I was headed to the beach last week and passed a convertible on the highway. Now being the observant person I am (when it comes to cars anyway) I got a look at the back of the car as I approached to pass. I caught a glimpse of the badge on the rear and though "that looks like the Opel emblem." It was dark though and I figured I just didn't see it right.

So a couple miles later the car catches back up with me so I slow down to get a better look. Black convertible, top down. Left hand drive and sure enough, the badge on the rear of the car is the Opel badge and it says Astra on the trunk lid! Unfortunately before my co-pilot could grab his camera they got off the highway.

I know this is the Saturn section but I thought I'd post here as I didn't think the Astra was coming over here as a EDIT: Convertible. Am I wrong? What really piqued my interest was that it was, in fact, a left hand drive car. Didn't get a look at the tags either unfortunately.

Comments? Thoughts? Someone tell me I wasn't seeing things!

Edited March 20, 200718 yr by DBeaSSt

Current Astra? The critical thing to look for would be manufacturer plates, but you have to ask what it would be doing in VA. Opels, being European, are usually LHD. Only South African Opels are RHD AFAIK. In other RHD markets they are badged as Vauxhalls (UK) or Holdens (Australia/New Zealand).

Well I'm guessing it was the current Astra. Again, it was dark and a black (or dark colored) car so I'm not 100%.

But this pic looks about right:

I so wish I had been able to snap a pic. No idea on the plates either. I would be highly surprised to see manufacturer plated cars in VA though.

Imported by a serviceman? I remember seeing a RHD Saturn SL wagon in Virginia Beach years ago.

Well I'm guessing it was the current Astra. Again, it was dark and a black (or dark colored) car so I'm not 100%.

But this pic looks about right:

I so wish I had been able to snap a pic. No idea on the plates either. I would be highly surprised to see manufacturer plated cars in VA though.

A diplomatic car perhaps? (How far from Washington?) If it has local plates then someone has had a registered importer do the safety and emissions compliance checks, so a gray import of further cars would be much cheaper now. An Astra TwinTop would not be cheap though.

It may have been someone who just imported it to the states to drive. Probably no one special. It would be very interesting though if GM was testing it because this sold as a Saturn would scare the crap out of USA VW dealers trying to sell the Eos.

I wouldn't mind one. All it needs is a 2.4L Ecotec!

I think they should sell the convertible here. it would slot in between the Solstice and G6 convertibles. this would be good because im sure there is people who want a G6 convertible but dont want to spend $32,000 on it. it would sell here if the msrp was around $25,000. that and im sure alamo would take a few thousand of them.

Imported by a serviceman? I remember seeing a RHD Saturn SL wagon in Virginia Beach years ago.

The wagons were SW's. Saturn made RHD models for a while for export to Japan. They also sold RHD wagons to the US postal service - they pop up on ebay every so often.

Current Astra? The critical thing to look for would be manufacturer plates, but you have to ask what it would be doing in VA. Opels, being European, are usually LHD. Only South African Opels are RHD AFAIK. In other RHD markets they are badged as Vauxhalls (UK) or Holdens (Australia/New Zealand).

In the Republic of Ireland they're badged as Opels and should be RHD as people drive on the left side of the road.

Edited March 26, 200718 yr by ZL-1

I think it will bring many new customers to Saturn, but will the trade off be fewer G6 convertable sales? Would it make sense to bring it here now, or wait till the next generation arrives?