industrial estate chic backdrop. No bother wasting time running a damp cloth around the interior - bosh twenty grand
) in his and me in my mk2 16v Golf gti. It would open up an impressive gap on any decent straight and i would reel him back in on the corners. I have another friend that lives across the road from me that has a mint one with less than half the miles of this in a relatives garage, he's going to be pleased they are now worth over 20k 
) in his and me in my mk2 16v Golf gti. It would open up an impressive gap on any decent straight and i would reel him back in on the corners. I have another friend that lives across the road from me that has a mint one with less than half the miles of this in a relatives garage, he's going to be pleased they are now worth over 20k I look back at how silly and stupid it was really now, plus my BiL is 5 years older than me, so maturity seemed to go out the window with the rush of blood I think. I was never a saint either, but I'd always avoid dicking around in 30 zones though in comparison.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff