Gemini should appeal as family car

Press, 15 July 1982, Page 21

Gemini should appeal as family car

By

JOHN FRIDD

Driving 2500 km in four days is the ideal way to get to know a car, so when I had finished with the Holden Gemini I borrowed from General Motors to cover the Motogard Rally, I had a good idea what the car was like to live with.

General Motors has done a good job of updating the Gemini, capitalising on the Commodore's success by giving the smaller car a miniCommodore look. The Gemini should hold much appeal as a family car, as long as the children are not too big, for leg-room in the back is not what it could be. I found the car a comfortable tourer and its excellent handling plays a big part in this — when driving briskly

on winding roads the driver is not continually fighting the wheel counteracting understeer, as is the case with many smaller cars these days. The revamped 1583 cu. cm motor has ample power for all situations, although the gearbox has to be used often to make full use of this power.

The five-speed gearlwx on my SL/X model was precise and comfortable to use. a marked improvement on the old Gemini shift, which was like stirring porridge. Fifth gear is easy to find, too, even on my brand-new car. Even though the conditions of my road test were not ideal,' the Gemini returned 7.95 litres per 100 km (35.5 m.p.g.) on one test and 8.57 1/ 100 km (33 m.p.g.) on the

second test, quite respectable.

The car’s Commodorestyle seats proved comfortable on the long trips involved in covering the rally, although the ventilation and heating system was not ideal — it was hard to achieve a setting giving warm feet and cool face. The Gemini's boot was one of its strong points — it readily swallowed all our suitcases and odds and ends.

Price-wise, the Gemini 5speed compares well with other 1500 to 1600 cu. cm cars. At $11,555 it is dearer than the Datsun Sunny 1500 5-speed ($11,295) but cheaper than the Ford Cortina 1.6 ($12,265) and Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 ($12,809). The basic Gemini 1600 costs $10,640.