Vauxhall Astra Mk1 1300 S L H/B
Some cars I've driven recently #2
My second choice was this Mk1 Astra. I was keen to try this one as many people (magazine articles, friends and my Dad) have previously mentioned just how much the Mk1 Astra moved things on in the early '80s.
Plus driving this would mean that I'd driven every shape of GM Astra (I've yet to try the current Stellantis car). Well I was certainly impressed with how modern it felt after the Austin 1300. In fact for anyone coming out of an early '70s car into this, it must have been an absolute revelation. Noise / vibration was minimal, controls were far lighter and it just felt like a near-modern car you could get in and drive for miles - as many did of course.
A good friend of mine had one of these for years from the mid '90s to early '00s (until it unfortunately ended up on its roof in a ditch), and I can see why he kept it so long now - there was no point in getting anything else. An interesting drive and another very nice example too.
Vauxhall Astra Mk1 1300 S L H/B
Some cars I've driven recently #2
My second choice was this Mk1 Astra. I was keen to try this one as many people (magazine articles, friends and my Dad) have previously mentioned just how much the Mk1 Astra moved things on in the early '80s.
Plus driving this would mean that I'd driven every shape of GM Astra (I've yet to try the current Stellantis car). Well I was certainly impressed with how modern it felt after the Austin 1300. In fact for anyone coming out of an early '70s car into this, it must have been an absolute revelation. Noise / vibration was minimal, controls were far lighter and it just felt like a near-modern car you could get in and drive for miles - as many did of course.
A good friend of mine had one of these for years from the mid '90s to early '00s (until it unfortunately ended up on its roof in a ditch), and I can see why he kept it so long now - there was no point in getting anything else. An interesting drive and another very nice example too.