The new British-built Vauxhall Astra, the five-door hatchback, comes with a combination of stylish design, class-leading dynamics, ultra-efficient powertrains and upscale quality. Illustrating Vauxhall’s commitment to developing its cars specifically for British roads and drivers, the new Vauxhall Astra has bespoke steering UK settings developed in conjunction with the Vauxhall Engineering Centre, based at GM’s Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. The new compact car, Vauxhall Astra makes ingenious use of many of the design features found in the Insignia, but in a fresh and innovative way.
The next generation Vauxhall Astra brings a new look to the compact class, with its strong coupe-like lines, elegant surfaces and its unique interpretation of Vauxhall’s design language. A slim but low trapezoidal grille incorporating the latest Griffin logo dominates the front of the car, while the familiar blade sculpted into the side panels of the new Astra sweeps upward and visually connects with the side window-line, balancing the car’s proportions. Eagle eye-shaped headlamps, that encompass the prominent wing-shaped daytime running lights, blend with a graceful flowing silhouette that connects the new car’s muscular shoulder lines with its distinctive rear hatch area.
The feeling of cabin space and depth is illustrated by a centre panel mounted at a shallow 30-degree angle, which sweeps down from the top of the instrument panel to the centre console, creating a flowing surface that incorporates the gearshift. Like the Insignia, the Astra’s main clocks and gauges are ringed with chrome, with the speedometer and tachometer pods angled inwards towards the driver. Astra’s wraparound instrument panel embraces both front seat occupants, the wing design is immediately visible as it arcs across the cabin into the door-top mouldings. The dashboard has a black, grained finish with a subtly different texture to other mouldings in the cabin.
The new Vauxhall Astra will be available with a range of eight engines, ranging from 87PS to 180PS, all of which offer impressive efficiency and an overall cut in emissions of 13.3 per cent compared with the previous Astra range. Diesel engines are expected to represent almost half of all Vauxhall Astra sales, and will range from a 1.7-litre producing 110PS to a 2.0-litre generating 160PS, but will never emit more than 129g/km when fitted with a manual transmission.
Crucially, there will be an important ecoFLEX model, equipped with a 95PS 1.3 CDTi available in Spring 2010. Fitted with this engine, the ecoFLEX will achieve 109g/km, while retaining driveability and refinement. There will also be five petrol engines available, ranging from an 87PS 1.4-litre to a 180PS 1.6-litre Turbo. Included in this line up will be a new 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, producing 140PS, replacing the 1.8-litre motor used in the previous range. This new powertrain perfectly illustrates Vauxhall’s engine downsizing philosophy which provides drivers with all the performance of a larger capacity engine, but with far fewer emissions.
[Source: Aston-Vauxhall UK]
