Built at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, the new Astra is up to 200kg lighter than the outgoing model and thanks to its clever design it is smaller on the outside and bigger inside.
Advertisement
So, there you have it; an official confirmed 29 new models as genuinely as good and honest as the Astra, including an electric vehicle and a SUV flagship.
Mrs Barra, attending the Frankfurt Motor Show to launch the new British-built Vauxhall Astra, firmly rebuffed the latest advances of Fiat Chrysler, saying that notwithstanding potential competition issues, her “compelling message” was that there was no deal.
The all-new Astra is the 11th-generation compact auto from Holden’s European sister brand Opel, continuing a legacy that dates back to the Kadett 1 of 1936.
One will be powered by a brand-new 114 kW and 240 Nm Ecotec direct injected turbo, while the other will have a 147 kW and 300 Nm 1.6-litre Ecotec turbo under its bonnet.
The estate version of the five-door Astra has the same basic dimensions as the model it replaces, with an overall length of 4702mm and a width of 1871mm. Called Sports Tourer in Opel-speak, the wagon is identical to the recently-introduced Astra hatchback from the tip of the front bumper to the base of the A-pillar.
Holden’s Australian engineering team has been heavily involved in the development of the Astra’s chassis controls to ensure the new auto performs well on local roads. There are also full-LED lights like those seen on expensive Audi models, automated lane keep assistance and following distance warning.
Also available is advance park assist that can guide the vehicle into parallel and perpendicular spaces. OnStar includes high-speed 4G LTE mobile network, emergency response notification and stolen vehicle recovery alert.
The Sports Tourer also manages to offer an extra 80 liters of luggage capacity, as the total volume (with the seats down) sits at 1,630 liters.
Advertisement
“The all-new Astra is a stunning vehicle and clearly signposts Holden’s future product strategy – bringing in the best cars from around the GM world for our customers”.
