About Holden Zafira
GM was on the verge of creating badge-engineered vehicles for Holden, and the thought that the European MPV Zafira, sold under the Vauxhall and Opel badges, would fit perfectly on the Australian market.
Introduced by Opel in 1997 at the Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept car, the Zafira broke cover in 1999 on the European and Australian markets as well. The engineering team created the seven-seat MPV based on the same platform as the second generation of the Opel/Vauxhall Astra, which was already sold under the Holden badge in Australia and New Zealand. Its compact size and ease of use made the vehicle popular among families. While these attributes led to respectable sales figures in Europe and the UK, they were not as significant for Australian customers, who required more potent engines for their long roads. As a result, in 2005, the automaker pulled the plug on the model without a successor.
The Zafira had the same design language as the rest of the Astra range. It featured swept-back headlights with sharp corners and rounded lines towards the corner-mounted turn signal lamps. They flanked the slatted grille where the brand’s badge took center stage. Just like its European siblings, the 1999 Holden Zafira had the upper cooling area integrated into the front side of the hood. In addition, a broad grille that looked like a smile complemented the need for fresh air for the engine.
From its profile, the short nose of the vehicle sported a steep hood followed by a panoramic windshield. The tall greenhouse featured four side windows. Besides those fitted on the doors, the automaker added a small triangular one behind the A-pillars and one next to the trunk area. This solution was necessary to diminish the blind spots, especially on the front corners. To lower production costs, the 1999 Holden Zafira had black door mirrors and handles, while a rubber stripe protected the doors from shopping carts. In addition to lower repair costs, the body-colored bumpers featured black, unpainted areas on their upper sides. At the back, the car manufacturer installed corner-mounted taillights that flanked the wide and tall tailgate.
Thanks to the tall seats, the driving position was high and ensured customers excellent visibility all around. The three-spoke steering wheel looked sporty and framed an instrument panel filled with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, plus the additional gauges of the fuel level and coolant temperature. As an option, under the long and curved visor that protected the instrument cluster from direct sunlight, the automaker added a small LCD for the onboard computer. On the center stack, Holden installed a stereo cassette player while a CD player was available. The middle row had a split-folding (60/40) bench seat wide enough for three children or two full-size adults. At the same time, the rearmost individual folding seats placed in the trunk provided enough room for two adults on short jaunts.
Under the hood, Holden installed a range of gasoline and turbodiesel engines with four cylinders inherited from Opel. The automaker paired them with a standard five-speed manual gearbox, while a four-speed automatic was available at extra cost.