Opel Astra takes silverware at Wesbank COTY
It certainly has been an exciting month for German Manufacturer after the surprising victory of the Opel Astra at the 2017 Wesbank Car of the Year awards.
The news was delivered at an exclusive banquet gala held for members of the South African Guild of Motor Journalism at Kyalami racetrack, where the judges of the highly contested award all praised the efforts of Opel’s latest C-segment hatchback.
Aficionados of the SA Car of the Year awards will know that this is not Opel’s first-time at the top of the podium. “The last time Opel won a South African Car of the Year Award was in the 1990s when we won three awards with the: Opel Monza 160 GSi (1991), Opel Kadett 140 (1994) and Opel Astra 160iS (1995). I am very excited that the Opel Astra – which was the 2016 European Car of the Year – is now also a Wesbank South African Car of the Year,” said Ian Nicholls, President and Managing Director General Motors Sub-Saharan Africa.
Among the many features that the judges applauded on the Astra, its build-quality was singled out to be its highlight. According to Bernard Hellberg Jnr, Car of the Year convenor and chairman of the SAGMJ: “Powered by new-generation 1.0-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engines which are available in either manual or automatic, the Opel Astra impressed the COTY Jury with its incredible road holding and build quality.”
It is also worthy to note the competition that the Opel Astra was put up against, such as the Audi A4 and the Volkswagen Passat, winning second and third place respectively. Opel is not exactly considered to be a key-competitor in the luxury sedan market, however it will be interesting to see whether or not that will change since Opel is now sold to Peugeot.
