Vauxhall Cascada price targets premium rivals

Vauxhall’s new full-size, four-seat convertible, the Cascada, will be priced from just £23,995 on-the-road – nearly £8,000 less than its main rival in the premium drop-top sector – when it arrives in showrooms this April.

Vauxhall sauys the Cascada offers affordability paired with outstanding levels of equipment, technology and luxury. It comes in two equipment grades, with the entry level SE getting 18-inch alloy wheels, a sports chassis, LED tail lamps and aux-in/USB as standard. The Elite includes leather trim, heated front seats and steering wheel and front fog lamps.

Starting the line-up is a 1.4-litre (140bhp) turbo petrol, with a manual gearbox, achieving a combined 44.8mpg and 148g/km CO2, and a 2.0-litre (165bhp) diesel engine with manual and automatic transmissions, achieving up to 54.3mpg combined and 138g/km CO2.

Making its debut with the Cascada’s powertrain line-up is the all-new 1.6 SIDI Turbo Ecotec petrol engine. The first production engine from Vauxhall’s MGE (Mid-Size Gasoline Engine) family, the unit offers major improvements in torque, linearity and overall efficiency. It produces a maximum 170bhp from 1650-3200rpm and up to 207 lb-ft of torque, giving a 0-60mph time of 9.2 seconds and top speed of 135mph. This engine will be available with a new, low-friction automatic six-speed gearbox that contributes towards combined fuel consumption of 39.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 168g/km.

A high-performance 2.0 (195bhp) Bi-Turbo diesel engine with manual transmission will also be available shortly after launch.  The Bi-Turbo achieves a combined 138g/km and 54.3mpg, yet accelerates from 0-60mph in just 8.9 seconds up to a top speed of 143mph.

Vauxhall’s HiPerStrut front suspension, first used in the 325PS Insignia VXR, will also be standard across the Cascada range. The system separates damping and steering functions, reducing torque steer, while also improving steering feel and cornering control. In addition to this, the Cascada’s electric power steering has been tuned specifically for the UK market.