September 2008


Opel Antara: Compact Crossover for Everyday and Leisure Use

• At home both on and off-road with active four-wheel drive
• High utility value blended with pronounced elegance
• Refined 3.2-liter V6 gasoline engine is top-of-the-line unit

Rüsselsheim. Opel again sends a clear signal in the SUV segment with the Antara, which combines dynamic, elegant design with robust four-wheel drive as standard. The technologically sophisticated compact five-seat crossover boasts the handling of a passenger car, generous interior space despite compact exterior dimensions, high levels of functionality, a raised seat position and innovative transport features such as the “Flex-Fix” carrier system, which pulls out from the rear bumper. The interior echoes the style and elegance of a top-of-the-line sedan, and with its electronically networked chassis, precise speed-dependent power steering and active four-wheel drive, the Antara is at home in the city or off-road.

New in model year 2009

The Antara is already known for its attractive equipment lines. But this didn’t stop Opel from making them even more appealing. The customer favorite, the Edition equipment line, is now called Edition Plus and includes dark-tinted rear windows. The Edition package also gets “Plus” added to its name and comprises cruise control, on-board computer, park pilot, graphic info display and 18-inch alloy wheels in 5-spoke V design.

Design and packaging

The Antara’s distinctive design character is emphasized by an attractive contrast: while the car’s lower section clearly displays the crossover’s robustness, above that the body’s striking lines and taut surfaces unite stylish elegance with a sporty, athletic look. Typical Opel style details include the crease on the hood and the grille accentuated by the wide chrome bar with large Opel logo. With its compact dimensions (length x width x height: 4576 x 1850 x 1704 mm) the crossover takes up no more space than a mid-size passenger car.

The interior is reminiscent of the style and elegance of a luxury sedan. Sporty, contoured seats and a center console with central info display dominate the driver-oriented cockpit. Eye-catching interior features include three large round air vents on the center console and a distinctively shaped handbrake grip. With its elevated seating position, spaciousness and large glazed surfaces, the Antara conveys a casual, easy-going lifestyle. The trunk has a transport volume of up to 1420 liters.

Passive safety

The Antara’s stiff body structure safeguards occupants’ survival space in the passenger cell: side and cross members as well as front wheel carriers distribute impact forces along a total of three load paths in the event of a frontal collision. The doors, which are reinforced in the middle and upper sections, also serve as side impact protection, as do the especially stable B-pillars produced from tailored blanks. Impact energy is also absorbed by the crashboxes on the front and rear body frame.

The Opel Antara’s extensive standard safety package includes front and side airbags for driver and front passenger, head curtain airbags for the front and outer rear seats, height-adjustable three-point seat belts and head restraints for all five seats. The front seats feature seat belt pretensioners, belt-force limiters and the seat belt warning system, while the outer rear seats are fitted with ISOFIX child seat mountings.

Equipment and extras

Opel offers the Antara in three extensively equipped model lines. Highlights include:
Antara – Fog lamps and halogen headlamps, door-to-door lighting, radio remote control central locking, height-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, driver and front passenger comfort seats, reading light, three-spoke height and reach-adjustable steering wheel, air conditioning, heated power exterior mirrors, chrome window frames and interior door handles, stereo CD-Radio CD 30 MP3 with steering wheel remote control and board info display, front and rear power windows, collapsible rear bench seat back split 60:40, 12V power socket in trunk, storage compartment under front passenger seat, sunglasses holder, nets on center console and back of front seats, front and rear beverage holders
Antara Edition Plus (in addition to Antara) – 17-inch alloy wheels in five-spoke design, dark-tinted side windows aft of the B-pillars and dark-tinted rear window, leather steering wheel, Electronic Climate Control (ECC), heated front seats, Automatic Lighting Control (ALC), Trailer Stability Assist (TSA), center armrest
Antara Cosmo (in addition to Antara Edition Plus) – 18-inch alloy wheels, fabric/leather upholstery, onboard computer, cruise control, front and rear park pilot, windshield with heat-absorbing glazing, rain sensor, chrome exterior door handles, door sills and tailpipe

The range of optional extras includes trailer hitch, transparent power slide/tilt sunroof and power driver seat adjustment in combination with the Cosmo package, as well as stationary heating. An innovation in the SUV segment is the integrated rear carrier system Flex-Fix, which stows away into the rear bumper, can be easily pulled out when needed and carries up to two bicycles.

Chassis and active safety

With its agile handling, precise speed-dependent power steering, firm, electronically networked chassis and active four-wheel drive, the Antara is designed as a road car with off-road capabilities. Thanks to the CAN Bus networking of ABS, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Active Rollover Protection (ARP), Traction Control (TC), Descent Control System (DCS) and electronically controlled four-wheel drive, the compact SUV offers an extraordinary combination of dynamics and comfort. The active four-wheel drive system Intelligent Torque Controlled Coupling (ITCC) is fitted as standard and combines the benefits of pure front-wheel drive − such as low fuel consumption and virtually effortless maneuvering − with those of four-wheel drive. While the Antara is a front-wheel drive car under normal conditions, propulsion power can be quickly and seamlessly distributed between the front and rear axles at a ratio of up to 50:50 when needed. The four-wheel drive system’s principal component is an electronically controlled electro-hydraulic differential on the rear axle, which ensures more driving safety in all road and weather conditions.

Engines and transmissions

The Antara is available with two gasoline and two diesel engines. The entry-level gasoline engine is the 2.4-liter, 103 kW/140 hp four-cylinder gasoline unit. Its double overhead camshafts and balance shaft with two rotating counterweights ensure rapid response and refinement. The most refined engine is the 3.2-liter gasoline V6 with 167 kW/227 hp, which produces 297 Nm of torque. The two-liter 93 kW/127 hp CDTI ECOTEC diesel engine is an alternative to the Antara’s popular 2.0 CDTI ECOTEC unit with 110 kW/150 hp. The two-liter common-rail turbo-diesel unit produces 320 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm and has become the top-selling Antara engine. All engines are transversally mounted and coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. The one exception is the V6 engine, which comes with a newly developed five-speed automatic transmission (optional for 150 hp turbo-diesel unit) for top driving comfort.

Quality and economic efficiency

Plenty of Opel know-how went into the Antara’s repair-friendly design. Drivers profit from this through low workshop costs and favorable insurance premiums. Construction details that help minimize costs for minor front and rear damage include easily replaceable radiator supports, bumper fascias and headlamp mounting brackets. In addition, Opel also galvanizes all body sections prone to corrosion. Further plus points include the long service intervals of 15,000 kilometers or one year, the two-year new-car manufacturer’s warranty and the 12-year anti-perforation warranty.

Opel Antara: Facts and figures

Timeline

• September 2005: Three-door Antara GTC concept car presented at IAA in Frankfurt
• September 2006: Production version Antara unveiled at Paris Motor Show
• Winter 2006: Production begins at GM’s plant in South Korea
• Spring 2007: Opel Antara sales begin in Germany
• September 2007: Engine range expanded with the 2.0 CDTI with 127 hp

Highlights

• September 2005: Antara GTC named “Concept Car of the Year” by British car magazine “Autocar”
• Antara GTC wins "Top Cars 2006 Award", chosen by 140 German, Austrian and Swiss motor journalists
• November 2006: Readers of German specialist car magazine “Auto Zeitung” name Antara best car in “Off-road vehicle up to 30,000 euros” category
• Most popular equipment variant in Germany in first half of 2008: Cosmo
• Most popular engine in Germany in first half of 2008: 2.0 CDTI ECOTEC (110 kW/150 hp)