Astra GTC Panoramic Roof/Windscreen

[Shermanator]

I have just found out this was an option on the old Astra GTC! Not that I have ever seen one.





Other than a number of Citroens, does anyone else have any other cars with oversized windscreens?

[SuperPav]

Tesla X...




Never noticed it on the Astras!

[Quhet]

Pug 307cc springs to mind

[Zippee]

Shermanator said:

I have just found out this was an option on the old Astra GTC! Not that I have ever seen one.





Other than a number of Citroens, does anyone else have any other cars with oversized windscreens?

I wonder if they ever actually sold one? Was it an option in the UK?
Whilst it looks lovely and open I dread to think of the replacement cost - thats if you can even get a spare given how rare the option was in the first place

[Quhet]

Zippee said:

Shermanator said:

I have just found out this was an option on the old Astra GTC! Not that I have ever seen one.





Other than a number of Citroens, does anyone else have any other cars with oversized windscreens?

I wonder if they ever actually sold one? Was it an option in the UK?...

I remember the advert being on TV all the time so it was definitely an option. Don't think I ever saw one. Think it had some sort of blind rather than conventional sun visors?

Here you go...£850 option apparently https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/vauxhall/astra/16614...

[Danm1les]

I worked for a Vauxhall dealer around 2010 and I only ever saw 1 Astra with it, also only ever saw one Zafira with the jazzy roof. They have a big hump on the roof exterior too.

[SweptVolume]

It looks perfect in that promotional shot, like you're out in the open without the buffeting.

But imagine the practicalities of it. No wipers, so it'd stay wet and dry streaky, and imagine trying to keep an area of glass that large and relatively inaccessible as clean as it would need to be to truly look like that promo shot. Considering what the fate of this generation of Astra was after a few year (serious neglect of the most slovenly order), I doubt the glass would get cleaned at all and would start to return to nature under the film of grime and dirt.

I love the concept, but it really needs to be fitted to the sort of car that is seldom used and lavished with attention.

[wpa1975]

I do remember seeing a car in the UK with it fitted but don't think it was a popular option.

[Bowlers]

Searched for one with this option back in the day, was quite rare. Bought one instead with every other option.

Costly screen replacement I’d imagine, too.

[Boom78]

On a practicality point, the thing that strikes me is how hot it could be on a sunny day, you’d literally melt!

[wpa1975]

Boom78 said:

On a practicality point, the thing that strikes me is how hot it could be on a sunny day, you’d literally melt!

It does have a retractable blind

[Triumph Man]

Considering how Tesla have dealt with getting cabling to the sensors to the mirror for lights, wipers, (cameras?) etc, I wonder how GM circa 2004 would have dealt with it? I wonder if a reason for its rarity was that if you had the pan screen, you couldn't have auto dim/auto lights/auto wipers etc (I notice the Astra in the picture has none of that)

[Mercury00]

MK2 Honda Jazz:

[Bobupndown]

I'd say a broken windscreen could lead to the car becoming an uneconomical write-off.

[blue_haddock]

Zippee said:

Shermanator said:

I have just found out this was an option on the old Astra GTC! Not that I have ever seen one.





Other than a number of Citroens, does anyone else have any other cars with oversized windscreens?

I wonder if they ever actually sold one? Was it an option in the UK?
Whilst it looks lovely and open I dread to think of the replacement cost - thats if you can even get a spare given how rare the option was in the first place

over the years i think i've seen maybe two for sale.

[vikingaero]

Shermanator said:

I have just found out this was an option on the old Astra GTC! Not that I have ever seen one.

Not sure I'd want to be in that car in the event of a roll over!

[blue_haddock]

Only listing on ebay is for a head lining for one of them!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284316668328?hash=item4...

[blue_haddock]

Well what are the chances of just happening to spot one tonight after work!

Pulled into a supermarket car park and just pulling out of a space was an astra with the panoramic windscreen!



Not a great pic but it just proves they are out there!

[Something or other]

I used to work for Enterprise (awful, awful job but that’s another story). I drove a few with that option. I distinctly remember sitting in Blackwall Tunnel traffic going nowhere and enjoying the view. The retractable blind was pretty effective I seem to recall.

[Jazoli]

Quhet said:

Pug 307cc springs to mind

It's a big windscreen but you'd never class it as panoramic.