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

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.