Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


New Vauxhall Astra breaks cover. Image by Vauxhall.

New Vauxhall Astra breaks cover
Vauxhall's best-selling family car has been given a sharp new design.
<< earlier article     later article >>

 


News homepage

Vauxhall today released the first details of its fifth generation Astra range - dynamic looking, fun to drive and with a host of features new to the compact cars class.

The new model goes on sale next spring and will first be seen at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September.

The technological highlights of the fifth generation Astra include the adaptive suspension system IDSPlus (Interactive Driving System) with Continuous Damping Control (CDC).

Lighting first
Vauxhall’s new AFL (Adaptive Forward Lighting) headlamp system is offered for the first time in the Astra-size segment.

More state of the art engineering is illustrated with automatic headlamp activation, which switches the car’s lights on automatically in the dark, and new 'TWINPORT' petrol and common rail turbo-diesel engines.

The new Astra offers more passenger space than its predecessor, thanks to its slightly increased overall dimensions (around 5.5 in/14 cm longer, 1 inch/2 cm wider and 4 cm/1.6 in higher).

Initially five petrol and three turbo-diesel engines - 1.4 to 2.0 litre with power outputs in the 80-200 hp range - will be available.

All are 'ECOTEC' four-valve units that meet the Euro 4 exhaust emission standard. New are the 1.9-litre CDTI diesel (150 hp) and the 170 hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engines (alongside the 200 hp version due to go into Astra in 2005), coupled as standard to a new six-speed manual transmission. Vauxhall is also offering a five-speed manual gearbox, an automatic and 'Easytronic' automated manual transmission.

Externally a high shoulder-line, strong wedge shape, pronounced wheel arches and clear-cut window graphics are all a part of Vauxhall’s new design cues. The bold face features a wide grille and three-dimensional, clear-glass headlamps.

Sleek appearance
The large rear lamps have a special light-scattering, "translucent" technology. The low curved roofline, combined with the tapering front and rear overhangs, the long wheelbase (103 in/2.61 metres) and the wide track, all work together to give the new Astra a sleek appearance. It will for the first time in Astra, feature 18-inch light-alloy wheels available direct from the factory as an option.

The suspension features McPherson struts and a sub-frame at the front, and a torsion beam with double-walled, U-shaped profile at the rear. The design not only retains all the advantages of a conventional torsion beam axle - such as minimal space requirements, low weight and high camber control - but can also be precisely tuned to the specific requirements of different variants within the model range.

A major option is the adaptive IDSPlus suspension system with Continuous Damping Control (CDC). The basis is a new electronic architecture with three CANBUS systems (Controller Area Network).

Thanks to CDC, the dampers react in real time to variations in the road surface or driving style and adjust themselves automatically to the prevailing conditions. With the IDSPlus system, the Astra's driver can switch to a sport mode that regulates the damping characteristics as well as the response of the accelerator pedal and the power assistance of the electro-hydraulic steering.

With the automatic and 'Easytronic' transmissions the gears are also selected at higher engine speeds.

The five-door model will be followed later by the estate and sporty three-door.

Prices will be announced closer to on-sale date.

The Car Enthusiast will be travelling to the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. We look forward to bringing you back further images as well as first impressions of the car in the metal. Keep an eye on the main Motor Shows page for the full report.

Vauxhall news release - 16 Jul 2003


2003 Vauxhall Astra. Image by Vauxhall.    








www.vauxhall.co.uk    - Vauxhall road tests
- Vauxhall news
- Astra images







2003 Vauxhall Astra. Image by Vauxhall.
 

2003 Vauxhall Astra. Image by Vauxhall.
 

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©