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Vauxhall Astra

Vauxhall Astra Coupe Dualfuel

Travelling in style is one thing, but doing it economically is quite another. Vauxhall's Astra Coupe has always had the looks, and now this Dualfuel version adds frugality to the mix. We got behind the wheel to see if the newcomer could bridge the gap between sensible and sexy.

By Chris Thorp

December 2002

Travelling in style is one thing, but doing it economically is quite another. Vauxhall's Astra Coupe has always had the looks, and now this Dualfuel version adds frugality to the mix. We got behind the wheel to see if the newcomer could bridge the gap between sensible and sexy.

The Coupe uses the same 1.8-litre 16-valve Dualfuel engine as the Zafira, and has petrol and LPG - liquefied petroleum gas - tanks. This means that luggage room is sacrificed, as the extra tank sits in place of the spare wheel, which is now on top of the boot floor. It takes a chunk of the available area, but nobody buys a coupί¿½ for its practicality, so the loss of loading space is probably not that significant.

With LPG still not available on every filling station forecourt it can be hard to find a pump dispensing it, but with the petrol and gas tanks full this Astra will cover 700 miles before you need a refill. You can change between the two fuels at the flick of a switch, and there is virtually no difference between running on petrol or LPG. Performance figures are identical, with 0-60mph taking a sprightly 9.5 seconds, but the car rarely feels that quick. The fuel gauge automatically shows which is currently in use, and the Vauxhall is happy to travel with one of the tanks empty. But what about the savings?

The LPG Coupe's combined fuel consumption of 27.5mpg does not com- pare well with the petrol's 35.8mpg, but the fact that LPG costs half as much a litre will keep you in pocket. Com-pany car buyers choosing this Astra will also cut their tax bills, thanks to reduced CO2 emissions, and LPG cars are exempt from congestion charging.

With a grant from the Government's TransportEnergy Powershift scheme, the Astra Coupe Dualfuel costs ΂£16,150 - which is ΂£955 more than the equivalent petrol model. But this sum would easily be recouped by high-mileage drivers. And it's not a bodge job. Conversions are done at a GM plant in the UK, and the three-year warranty is unaffected.

For now, the newcomer seems to have the LPG coupe market to itself, with Honda's Insight perhaps the only viable alternative. The Japanese model does without LPG, using battery power instead, and makes a more committed attempt at being environmentally friendly, but it can't match the Astra in terms of versatility. So it seems Vauxhall might well be on to a winner with its stylish and economical new model.

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FIRST OPINION

    Running a coup� on LPG makes more sense than you think. The reduction in boot space is a small price to pay for the savings in fuel and tax costs. The transition from petrol to LPG goes virtually unnoticed, and a range nearly twice that of your average car is definitely an added bonus.
 

AT A GLANCE

    Dualfuel version of Vauxhall Astra Coup� on sale now
    Warranty not affected by LPG
     
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