Posted on Thursday 10 April 2008
A heavily camouflaged prototype of Opel’s next-generation Astra hatch, due for launch next year, was recently spotted racking up some laps at Germany’s Nurburgring circuit. The new model is crucial for GM as it will need to recover market share lost by the current model to Ford’s strong-selling Focus hatch and it could possibly be manufactured in the U.S. for the first time in the model’s history.
The new Astra is expected to go on sale in Europe following its debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show and will eventually reach the U.S. one year later where it will be sold as a Saturn. The car is based around GM’s Delta FWD compact platform and will once again be available in Coupe, three and five-door hatchbacks and wagon, and possibly a sedan. Opel will also launch a new two-mode hybrid version although it won’t arrive until the end of 2010, which coincides with the U.S. launch of the Saturn version.
These latest renderings, based on the recent spy shots, suggest the next Astra will follow the design of Opel’s new Insignia sedan due at July’s London Motor Show. The Saturn-branded Astra is expected to be publicly unveiled in Geneva next year.
Apart from the hybrid, expect to see a similar powertrain lineup to the current model, which means a range of petrol engines developing between 75 and 240hp as well as a number of diesels with between 90 and 150hp.
shit this car is so old! this is like the first time we get somethign BEFORE America. Like the new Jag it’s made here but American’s get them first at a heavily discounted price
cj, what… the… heck… are.. you.. smoking. “the first time we get something BEFORE america”… so I take it you’re in europe? have you not heard anything about what any of us in the new world have been saying? our ford line up here is 10 years old. all of it. GM is hardly better. EUROPE GETS EVERYTHING first. EVEN FROM AMERICAN COMPANIES.
This car is supposed to be a SECOND GEN astra. so what the heck is so old about it?
cj, if it wasnt for the low MSRP of american cars, USA would still be driving le barons and chevelles. Even cars that are made in canada sell for thousands of dollars cheaper in the states than they do in canada. deal with it. EVERY company discounts the USA, cause its the only way they can sell here. even merc and BMW do it.
Very true. Sad isn’t it.