Click above for high-res gallery of fourth-gen Astra sneak peek
We just told you about Bob Lutz' comments that the Saturn Astra is too expensive and not making any money in the U.S., but that may change when the next iteration arrives. Of course, the next Astra will debut in Europe first as an Opel (and Vauxhall in the UK), but we suspect that GM will offer it in the U.S. again, especially if the automaker can build it locally so that it's not dogged by a weak currency exchange like the current model. Though not scheduled to debut until late next year at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the fourth-gen Astra is making an appearance today in a couple of sketches released by General Motors Europe. The design is said to take direct inspiration from the new Insignia, which itself will become the next-gen Saturn Aura. The all-new Astra will be based on the Delta II platform with vehicles like the Chevy Cruze and Volt and feature a new range of fuel efficient engines, clever packaging solutions and trick technology like the Insignia's Front Camera System that recognizes road signs. Check out the sneak peeks in our gallery below.
Ja, Bjorn, tink dat's de new Astra? Shoor looks like it, Jan. Lutz will be asking you to kiss this thing when it comes out from under that checkerboard camo. The current Astra is good, and the new one promises to be better, with looks that aren't revolutionary, but nicely done nonetheless. We'll see this world car version of the Astra sometime around 2011 with a variety of drivetrains, including hybrid power. The C-Pillar remains obscured, leaving our curiosity about the hatch's ultimate form unfulfilled. From what we can see, though, the new Astra will be like the current Astra - competitively styled and priced.
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Saturn Astra
Enthusiasts here in the States have long wondered why they couldn't buy Ford and GM small cars from Europe, and at least part of the answer has been that Americans don't want to pay big bucks for premium small cars. Spiking gasoline prices have quelled that argument, and fuel economy is now towards the top of shoppers' lists when looking for a new car or truck.
While Ford is still more than a year away from bringing over the Euro Focus and Fiesta, GM has made the cross-Atlantic jump by importing the Opel Astra to our shores. The Astra is a hot-selling hatch in Europe with high-end amenities and very good fuel economy, and the model is shipping to the U.S. differentiated from its Euro twin by some Saturn logos and little else. We were itching to get our hands on an Astra to see if it were as good as advertised, and our tester came equipped with everything Saturn could throw at the vehicle. Hit the jump to see how the 2009 Saturn Astra fared in the Autoblog Garage.
Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Saturn Astra XR
Behind the scenes, Lotus is much more than a low-volume manufacturer of sporty little roadsters. Along with Lotus Cars, Group Lotus houses Lotus Engineering. With decades of motorsports experience, Lotus Engineering offers consulting expertise to automotive suppliers and OEM manufacturers. They've even made their mark in the intense world of cycling. More recently, their close work with Tesla as the supplier of the Roadster's chassis must have had some influence on the next direction of the firm, as they have now announced the creation of a new Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Group. Lotus hopes the move will further expand its consulting reach.
The newly-anointed Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Group is already busy with project Low CO2. The initiative is a collaborative effort with automotive supplier Continental. The engineers have reduced the CO2 emissions of the already low-emitting 1.5L gasoline-powered Opel Astra by 15 percent while also bumping up its power output. Their achievements are accomplished through improved exhaust manifold design, injector placement, altered valve lift and timing, increased fuel pressure and the implementation of a mild hybrid drive. Follow the jump for the official press release.
GM has a huge hit in the current generation Opel Astra, and the General is well into the development of a replacement for the compact hatch too keep the good times a-rollin. The next-generation Astra will likely be made in multiple locations for markets like the US and it will be one of 13 global products to ride on an updated Delta platform. If the Opel E-Flex concept ever hits production, it may not be alone. A GM engineer told Automobilwoche that the next Opel Astra will also employ hybrid technology, which would give the small car Prius-like mileage. Saab may also be getting a small hybrid from the same platform, with the US market a near definite.
The US is just getting the Saturn version of the Astra this fall, and we in the States will get the newer version of the Opel's little hit, too. The success of the Euro Astra makes its Saturn twin the best small car effort GM has made in years, and North America's largest automaker will likely pull out all the stops to make sure the hatchback hits its target. Since the newest Saturn hasn't even launched yet, it's premature for GM to announce hybrids on the next-generation architecture. We're hoping battery power is part of the general's North American plans, but since the US is much more receptive to hybrids than Europe, the green powerplant makes too much sense not to duplicate here in the States.
As we told you back in January, there's a new Opel/Vauxhall Corsa OPC overseas that's attractive, fun and athletic to boot. For now it remains the exclusive property of our friends in Europe, but with GM stating that Opel will essentially equal Saturn by 2014, and Bob Lutz telling us we should see the Corsa here within 5 years, there is reason to hope. This is a car we would buy today if it were slotted into the Saturn lineup. Replacing inferior product like the Aveo, a Saturn (or Chevy) Corsa would cause quite a stir at the lower end of the market. And better yet is the fact that Opel offers an OPC (the Vauxhall goes by VXR) pocket rocket edition that would look very nice with a Red Line badge on its rump.
That OPC is the subject of today's post. With the car having debuted in Geneva a couple of weeks ago, we filled a gallery with photos of this sexy little beast. Today we have a video clip of the hot pocket zipping along the coast before launching an attack on the Green Hell in Germany. The Corsa OPC uses a 192-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter 4. That is good enough for a 6.8-second 0-60 time and a top end of 140 mph, while still managing to return around 30 US miles per gallon in combined use (35.8 imperial mpg). Those numbers sound pretty good to us. Follow the jump to see this future Saturn (fingers crossed) in all its tire-squealing glory.
The big deal about the new Opel Astra sedan we told you about earlier last month is that it does, in fact, have a full, traditional derriere (all the other Astras have hatches). The Astra With A Real Trunk made its formal debut Saturday at the Istanbul Motor show, and the whole presentation was about the car's butt. So much so that when the Astra Sedan was announced to those gathered around the Opel display, it backed onto the stage. You know, just in case people forgot what a trunk looks like. Ok, we kid. The fact is, that notchback body with trunk is the thing that sets the Astra sedan apart from its siblings, so why not lead with it?
Naturally, GM surrounded it with bikini-clad dancing girls, ensuring that all eyes in the room would be aimed in the car's direction even if they weren't necessarily analyzing the car.
The Astra Sedan will be produced in Poland and be sold primarily to the Eastern European market, where that traditional bodystyle is more popular than the hatches favored in other regions. I still believe that, given the American consumer's taste for sedans, we'll see this in some form here in the US after GM brings the Astra over to kick Saturn's current Ion to the curb.
OK, time to have some fun and speculate. We already know that the Opel Astra will appear here in the US as the next Saturn Ion. Until now, Astra was available only as a hatchback, wagon, and C+C, all of which are appealing to the eye, and an improvement over the current mess wearing the Ion badge by several orders of magnitude.
We also know that for the American market, automakers insist on offering their small cars in notchback sedan form in addition to (or instead of) the other body styles. This is where the Astra/Ion saga gets interesting. Opel has unveiled a new Astra sedan for "growth markets," particularly Eastern Europe, where like the US, there is a demand for the notchbacks that don't get so much love in Western Europe, where hatches rule the roost.
The guys over at Autoblog Spanish immediately noted that this car and the Brazilian-market Chevrolet Vectra sedan are one and the same, so despite Opel releasing only two photos, we can show you what the car looks like from every angle. As small sedans go, it's quite good-looking. Much better than the Ford Focus and Nissan Versa notchbacks, if you ask us. So take a good look and familiarize yourself with this car.
We're willing to bet the farm you'll see this exact vehicle as the next Ion (assuming that remains the name). We just hope the General gives us the hatchback, too.
The battle for the hearts and pocketbooks of European C-segment buyers will gain another warrior when the Hyundai's FD/Arnejs concept debuts in Paris. Based off the Kia C'eed 5-door shown in August, the new Hyundai is attempting to out-class and under-cut the stalwarts of mid-grade euro-transport. The Opel Astra, Renault Megane and Volkswagen Golf are the Arnejas targets and hopefully, for Hyundai, they've brought the required comfort and small entry fee to battle in such a competitive segment.
Think you've seen a lot of tie-ins involving Disney/Pixar's Cars this summer? Well, here's one more, in which the stars of the Opel lineup get a Pixar-style rfacelift.
Click here and you'll be brought to an Opel/Cars minisite that shows the characters from Pixar's latest tour de force interacting with the Opel Astra (above), Opel Meriva, and Opel Zafira. In addition to the intro movie that plays automatically when you enter the site, you can click on a link to watch a Euro-market TV commercial that shows the three GM cars auditioning for the part of Mater.
The spot is well done, and it's pretty neat seeing how the Pixar folks gave life to the Opels. Each car has it's own personality: Astra is very sporty and aggressive, Zafira is slick and stylish, and Meriva ... well Meriva's a little more shy. If you saw Cars and liked it, you'll get a kick out of it.
Desktop wallpapers, a screensaver, behind-the-scenes podcasts, and a PDF coloring book are also available for download.
Addendum: Thanks to reader/commenter Scott K for finding the direct link to the minisite!
Officially Official: 2010 Ford Mustang!
2010 Ford Mustang revealed early on Ford's own website!
2009 Nissan 370Z rolls out early in So. Cal
VIDEO: 2009 Nissan 370Z revealed early in So. Cal.
BRABUS begins business of tuning the Tesla Roadster
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 HUMMER H3T Alpha
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Mercedes Benz C63 AMG
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Hyundai Genesis
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse LT
