New Astra Unveiled

09th April 2009

It’s the shock of the week – this is the first official picture of Vauxhall’s new Astra! In a measure of the desperation that the company faces, this image of its new compact family car has just arrived at Auto Express without any warning at all, completely out of the blue!

Making its debut alongside the firm's Insignia VXR, the new Ford Focus rival has finally broken cover in five-door form – although there’s also a striking three-door variant and a Sport Tourer estate version on the way too.

As you can see, it’s clear from this image that it’s taking much of its inspiration from its big brother, the Insignia. It boasts a sporty look with a low nose and high tail, mixing a sleeker version of the Insignia’s nose along with the same stylish kick along its flanks.

Set to go on sale before the end of the year, the new model will be based on troubled parent company General Motors’ Delta platform – which recently made its debut on the Chevrolet Cruze.

Longer by 100mm and wider too, with a 2.7m wheelbase (up 86mm), the new Astra will protect its occupants better in the event of a crash and will offer more space inside than the current car. It will also take a leap forward on quality, with more stylish version of the Insignia’s cabin.

There will be a host of new small fuel efficient engines too, including a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol turbo and a range of 1.3, 1.7 and 2.0 litre CDTi turbodiesels, with Ecoflex versions boasting CO2 emissions of less than 120g/km.

The flagship Astra VXR three-door will boast a sporty look with a coupe-style body and a diffuser-style rear bumper arrangement. It will get a 270bhp version of the current 2.0-litre turbo engine.  

Other variants will include a Sport Tourer estate model which will boast class-leading boot space thanks to a body that’s some 20cm longer than that of the five-door hatchback. The Astra range will also spawn a new seven-seater Zafira too, going on sale in 2012.

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