Vauxhall Astra MK2 - Opel Kadett E 

1984 to 1993
Overview
Also called	Opel Astra (East Africa; GMEA) Chevrolet Kadett/Ipanema (BRA) Daewoo LeMans/Racer/Cielo/Nexia (ROK) & (AUS) Opel Monza (RSA) Passport Optima Pontiac LeMans (US) Vauxhall Astra (GB) Vauxhall Belmont (GB)
Production	1984 – 1991
Assembly	Antwerp, Belgium Bochum, Germany Azambuja, Portugal Ellesmere Port (Vauxhall Ellesmere Port), United Kingdom
Body and chassis
Body style	3 and 5-door hatchback 4-door sedan / saloon 3 and 5-door wagon / estate (Caravan) 2-door convertible
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Platform	T-platform
Related	Opel Kadett Combo
Powertrain
Engine	petrol: 1196 cc Opel OHV I4 1297 cc Family 1 I4 1396 cc Family 1 I4 1598 cc Family 1 I4 1598 cc Family II I4 1796 cc Family II I4 1998 cc Family II I4 diesel: 1488 cc 4EC1 td I4 1686 cc 4EE1 I4 1699 cc Family II I4
Transmission	4/5-speed manual 3-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,520 mm (99.2 in)
Length	Hatch & convertible: 4,256 mm (167.6 in) Sedan & Caravan: 4,482 mm (176 in)
Width	1,662 mm (65.4 in)
Height	1,393 mm (54.8 in)

The Kadett E (Vauxhall Astra Mark 2 in the United Kingdom) was introduced in August 1984, and was voted the 1985 European Car of the Year. The 1984 model was also developed into a more conventional three-box design with a boot (trunk),

The Opel Kadett E is a type of vehicle of the compact class the Adam Opel AG, which from August 1984 to May 1993 as a successor to the Opel Kadett D. It was the fifth model of the produced since mid-1962 series Opel Kadett / Astra. In the UK, this generation was already marketed as Vauxhall Astra. In just under nine years, a total of 3,779,289 copies ran off the line.

History 

The cadet E was the last compact car from Opel in Germany with the traditional name Kadett. The successor model was named Astra (Astra F), while Vauxhall already sold the cadet in the UK under this name. In South Africa, the Astra F was further sold under the name Opel Kadett F.

At its market launch in August 1984, both the three or five-door hatchback versions, as well as the five-door station wagon. The latter was also offered in the three-door version as a van without rear side windows. The fifth generation of the Opel Kadett E came in 1984 as the successor to the Opel Kadett (D) on the market. It was offered with gasoline engines from 1.2 to 2.0 litres and a capacity of 40 to 115 kW and diesel engines with 1.5 to 1.7 litres and a capacity of 40 to 60 kW.

• PERFORMANCE: diesel 1600cc
• max power (DIN): 54 hp (40 kW) at 4,600 rpm
• max torque (DIN): 71 1b ft, 9.8 kg m (96 Nm) at 2,400 rpm
• max engine rpm: 5,000; 33.8 hp/l (25 kW/l)
• max speed: Hatchback Saloon 95 mph, 153 km/h - Estate Car 91 mph, 147 km/h
• power-weight ratio: Hatchback Saloon 38.8 lb/hp (53.4 lb/kW), 17.6 kg/hP (23.7 kg/kW)
• fuel consumption: Hatchback Saloon 39.2 m/imp gal, 32.7 m/US gal, 7.2 1 Estate Car 38.7 m/imp gal' 32.2 m/US gal
• PERFORMANCE: petrol 1200cc
• max power (DIN): 55 hp (40 kW) at 5,600 rpm
• max torque (DIN): 62 1b ft, 8.6 kg m (84 Nm) at 3,600 rpm
• max engine rpm: 6,000
• power: 46 hp/l (33.4 kW/l)
• max speed: 96 mph, 155 km/h
• power-weight ratio: 4+1-dr 34.1 lb!hp (46.9 lb/kW), 15.5 kg/hp (21.3 kg/kW)
• consumption: 42.2 mlimp gal, 35.1 m/US gal
• PERFORMANCE: petrol 1300cc
• max power (DIN): 75 hp (55 kW) at 5,800 rpm
• max torque (DIN): 75 1b ft, 10.3 kg m (101 Nm) at 4,200 rpm
• power 57.8 hp/l (42.4 kW/l)
• max speed: sedans 106 mph, 170 km/h st. wagons 102 mph, 165 km/h
• power-weight ratio: 4+1 -dr Hatchback Saloon 25 lb/hp (34.1 lb/kW), 11.3 kg/hp (15.5 kg/kW)

The cadet E also served as the basis for the January 1986 to July 1994 produced box van with the model’s name Opel Combo. While the van has the shape of the caravan, the combo with higher roof, longer wheelbase, rear leaf spring axle and its rear doors opening to the side. Transmission 

The chassis of the Kadett E was only slightly modified from the previous model Kadett D taken. As a typical front-wheel drive compact car, it has independent suspension on MacPherson struts with lower wishbones front and a torsion beam rear axle. The gearbox has manual four-speed and five-speed vehicle transmissions. With some engines, a three-speed automatic transmission THM 125 of the parent company General Motors was available.

In May 1987, the last version, the Cabriolet was launched on the market, which was designed and built by Bertone. Because of its optimized in the wind tunnel streamlined body.

From model year 1988 the trip odometer and the quartz watch, as standard on all models available. In February 1989, the series received a facelift, which is externally recognizable by the smaller radiator grille.

In July 1991, the production of the last cadet series was completed. His successor got the name " Astra ". The only model variant remained until May 1993, the convertible in the program, before it was replaced in late summer by the open version of the Astra.

Engines 

The Opel Kadett E was only offered with front transversely mounted four-cylinder engines. Except for the GSi 16V with two overhead camshafts and 16 valves and the 1.2-liter OHV engine, they have an overhead camshaft and eight valves:

• PERFORMANCE: petrol 1600cc
• max power (DIN): 90 hp (66 kW) at 5,800 rpm
• max torque (DIN): 93 1b ft, 12.8 kg m (126 Nm) at 3,800-4,200 rpm
• 56.3 hp/l (41.3 kW/l)
• max speed: sedans 112 mph, 180 km/h - SR 114 mph, 184 km/h - Estate Car 109 mph, 175 km/h
• power-weight ratio: L Hatchback Saloon 23.3 lb/hp (31.7 lb/kW), 10.6 kg/hp (14.4 kg/kW)
• consumption: 41.5 m/imp gal, 34.6 m/US gal,- SR 37.7 m/imp gal, 31.4 m/US gal

Vauxhall Belmont SRI from 1987

badged as the Vauxhall Belmont in the United Kingdom, launched at Frankfurt 1985. This was awarded the 1985 Semperit Irish Car of the Year in Ireland. There was a station wagon called the "Caravan" available, with either three or five doors. In South Africa, the Kadett notchback was sold as the Opel Monza, along with a convertible. This replaced the Opel Ascona.

A convertible version was also available, for the first time in 1987, built by Bertone of Torino/Italy, bringing it to line with competitors, such as the Ford Escort and Volkswagen Golf. For the 1988 model, capacities were raised to from 1.3 to 1.4 litres.The convertible variant of the Kadett E produced at Bertone in Turin was from August 1991 and equipped in weaker engine variants with the body details of the cadet GSi.Due to production problems of the successor Astra Cabrio, the cadet convertible was produced until May 1993, while the production of the other models was discontinued in July 1991. Shortly before the end of production there were only special models of the cadet convertible. 

GSI side view

In the fall of 1986 a new 1,998 cc engine replaced the 1.8 hitherto used on the GSi and Vauxhall Astra GTE in many markets, although the 1.8 continued to be sold in some places. In 1988, a 16-valve twin-cam version was developed for a high-performance GSi/GTE model, yielding 156 PS (115 kW) in non-catalyzed form, six less horsepower with a catalytic converter fitted.

While criticized for a lack of refinement, the GSi 16V was also lauded as the most powerful car available in its class at the time. Aside from the "16V" badging, it could be told from an eight-valve GSi by its twin rectangular exhaust pipes.

The Kadett E has been seen as a grey import in the United Kingdom, but it is quite rare compared to its badge engineered sister, the Vauxhall Astra Mk II. It was never officially sold in Britain, and by 1989, General Motors was only marketing the Vauxhall brand in the United Kingdom, although Astras assembled at Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant were exported to the rest of Europe badged as Opel Kadetts. There was also a van version with a raised roof, called the Opel Kadett Combo.

Other markets

The car was also sold under the following names:

• Vauxhall Astra (hatchback and station wagon, United Kingdom)
• Vauxhall Belmont (Saloon, United Kingdom)
• Bedford Astravan and Astramax (caravan as van or combo, Great Britain), from 1990 Vauxhall Astravan / Astramax
• Opel Monza (sedan and convertible, South Africa, not to be confused with the larger Opel Monza)
• Chevrolet Cadet (Brazil)
• Chevrolet Ipanema (station wagon, Brazil)
• Daewoo LeMans (South Korea, Eastern Europe, Near and Middle East)
• Daewoo Racer (South Korea, Eastern Europe, Near and Middle East)
• Daewoo Nexia / Cielo / Heaven / Fantasy / Pointer
• Daewoo Nexia II (Uzbekistan)
• Isuzu Optima (1985-1992, Nigeria)
• Asüna SE / GT (1991-1993, Canada)
• Passport Optima (1989-1991, Canada)

The Kadett E was introduced in Brazil as the Chevrolet Kadett, but the three-door station wagon (later also five-door) was called the Chevrolet Ipanema. Brazilian production commenced in April 1989, with the Ipanema being added in October of the same year. From 1992 Brazilian Kadetts/Ipanemas received fuel injection. Brazilian cars received either 1.8 or 2.0-litre petrol fours.

In the early 1990s, South African Kadett GSi's were further upgraded based on their success in production car racing and initially 500 special units were built as road cars for homologation purposes. This was a minimum requirement for entry into the Stannic Group N races. They went against BMW's 325iS (A 2.7 litre homologation special from BMW). They featured more aggressive 276-degree camshafts made by Schrick with 2 different settings for timing overlap (110° and 107°), revised intake and exhaust modifications (4-in-1 branch manifold and freeflow exhaust), Irmscher spring kit, modified engine management system by Promotec, a limited slip differential developed by Andre Verwey and special Aluett 7Jx15-inch ET35 alloy wheels, they were nicknamed the "Superboss" and held the world record for the most torque per litre (114 Nm per litre) for a naturally aspirated car until 2009 being beaten by the Ferrari 458 (117 Nm per litre). After the first 500 units were produced, many more were built to satisfy public demand.

The Kadett E formed the basis of the Daewoo LeMans (later known as the Daewoo Cielo, Racer and Nexia) in South Korea, Nexia being the hatchback version), which was sold in the United States and New Zealand as the Pontiac LeMans, and in Canada (initially) as the Passport Optima. LeMans sales ended in 1993. The Nexia is still being produced at UzDaewoo plant in Asaka, Uzbekistan. The Cielo was last being produced at Automobile Craiova, a semi-independent (from GM) plant in Craiova, Romania. Their license expired in the fall of 2006.