1989 Vauxhall

Trinity Car Solutions present for sale a desirable and rare iconic Vauxhall, the Astra GTE 16v.

Ancient Chinese philosophy states that everything has an opposite. If this is the case the Astra GTE 16v was the complete antithesis of the Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V. Where the VW was subtle and grown-up, with the emphasis on agile, surefooted handling, the Astra was brash and boorish, with alarming straight-line speed and screw the handling.

If the looks of the GTE are anything to go by it was no wonder the MK2 Astra was once Britain's second most stolen car. It couldn’t have stood out more if it had tinsel hanging from the bumper and so it attracted thieves like a silver ring to a magpie.

The GTE had been around since the MK2’s launch in 1984 and had 130bhp but just 999kg to haul around. It sold well, thanks mainly to its handsome, well-proportioned looks, but towards the end of the eighties it was clear that more power was needed if the GTE was to have a crack at the dominant 16-valve Golf.

The Astra 16v looked almost identical to the 8v when it was unveiled in 1988 apart from subtle red badges on the front and back, but underneath the bonnet sat the ubiquitous ‘red top’ 2.0-litre, that packed 150bhp. Baring in mind this car weighed around a tonne it was no surprise that it gave the Astra serious performance. Some journalists reported a 0-60mph sprint of just 7.5 seconds and the 16v could easily hit north of 120mph, usually with a 15-year-old behind the wheel down the M6.

There was a time when you couldn’t move for this automotive equivalent of a white stiletto, but sadly most have now rusted away from the rear arches upwards. This is sad because even though the styling was lairy, and in white more Eighties than a neon shell suit, somehow the Astra pulled it off. Whatever way you look at it the GTE is an icon of the hot hatch glory days, the perfect antidote to the smug VW.

This is a two owner example with just 70k miles from new, finished in Steel Grey metallic. This is a North East car, with dealer plates, and great history having been owned by GM owners club enthusiasts from new, simply stunning. This car has none of the usual rust issues having undergone work by his current owner to an exacting standard, and has all the usual GTE refinements, unmarked rainbow trim and fully functioning LCD displays.

These cars are extremely rare, and in this condition with this provenance even rarer, and this is a must have Vauxhall for any enthusiast and retro collector. Already increasing in value, GM cars of this era are proving to be good investments following Ford's market lead.

Any inspection welcome as this GTE 16v has undergone a complete pre sale inspection schedule by the team at Trinity Car Solutions.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions or to arrange a viewing. Here at Trinity our mission is to supply top quality specialist marques to our valued customers.

For your added peace of mind Trinity Car Solutions are accredited members of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) providing high quality, value for money services to the motoring public.