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If the Italians had a hand in the Optra's exterior, the Germans certainly played their part inside. The interior is roomy for four, with every switch in its right place. All storage bins are lined with felt, and there's even a pull-out drawer under the passenger seat. The only thing nasty bit is the strip of dried Vaseline surrounding the speedometer, more so at night. The dash, door trim and seats look and feel like the latest-generation Opel. Black pebble-grained plastics and silver-colored accents cover the interior. The plastics even smell German: take a whiff with your eyes closed and you can imagine you're in a 3-series. Until you start the engine. The 1.6 powerplant is rough and snorty, from lumpy idle to raucous redline. It acquits itself when it comes to power delivery, despite its modest 110 bhp / 150 Nm specifications. The gravelly engine note is there all the time, but keep it below 3000 rpm and it won't be too obtrusive. The factory claims 10.7 seconds, 0 to100 km/h, and a 187 km/h top speed. Fuel mileage won't win any Greenpeace awards; we managed 8.29 km per liter in our city crawl. Order the five-speed manual and you'll get a soft and easily modulated clutch pedal. The shift action is notchy and vague, with long throws. For fifth gear, a fully extended arm and a slight tilt of the entire body is needed to slot it into position. You will have to position your seat at just the right distance, or your right leg will keep banging on the center console. |
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