TR Astra

Rumour has it that Holden sold this ageing automotive turkey locally in exchange for favourable ex-factory prices on the brilliant ’98 TS follow-up.

The TR’s nice interior, good equipment levels and gutsy 74kW 1.6/85kW 1.8 twin-cam engines were eclipsed by sub-standard handling, iffy quality control (GM’s UK Vauxhall division developed it) and high prices.

Few chose the dull four-door sedan over the more stylish five-door hatch, and fewer still the mad 100kW Astra GSi hot-hatch.