VIDEO: New Opel Astra 1.6 Turbo on the Test Track

Opel has stepped up its media efforts on the 2010 Astra providing new footage from the development phase of the most powerful version yet of the five-door hatchback that is powered by GM's 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine delivering an output of 180 horsepower. As with the previous film on the Astra, the video was shot during testing at Opel's track center which located in Pferdsfeld, Germany.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: Inside Camera Shows New Opel Astra on the Track

GM's Opel unit has released another video of the new Astra hatchback. This time we get the chance to see car through an inside camera during testing at Opel's test center on the site of a former military airfield located in Pferdsfeld, 80 kilometers west of the automaker's Rüsselsheim headquarters. The video footage also gives us a quick glimpse of the 2010 Astra's interior, photos of which have yet to be revealed to the public. The new Astra will make its world debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September with the first example of the car arriving in European showrooms this fall.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

New Live Photos of the 2010 Opel Astra Hatchback on the Road

Either Opel is putting the final touches on its recently revealed Astra or the final prototypes have started finding their way among the company's employees. This grayish-blue example of the five-door Astra that was "scooped" somewhere in Germany providing us with our first live photos of the five-door model. Since GM's European unit has already published a set of official images of the 2010 Astra, there's no reason to hide the car so the only bits of camouflage remaining on the prototype cover the front and rear logos.

Selected journalists will have their first contact with the new Opel - Vauxhall Astra next month while the public will have to wait until September 17 for the Frankfurt Motor Show to see the car up close.

The new Astra is scheduled to arrive in most European markets by the end of fall 2009. The initial range will comprise of eight engines, including 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol units producing 140HP and 180HP respectively plus four common-rail diesels from 1.3 to 2.0 liter with outputs ranging from 95HP to 160HP.

Later on Opel will enhance the Astra's range with the presentation of a three-door GTC version, a four-door sedan, an estate and a coupe-convertible.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

New Wallpaper Photos of 2010 Opel Astra

Opel may have just released initial details on its sixth-generation Astra only a couple of days ago, but General Motors' European division is trying to keep the momentum going by publishing a new set of desktop wallpapers of its Ford Focus challenging hatchback. We'll be hearing more about the Astra shortly as according to Carscoop sources, Opel is planning to introduce the car to the members of the press in mid-June., ahead of the scheduled world debut at this September's Frankfurt Motor Show.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: 2010 Opel Astra Hits the Road

After the release of the full blown photos and preliminary specifications on its brand new 2010 Astra, Opel has now published the first official video of its Focus challenger. The five-door hatchback will make its inaugural appearance in front of the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with European sales following shortly after. For more detailed info and photos of the new Astra, click here.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

High-Res Photo Album of New Opel / Vauxhall Astra, Plus Official Statements

Updating our previous post on the all-new 2010 Opel Astra, we now have a photo album of the UK market iteration of the subcompact hatch adorned or rather photoshoped, with Vauxhall's coat of arms (yes, same images but in higher resolution) along with official statements from GM Europe's execs. The new Astra will debut in Frankfurt this September and appear in showrooms across Europe by the end of the year.

It will be offered with four petrol engines, a naturally aspirated 1.4 with 100HP, a 1.4 turbo in 120 and 140HP guises and a 1.6 Turbo with 180HP plus four diesel units ranging from 95 to 160HP.

"The only part of the Astra which isn't new is its name," said Andy Gilson, Vauxhall's Marketing Director. "And that name currently accounts for around 30 per cent of all Vauxhall's car sales, with the five-door hatch taking 60 per cent of those sales alone – so it's important to lead with this body style."

"Not only is the Astra a crucial new model for Vauxhall, but we're confident that its blend of dynamic design, new-to-class technology and immense driver appeal will attract an even broader spectrum of buyers in this sector," Gilson added.

As one would expect, Mark Adams, Vice President of GM Europe Design concentrated his comments on the new Astra's styling. "We're continuing with the same premium design cues as the Insignia, inside and out of the car," said Adams. "However, the main design themes, like the wing-shaped light signatures and the blade, needed an individual execution to avoid 'cloning' the model ranges. This is why, for instance, you see twin wings in the rear lights and a reversed blade on its flanks."

For more details on the new Astra, click here to read our initial post.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

2010 Opel Astra Fully Revealed: New 1.4 and 1.6 Turbo Engines, Sales Start this Fall

While these aren't the first photos of the all-new Astra, they are certainly the best we've seen up until now, revealing Opel's (Vauxhall in the UK) new subcompact hatch in all its glory ahead of its scheduled world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Clearly influenced by the Insignia, the sixth generation Astra hatch is based on GM's new Delta platform that also underpins the Chevy Volt and Cruze models and it comes with a new set of engines including 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol units.

Unlike VW's rivaling Golf VI with its stale design language that keeps evolving from previous generation models, the new Astra features a new design and from what we reckon by looking at the photos, it will be a head turner. Its up to date and clean looks combine a sleek and sporty shape with the latest Opel styling cues such as the characteristic scalloped side blades and the Insignia-inspired headlights.

Opel has not disclosed any photos of the new Astra's interior yet, but thanks to our spy photographers, we have a few shots of the hatchback's dashboard that borrows heavily in design from the Insignia. Highlights include the four deeply positioned instrument dials in front of the driver and the swoopy central console with an elevated lower section.

European buyers of the Astra will be able to select from a broad selection of gasoline and diesel engines. Aside from an entry-level 1.4-naturally aspirated engine and the Insignia-derived 1.6-liter Turbo with 180HP, the Astra's petrol range will also include GM's new 1.4-liter turbocharged unit. It will be offered with outputs ranging from 120 hp to 140 hp and torque values of 175 to 200 Nm. General Motors says that the 1.4 Turbo engine will deliver fuel savings of up to 8 percent compared to the naturally aspirated 1.6 and 1.8-liter engines that it will replace.

The diesel range comprises of 1.3-liter, 1.7-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged units ranging from 95 to 160HP while Opel also plans to introduce an ecoFLEX version with low CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy sometime in 2010.

Depending on the market, the five-door Astra will go on sale in Europe this fall. It will be joined by a sporty three door fastback variant called GTC Coupe and the more practical station-wagon in late 2010 - early 2011 followed by a four-door sedan model and a coupe-cabriolet with a retractable hardtop.

And no, we do not know if the Astra will make it across the Atlantic and arrive in one form or another in U.S. showrooms due to the instability in GM's current situation and of course, the pending sale of the American automaker's stake in the Opel / Vauxhall brands.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

*Click Here for an Updated High-Resolution Photo Album of the 2010 Astra

2010 Opel Astra: New Teaser Photos Released

As we're getting closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show, GM's European unit Opel is getting more daring with its official teaser shots of the all-new Astra that will be sold in the UK under the Vauxhall brand. This time, Opel has released three photos of what appears to be the final clay model of the five-door variant with the Astra's Lead Designer Marc van der Haegen and Engineering Coordinator Laszlo Kreth, hiding parts of the car with pieces of paper adorned with some kind of designs. There are also a few shots of an early test mule with widened tracks that uses the body of today's Astra.

Aside from the five-door hatchback, Opel is also planning to introduce a coupe-like three-door hatchback called the GTC, a four-door sedan, a station-wagon and a Coupe-Convertible model of the Astra with a folding hardtop.

The Astra uses the same architecture found under GM's Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid. However, the small compact model will be powered by a wide range of conventional gasoline and diesel engines including a new generation of 1.4-liter turbocharged petrol units available with various outputs.

And for those looking for something sportier, as with today's model, there will also be a Golf GTI rivaling OPC model (VRX in the UK) equipped with an evolution of the current 240HP 2.0-liter turbo four pot.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Holden's HSV Considering 286 hp Twin-Turbo Cruze to Compete With Focus RS

When Holden axed its Opel-sourced Astra small car in Australia in 2009, it also dealt a death blow to Holden Special Vehicle's wicked 177kw (237 hp) / 320Nm VRX hot hatch. Now the high performance brand is searching for a replacement for its entry level model, setting its sights on the Daewoo / Chevrolet-sourced Cruze.

In the event that Opel does come to Australia as a stand-alone brand, HSV is looking for its own hot hatch to go up against the likes of the Focus RS and Subaru WRX, and the Australian developed Cruze 5dr hatchback is on the cards.

In a recent interview with news site GoAuto, HSV Managing Director Phil Harding confirmed that HSV was investigating a performance version of the Cruze:

"I am not saying we are doing it, but we are looking at it. We would be silly if we didn't."

Mr. Harding also stated that the proposed model would have to fit in with HSV's brand image, delivering performance, driving pleasure and style.

"I am not going to screw with the brand by getting it wrong," he added.

The Cruze may use the same 213kw (286 hp), 2.0 L twin-scroll turbo-four destined for the upcoming Opel Astra OPC / Vauxhall Astra VRX in late 2011. As both the new Astra and the Cruze are based on GM's Delta II platform, it would be a comparatively simple job to transplant the engine from one to the other. When asked about this, Mr. Harding was dismissive:

"We are looking at a couple of options."

The Cruze may also need suspension upgrades and front end modifications to handle the expected FWD torque steer, as its torsion beam rear suspension is not as sophisticated as the independent rear setup on competitors like the Focus RS.

The Cruze hatch will follow its sedan sibling into production at Holden's Elizabeth plant in the second half of 2011, with a wagon variant possible in the future.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Go-Auto

Opening photo: Carscoop Artist's Impression of a Holden Badged Cruze Hatchback

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Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback Show Car