After teasing their fans, the German Automaker Opel has just revealed official details about the new Astra, a vehicle that will make its world debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The car’s exterior is easily identifiable as an Opel, while the interior features the latest in technology.
The new Astra line-up will be full of options. There will be 8 different engine choices, all of which are shifted by six speed transmissions. The diesel options range from 1.3 to 2.0 Liters making anywhere from 95 HP up to 160 HP. While gas burners will displace from 1.4 to 1.6 Liters pumping out from 100 HP to 180 HP.
The new generation Astra is built on a whole new platform, featuring a longer wheelbase, wider track and a reengineered rear axle. Like the Insignia it comes with the fuel saving Opel FlexRide electronic aide that offers the driver the option to drive in Standard, Sport and Touring mode.
According to the English automotive journal, AutoCar, the German GM car builder is preparing a sport hatch version of the popular Opel Astra, a sort of VXR version. No matter what badge it wears, the hot hatch should make an auto show debut sometime in 2011. The vehicle’s head designer, Malcolm Ward said that the factory hot rod “will be a very dramatic execution and very, very close to the sketch. Think about the current three door then think about where the new car will go."
The designer’s hope is to take advantage of improving the car’s aerodynamics and take full advantage of the added benefits. A lower coefficient of drag means that the VXR can use the power it is already creating to the fullest. With less resistance pushing the Opel through the air at high speeds, this VXR will accelerate faster and get better gas mileage than a brick shaped version.
The new model will feature a chopped roofline and have a much lower Cd. than any previous VXR. The front bumper has been angled to push air past the turbulent wheels and down the sides of the car. The design team included some very attractive sculpted areas surrounding the rear lights. The modeling is supposed to reduce the high pressure area that gathers behind the hatchback, cutting drag. The aerodynamicists should know, the design was perfected over 600 hours of wind tunnel testing. This kind of 21st century thinking is already transforming the shape of cars, at least Opel want to do it with some style.
The only thing that makes sense for any automaker to do when they have a best selling vehicle on their hands, is to come up with a fun to drive variant of that very vehicle. So after the German arm of General Motors, Opel, revealed the first details on the 2010 Opel Astra hatchback version; it only made sense that the automaker announced plans for a drop-top two-seater version of the best sold Opel ever.
The new Astra Roadster will replace the current TwinTop and will compete with other lightweight open air sports cars like future Scirocco CC, Audi TT Roadster and Mercedes SLK.
The top of the line version of the new Astra Roadster will get a turbocharged 2.0 Liter engine that will deliver 270 HP and make this particular Astra able to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 6 seconds before reaching a top speed of 150 MPH. Opel is also planning on releasing another version will get a downsized and turbocharged 1.4 Liter petrol burning unit for economy making 150 HP as well as an alternatively fueled 170bhp 2.0 Liter CDTI turbodiesel engine.
Opel revealed today a new set of images and new details on the 2010 Opel Astra that will make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Ford the interior the designers dynamic shapes and refined materialls. Everything drivers and passengers touch has been given a refined, high quality feel. In addition, Opel has created two new progressive interior color and trim combination – Spice Red and Ocean Blue – especially for the Astra.
The interior also continues Opel’s recurring wing and blade motifs. In this execution, the blade theme is expressed in details like the shape of the door grab handles and the trim for gearshift molding and steering wheel. The wing design cue is immediately evident in the warm, inviting wraparound instrument panel that embraces front seat occupants. It arcs across the cabin into the top of the door moldings.
Opel will officially bring the next generation Astra model to Frankfurt Motor Show, but before they do that the guys and girls in their PR department decided to have some fun at our expense. They released a few teaser images of their attractive little family car. These photos give new meaning to the term “teaser”. All I can say is, look at those arches.
The German GM car builder will offer a five door and a three door model, the GTC. The automaker will also release an OPC (or VRX for the Vauxhall fans) factory hot-rod model to compete with the Volkswagen GTI in the hot hatch category. Good news for larger families and open air cruisers, Opel is considering producing a four door sedan, a full sized wagon and a convertible model for the Astra family.
The next generation Astra will share the same platform as the future Chevrolet Volt and has been engineered to accept a wide variety of gasoline and diesel power plants, including the new 1.4 Liter turbocharged four cylinder engine being developed by GM. The factory tuned OPC will feature a boosted 2.0 Liter making 240 HP. That should be enough to make the Astra a serious sport compact competitor.
Irmsher, the Opel tuners are bringing a sporty economical solution to the Geneva Auto Show. The Irmsher Opel Astra is made possible by an LPG conversion kit boosting the output of the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine to a sporty 180 HP. The tuning company is also offering a three stage body upgrade ranging from aero to 18-inch wheels.
The latest tuning company that offers a new body kit for the Opel Astra GTC is the Portuguese tuner Ibherdesign. The new kit includes a new front bumper, a front grill, new wheel arch extension, new side skirts, a new roof Viruss spoiler, a new rear bumper with 2 slotted vents and new exhaust cutters.
In order to improve the stability a new suspension kit was installed lowering the vehicle with up to 35 mm. Also a new set of 19 inch multi-spoke alloy wheels were added improving the looks of the Astra GTC. No word about the price yet, but it’s likely some parts may fit your Saturn Astra.
General Motors released today a new image and teaser video of the 2009 Opel Astra. The design is inspired by the upcoming Insignia and official debut will be made at the Frankfurt Auto Show. If exchange rates can sustain the importing, the new Astra may eventually come to the U.S. as a Saturn.
The video traces Opel’s small car history with a quick glimpse at the future.
As you know, the Opel Astra GTC is a beautiful car, still many tuning companies are offering a way to improve it. One of these companies is JMS Racelook, who unveiled today its latest body kit for the stylish coupe. The new kit consists in a new H&R coil over kit which lowers the car with up to 40 mm on the front and 30 mm on the rear, a front lip spoiler with an additional speed lip, new side sills and a rear apron featuring a rear air diffuser with integrated exhaust system.
Also a new rear trunk spoiler is available as well as a new set of 18 inch black polished alloy wheels with 225/40R18 tyres. Price of the kit: 4250 euros or $6,000.
Opel revealed today two new models to its line-up: the ecoFlex version for the Corsa and Astra. With a CO2 emissions of just 109 (Corsa 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX) and 119 g/km (Astra 1.7 CDTI ecoFLEX), the two models require just 4.1 and 4.5 liters of diesel, respectively, per 100 km (that is about 58 mpg for the Corsa and 52 mpg for the Astra).
While these figures are impressive, they still do not beat Volkswagen’s Bluemotion diesel technology. But for Opel this is a step in the right direction for the European car buyer. Also if high millage diesels gain traction in the U.S., Opel may end up sharing the technology with some of its other General Motors cousins.
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