What's the news?
Feast your eyes on this - this is the new, seventh-generation Opel Astra.
It will go into production at the UK's Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire later this year and will have its world debut at Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Exterior
Although this is being cited as a 'new' car, like the latest Corsa it's better to think of this as more of a very, very thorough overhaul of the preceding generation car. To that end, while you'll no doubt spot the new, sleek light clusters front and rear, and the jazzy radiator grille, the window line is the same as the Astra 'J' that is being replaced. Still, there are some big plus points here. It's up to 200kg lighter than the current Astra, with a fifth stripped out of the bodyshell alone - it's 280kg when it was 357kg previously. The Astra 'K' is 50mm shorter and 26mm lower than before too, with a 'TBC' Cd figure expected to be less than 0.30. And there's a 'floating' C-pillar at the back, similar to the Opel Adam. Like most modern Opels, overall it's a good-looking thing.
Interior
More space for the passengers in the back, with 35mm extra legroom engineered into the Opel. The dash features a large colour touchscreen and less buttons than before, while the Astra will be the first Opel yet to come with the OnStar 'personal connectivity and service assistance' technology from launch. There's a new generation of IntelliLink on-board infotainment software to have a play with and at the front will be the choice of IntelliLux LED Matrix headlights. Other technologies offered on the Astra include; cruise control, advanced park assist, a rear-view camera and a wealth of driver assistance systems, like Traffic Sign Assistant, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, Blind Spot Alert and more.
Mechanicals
Three capacities and lots of variations for the Opel Astra, including a new four-cylinder 1.4-litre Ecotec direct injection turbo that's 10kg lighter than the old forced induction 1.4 it replaces. This unit makes 145hp and 250Nm, and is related to the 1.0-litre three-cylinder Ecotec as seen in the Corsa, Adam and Karl, with this smaller lump also seeing service in the Astra in 105hp guise. The excellent 1.6-litre Whisper lump, with outputs from 110- to 160hp, provides Diesel power. A 200hp petrol is also set to be offered in some markets.
Anything else?
If you have a bad back, the Astra will have an optional 18-way adjustable driver's seat with massage function, ventilation and width settings. Rear-seat bums can also be warmed with optional heating elements in the outer two chairs.