Opel Ascona C - Vauxhall Cavalier Mark II

Production period:	1981 to 1988
Class:	Motor Car
Body versions:	Sedan, station wagon
Engines:	Gasoline: 1.3-2.0 litres (44-96 kW)  Diesel: 1.6 litres (40 kW)
Length:	4264-4366 mm
Width:	1668 mm
Height:	1385-1395 mm
Wheelbase:	2574 mm
Curb weight:	920-1090 kg

The Ascona C is a mid-size car from the 1980s, by Adam Opel AG produced from August 1981 to October 1988. It was the Opel variant of the so-called J-car models produced by General Motors in numerous countries.

The Ascona C was sold in the UK as a Vauxhall Cavalier. This model was also available in a wagon version (Vauxhall Cavalier Estate), which was not offered in Germany. Necessary components made Holden in Australia. The small numbers of hatchback variant and the great sales successes of the Kadet Caravan and the direct competitor VW Passat Variant allow the conclusion that Opel would have sold in this combination variant probably in Germany more Ascona models. Oddly enough, you ignored this phenomenon during the eight-year production period of Ascona and continued the strategy until Vectra Continued.

In North America, the J-car family, which includes the Ascona C, included the Chevrolet Cavalier, Buick Skyhawk, Oldsmobile Firenze, Pontiac J2000 and Cadillac Cimarron models, sold as notchback sedans, station wagons and hatchback coupes. In Brazil, the Ascona C was also sold as Chevrolet Monza in a three-door Fastback version not available elsewhere. In Australia, the Ascona experienced retouching on the body and was mounted as Holden Camira. In Japan, a separate J-Car version as Isuzu Aska ran with their own engines off the line. In addition, in the mid-1990s, produced by Daewoo, based on the Ascona C Espero was also sold in Germany.

The Ascona C was offered with various engine options and in various trim levels as a convertible. The basis for this served the two-door notchback sedan. Hammond & Thiede converted most of the vehicles Almost 2,900 pieces were produced from summer 1983 to autumn 1988.  In Great Britain, it was offered under the name Vauxhall Cavalier Convertible. From another version, the Keinath C3 Cabriolet, 434 pieces were built. Further attempts at a convertible version of the Ascona C by Michelotti, Tropic and Hy-Tech had previously failed.

The Ascona C was the first car from Opel in this class with front-wheel drive and had in contrast to its predecessor a transversely mounted engine. It was offered as a two- and four-door notchback as well as a five-door hatchback with a large tailgate. Several coachbuilders also modified the two-door notchback sedan to the Cabriolet, which was available in one case via the Opel dealer network.

The history of the Opel Ascona C can be divided into three sections. The versions differ slightly in body and fittings. The biggest change was the transition from the Ascona C1 to the Ascona C2 with extensive changes in the body area. Among other things, the seats were changed in the sheet metal.

Ascona C1 (08/1981 to 10/1984)

Available with the following engines: 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH, 1.8 E (from model year 1983), 1.6 D

trim levels

• Basic equipment (unspecified named, all body styles, not with 1.8 electric motor)
• Luxury (all body styles, all engines)
• Berlina (all body styles, all engines)
• CD (from model year 1983, only four- and five-door, only with 1.8 electric motor)
• SR (all body styles, only with 1.6 SH engine), SR / E (from model year 1983, all body styles, only with 1.8 electric motor)

special models

• Touring (from model year 1983, four- and five-door, 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH, 1.6 D engine)
• J (from model year 1983, all body styles, with 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH engine)
• Sport (model year 1984, two- and four-door, only with 1.6 SH and 1.8 E engine)

Ascona C2 (10/1984 to 08/1986)

Changes to Ascona C1 among others

• new headlights and turn signals
• Front grill from the Ascona CD now for all models
• Taillights now with black stripes
• Aperture between the taillights
• new seats and seat consoles like in Cadet E
• Instruments in the new design of the Cadet E
• large interior light in a new design, such as Kadet E
• Fixing interior mirror to windshield
• Bumper and mouldings now in Gray instead of black. On some models also brown.
• Engines with Vara jet carburettor now with manual choke.

Available with following engines: 1.3 N, 1.3 S, 1.6 N, 1.6 N from model year 1986, 1.6 SH, 1.8 E, 1.6 D, 1.6 DA, 1.8 NE from 1985 (not for two-door notchback)

The C18NE first had a G-CAT in the Ascona

trim levels

• LS (formerly Ascona, all body styles, all engines, except 1.8 E)
• GL (formerly luxury, all body styles, all engines)
• GLS (formerly Berlina, four- and five-door, all engines)
• CD (four- and five-door, only with 1.6 SH, 1.8 NE and 1.8 electric motor)
• GT (formerly SR and SR / E, all body styles, only me 1.6 SH, 1.8 NE, 1.8 E engine)

special models

• GT / Sport (model year 1986, all body styles, engines like GT)
• Touring (model year 1986, four- and five-door, 1.6 N, 1.6 SH, 1.8 NE, 1.8 E, 1.6 D engine)

Ascona C3 (08/1986 to 10/1988)

Changes to Ascona C2

• new taillights incl. new rear panel
• new front spoiler for all models
• Interior fittings of higher quality
• White front indicators
• new radiator grille, painted in body colour
• Bumpers, mouldings and lettering in blue-Gray

Available with the following engines: 1.6 N, 1.6 SV (1987 model year only), 1.8 NV, 1.6 NZ, 1.6 NZ, 1.6 LZ, 2.0 NE, 2.0 NEF, 2.0 SEH, 2.0 NE, 1.6 DA,

trim levels

• LS (all body styles, all engines, except 2.0 SEH)
• GL, from model year 1988 Touring (only four- and five-door, all engines, except 2.0 SEH)
• GLS, from model year 1988 GLS Exclusive (only four- and five-door, all engines, except 2.0 SEH)
• GT, from model year 1988 GT / Sport (all body styles, 1.6 SV (only 1987), 1.8 NV (only 1988), 2.0 NE, 2.0 SEH)

special models

• Jubilee (model year 1987, four- and five-door, 1.6 NZ, 2.0 NE, 1.8 NV engine 1987 exclusively for Jubilee)
• Sprint (Irmscher version, from model year 1987, only four-door notchback, 2.0 NE, 2.0 NE, 2.0 SEH engine), built by Irmscher in 1,399 pieces in four shades. In Switzerland, the Ascona Sprint was on offer as i200, which was built by Irmscher 879 times. For the British market approximately 500 pieces of Irmscher were built as right-hand drive under the name Vauxhall Cavalier Caliber.

In October 1988 by the end of production, 1,721,647 Ascona C were manufactured.