Opel Cascada
Overview
Manufacturer	Opel (General Motors)
Also called	Buick Cascada (US) Vauxhall Cascada (UK) Holden Cascada (Australasia)[1] Opel Cabrio (Spain)
Production	2013–2019
Assembly	Poland:Gliwice (Opel Manufacturing Poland)[2]
Designer	Andrew Dyson Elizabeth Wetzel Mark Adams
Body and chassis
Class	Compact car[3][4] (C)
Body style	2-doorconvertible
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Platform	Delta II platform
Related	Opel Astra J Opel Zafira Tourer C
Powertrain
Engine	petrol: 1.4 LB14NET (LUJ)turboI4 1.6 LA16XHT (LVP) turbo I4 1.6 LA16SHT (LWC) turbo I4 diesel: 2.0 LB20DTH (LFS) turbo I4
Transmission	6-speedGM F40manual 6-speedGM 6T45 (MH7)automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,695 mm (106.1 in)
Length	4,696 mm (184.9 in)
Width	1,839 mm (72.4 in)
Height	1,443 mm (56.8 in)
Curb weight	1,701–1,816 kg (3,750–4,004 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Opel Astra H TwinTop

TheOpel Cascada is a four-passenger fabric-roofconvertible,^[5] manufactured and marketed byOpel across a single generation for model years 2013 through 2019,^[6] prioritizing year-round touring comfort over sportiness.

Nearly identicalbadge engineered variants were marketed globally using theCascada nameplate under fourGeneral Motors brands:Opel,Vauxhall,Holden, andBuick. It was also sold under theOpel Cabrio nameplate in Spain.^[7]

The2+2 convertible was engineered at Opel's International Technical Engineering Center inRüsselsheim, Germany, and was styled under the direction ofMark Adams, head of Opel design, at Opel's Rüsselsheim Design Center, with Andrew Dyson (exterior) and Elizabeth Wetzel (interior).

After debuting at the 2012Geneva Auto Show, the brand variants were manufactured inGliwice, Poland, up until assembly ended on 28 June 2019,^[8][9] with a combined total of 48,500 produced^[10][11] and the final Cascada manufactured for the US market.^[11]

The Cascada derives its name from the Spanish word forwaterfall.

Engineered and styled in Germany, and manufactured in Poland (with its 200-hp 1.6 litre engine produced in Hungary and its 6-speed automatic transmission imported from Mexico),^[12] the Cascada was marketed globally under fourGeneral Motors brands:

• Opel, 2013–2019, Europe
• Vauxhall, 2013–2018, UK
• Holden, 2014–2017, Australia and New Zealand
• Buick, 2016–2019, US and China

TheOpel Cascada debuted in late 2012 and was launched on 20 April 2013, offering two four-cylinder petrol engines, 1.4-litre or 1.6-litre, as well as a 2.0-litre diesel. These were offered with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

TheVauxhall Cascada launched in the UK in March 2013 with a choice of 140PS 1.4-litre and 170PS 1.6-litre turbo petrols. This was followed by a 1.6-litre Spark Ignition Direct Injection (SIDI) engine producing 200PS from October 2013.^[13] The line-up also included a 2.0-litre CDTI diesel. These were offered with six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes.^[14]

TheBuick Cascada debuted at the2015 North American International Auto Show in January 2015, and went on sale in the US in January 2016,^[15] as the brand's first factory convertible since the 1991Buick Reatta, and first two-door model since the 1999Buick Riviera. More than 600 changes were necessary to meet U.S. safety and comfort requirements.^[16] The Buick was available in three trim levels: Base (1SV), Premium, and Sport Touring—all powered by the 200 hp (150 kW) 1.6-liter inline-four engine and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.^[17] GM did not market the Buick Cascada in Canada and Mexico, making it exclusive to China and the United States.

TheHolden Cascada went on sale in Oceania in April 2015 as the successor toHolden'sAstra TwinTop, discontinued in 2009. At launch, the Holden variant was offered with only the 1.6L petrol engine and a six speed automatic. Two trim levels were available which are base and launch edition. The Launch edition offered 20-inch alloy wheels, nappa leather sport seats, ventilated front seats, adaptivebi-xenon headlights andLED daytime running lights. Holden ended sales of the Cascada on 1 May 2017.^[18]

All Cascada variants were developed during the period when General Motors had filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy and its restructuring commenced. As the Cascada neared the end of its production, Opel was sold toGroupe PSA (2017),^[19] and the convertible segment experienced a sharp decline globally.^[20] In February 2019, GM confirmed it would end marketing the Cascada, afterGroupe PSA confirmed it would not continue future production—noting also low sales, especially in the United States.^[21] Production of the Buick Cascada ended on June 28, 2019.^[22]

The Cascada uses GM'sDelta II platform shared with its compact front-wheel-drive cars and small crossover SUVs, including theOpel Astra J, with which it shares much of its mechanical componentry as well as much of its instrument panel.

Cascada specifications, trim and equipment levels vary slightly between the Opel, Buick, Vauxhall and Holdenbadge-engineered variants, with shared standard equipment including electric park brake, sport seats,French stitching on the instrument panel,DAB Radio, auto headlights and wipers, cruise control, and seven-inchIntellilink Infotainment System.^[23][17][18]

Available ergonomic seats for the driver and front passenger were certified by theAktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR, "Campaign for Healthier Backs"), an independent panel of back experts. The AGR accredited front seats offered six-way movement and a broad range of adjustment, with a powered, pneumatic lumbar support, a 60 mm (2.4 in) seat cushion extender and a long, 280 mm (11.0 in) fore/aft travel movement.^[24]

Where equipped with leather, the Cascada interior uses theBayer Cool Leather System,^[25] which uses specific dyes and pigments to reflect solar infrared; improve thermal comfort, lower the leather surface temperatures up to 20–30 °C (68–86 °F) less and improve shrinkage properties.

Regional differences includeISOFIX points standard both Opel, Vauxhall and Holden models while the Holden Cascada also has top tether mounts. Excluding Holden, all Buick, Opel and Vauxhall (Elite trim from 2016) Cascadas include GM'sOnStar System as of 2016 asGM expanded the service into Europe.^[23][17][18]

Cargo capacity is 380 litres (13.4 cu ft) with the top raised and 280 litres (9.9 cu ft) with the top stowed. To allow for longer cargo, each side of the 50/50 split rear seatbacks could be lowered by their own control, while standing at the open rear trunk—via an electro-magnetic system, marketed asFlexfold.^[26] Because the taillights are entirely located on the trunk lid, a second set of tail lights inside the trunk remain visible when the lid is raised, complying with safety regulations in Europe and other countries.

Front seats have automatic shoulder-belt presenters, where the outboard seatbelt buckle is mounted on an electrically powered telescopic arm, which extends forward, "presenting" the seatbelt to driver or front passenger—triggered when the door is closed and the ignition is switched on. The arm retracts when the seatbelt is fastened.^[24]

A system marketed asEasy Entry is activated by manually releasing the front seat back and tilting it forward. This electronically moves the front seats forward to facilitate access to the 2+2 rear seating, which is moved back again by tilting the seat rearward. As the driver or passenger seat moves back and senses the knees of a rear occupant, it stops and returns the seat forward approximately an inch.

Structurally, the passenger cell primarily uses high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels. Built into the doors at the beltline, are diagonally running ultra-strong steel struts and reinforcements. TheA-pillars on each sides of the windshield are high-strengthpress hardening steels, which are surrounded by hot-rolled and then cold-bent, oval-shaped steel tubes.^[27] The design also uses reinforced rocker panels with increased cross section; underbody reinforcements including X-braces, V-braces and additional brackets; and a reinforced “torsion box” bulkhead behind the rear seats that incorporates the pop-up roll bars.^[28] Opel claimed the body of the Cascada was 43% stiffer than the previous generation Astra H TwinTop, and worked in tandem with the HiPer Strut suspension layout.^[23]

The Cascada was designed from the outset as a convertible,^[29] with its top module developed and manufactured byMagna Car Top Systems (Magna CTS).^[30][31] After first manually deploying a trunk-mounted cargo-divider, the soft top can be electro-hydraulically raised or lowered at speeds up to 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph) by a control located between the two front seats. The top includes the automated operation of an articulating rigid tonneau cover that fully conceals the top when lowered—and uses a heated glass rear window flush with the roof fabric. The frameless windows lower slightly on opening the doors or operating the convertible top.

The cloth-faced top itself is double-layered for thermal and acoustic insulation, with an available triple-layered premium top featuring heavier layers and an additional polyester fleece layer for improved thermal and acoustic insulation.^[24] Offered in black, tan, brown and burgundy (marketed respectively as Ebony, Sahara, Sweet Mocha and Malbec), availability varies by model year and trim level.

Tested through 15,000 cycles, top operation requires the key be inaccessory oron position and requires the driver to hold the top switch until a chime signals completion of the lowering (17 second) or raising (19 second) cycle. When stationary, the roof can be opened and closed via an optional remote control button on the key fob. As an option, side windows can be raised, lowered and locked via a single four-window switch.^[24]

The top was engineered to be weatherproof under extreme conditions. Each Cascada is individually tested in specialized water test booths at the end of the production line, each booth using 124 individual nozzles subjecting the car to 1.9 gallons of water per minute for ten minutes, equal to 1.23 inches of rain per minute.^[32]

In the event of imminent rollover, pyrotechnically activated, spring-loaded rollover protection bars—connected to the vehicle's airbag system—deploy behind rear seats, raising 14" to the height of the windshield.

When the rear seats are unoccupied, a large foldablewindbreaker can be manually mounted behind the front seats, anchored into recesses in the rear side trim. The upper section of the windbreaker can be raised vertically to deflect wind, while the horizontal section remains fixed. With rear passengers aboard, a smaller windbreaker can be mounted between the rear head-rests to reduce drafts. Each windbreaker comes in its own bag, storable in the trunk.^[24]

The Cascada uses suspension systems similar to its Delta II platform siblings, theCadillac ELR andOpel Astra GTC.

The front suspension, marketed asHiPer Strut, reduces the kingpin inclination angle and shortens the kingpin offset compared to a MacPherson strut design—helping to preventtorque steer, increase front axle grip during cornering, and optimize tire contact with the road. The design reduces unwanted steering system disturbances over bumps and on rough roads and allows the Cascada to employ 20" tires.

The rear suspension, for packaging efficiency and lower cost compared to a fully independent suspsension, uses asemi-independent twist beam (or torsion beam) rear suspension with aWatt's linkage, marketed as acompound crank system with Watt's Z-link. The torsion beam itself is a U-shaped, doubled-walled profile attached to trailing links via a 'magnetic-arc' welding process—which uses magnetic forces to drive the components together for welding while allowing the beam's thickness and attachment angles to be varied according to different engine and vehicle weights.

The Watt's linkage centers the car's rear axle during turns and provides increased lateral stiffness during turns, to help keep the rear suspension aligned with the front suspension. On straightaways, the linkage allows the suspension to freely travel vertically while continuing to locate the suspension laterally. The Watt's linkage is carried on a small cross-member attached to the underside of the car, just behind the rear-wheel center line. It comprises a short, pivoting center link with a ball joint at each end, to which the lateral links from the wheels are bolted.

The Cascada in all its variants primarily used the turbocharged 1.6 litre four cylinderMedium Gasoline Engine withSpark Ignition Direct Injection technology, which reduces fuel consumption. In the Cascada, it achieves a 0 to 60 mph time in the 8–9 second range.

The only available engine in the Buick Cascada was the 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp) turbocharged 1.6 litre four cylinder withSpark Ignition Direct Injection technology andvariable valve timing. The Holden Cascada was only available with the 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) version.^[17][18]

Other engines include two 1.4 LFamily 0 petrol, with 120 PS (88 kW) and 140 PS (103 kW), both with 200 Nm (220 Nm with overboost) torque; and a 2.0 LCDTI diesel with 165 PS (121 kW) and 380 N⋅m (280 lbf⋅ft) torque.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toOpel Cascada.

• Official Vauxhall Cascada website (UK)
• Buick Cascada website (US)
• Official Holden Cascada Website (Australia)
• Test: Captive to a German sense of humour

• Opel vehicles
• Subcompact cars
• Convertibles
• Front-wheel-drive vehicles
• Cars introduced in 2013
• Cars discontinued in 2019
• Cars of Poland

• Use dmy dates from December 2020
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Commons category link is on Wikidata