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A Spanish waterfall has provided the evocative new name for the latest Opel Astra convertible. But don't get swept away in the excitement of the Cascada. We’ve previously seen some spy shots (see below). But for now Opel has only given the world a brief tease of its new droptop, damming supplies of information until October 17.
It is only showing the open-air top of the new convertible as European carmakers rush to avoid the log jam of official unveilings at the Paris motor show at the end of the month. It follows the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf and the latest Ford Fiesta, but comes ahead of the crucial Ford Mondeo that is scheduled for Thursday in Amsterdam.
Opel is even avoiding a Cascada display in Paris, keeping the spotlight on the crucial baby Adam city car it unveiled earlier this year. “It's only a teaser. A real tease,” confirms Opel's spokesperson in Australia, Michelle Lang, to Carsguide. “We're only showing the top half of the car for now. The full pictures come on October 17 and we know they will be hotly anticipated.”
The Cascada is a no-brainer certainty for Australia, but not until the supply pipeline is full in Europe, as the German brand works hard to establish itself without the protective umbrella of GM Holden. It's already revealed the Corsa (think Barina), Astra and Insignia which will open its showroom action in Australia and admits it is doing everything possible to bring the latest models to Australia.
“Absolutely nothing is confirmed. But if we were successful in getting production for Australia we're not looking at anything before 2014. But very early,” says Lang. She says there is no chance at all of an early Australian showing of the Cascada, perhaps at the Australian International Motor Show, with Opel waiting until the European spring.
“I wish,” she laughs. “It won't be revealed until the Geneva motor show in March next year.” The Cascada is described by the Opel spin team as a 'high-quality, classy soft top for pure open-air indulgence'. So, no pressure, then. It's based on the latest Astra that's the focus for the Opel launch in Australia, with four adult seats and a folding canvas top that can do its work at up to 50km/h.
Opel says the good looking body of the Cascada was inspired by its Kapitan and Rekord convertibles of the fifties and sixties, moving away from the chopped-top hatchback design of more recent times. It follows the make-or-break Adam and the baby SUV called Mokka, which are both looking pretty good for Australia once Opel establishes its three-car beach head this year.
