Wednesday 18th August 2004

New Astra

3 door model blessed with distinctive looks

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Vauxhall's 3 door Astra will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in September.

Whilst the rest of the Vauxhall range shares styling to the point where most people can't tell the models apart, the 3 door Astra gains some individuality and should prove a success for the marque.

The boggo cars will come with engines ranging from 90bhp to 170bhp, whilst a 230bhp VXR model is promised with more extreme styling in the summer of 2005.

 

[the fury]

Crikey! that looks like it's been photoshoppped!

[martin robson]

Now they have managed to fit a bit of Focus (window shape) and Megane into the mix of Civic, 307 and Corolla thats already there!

[dinkel]

martin robson said:

Now they have managed to fit a bit of ( . . ) Megane into the mix of ( . . ) Corolla thats already there!

Opel / Vauxhalls getting hits on the head to look slim. But never will they look like a 147. And yes even a Corolla looks fine compared to this . . . They are going the wrong way . . .

[Murcielago]

I think the new Astra looks pretty nice!

[stackmonkey]

Better than the last one, which isn't hard, but the improvement is welcome.

[klassiekerrally]

They should have used doors without windowframe.
I agree: it will never be a 147. That car still is the most beautiful in its class.

[anonymous-user]

If the roofline followed the curve of the rear window it'd look nice - currently it looks a bit hump-backed.

[shadowninja]

jimsupersix said:

If the roofline followed the curve of the rear window it'd look nice - currently it looks a bit hump-backed.

the worst part of the corsa design has been carried across.

[thirsty]

I think it looks great. It's about time GM started putting some style into their cars. A 147 is a great looking car, but I would be you pay a lot more.

I think it looks better than any Ford on the road.

[andy_b]

the fury said:

Crikey! that looks like it's been photoshoppped!

its quite common to have press release images photoshopped, sometimes just badges (Vauxhall instead of Opel), sometimes because the final car hasn't been finished.

MG Rover are the worst. all the updated 75's, 25's and 45's press release shots were photoshopped. The idiots had use the same press shots from a few years back as base, and photoshopped the new fronts and back!

[dinkel]

andy_b said:

the fury said: Crikey! that looks like it's been photoshoppped! ( . . . ) MG Rover are the worst. all the updated 75's, 25's and 45's press release shots were photoshopped. The idiots had use the same press shots from a few years back as base, and photoshopped the new fronts and back!

I passed one today: I thought it was photoshopped! But it was real?!

[FestivAli]

I actually think that the 3 door Astra is a bloody nice looking hatchback. What I think is silly is putting a 90hp engine in something that large. Thats only 30hp more than my little shoebox, for something that would most likely weigh in at over 1100kgs. Is the focus 1.4 the best selling variant over in the UK? Anyway, back to the design, I think it looks great, and whilst yes, the Alfa is beautiful, the headlights still look a bit wrong to my eyes (red 5dr with ivory leather and the 2.0 would be nice though), but Alfas look better than most cars. Can't wait for that Astra to come over here (australia), at the moment they're still lobbing the old shape and selling it as 'Astra Classic'. As for VXR, what do people think about the Monaro's and such (sold as HSV - Holden Special Vehicles) over here. Do people actually buy them, because I imagine that the fuel consumption probably doesn't gel quite so effectively as it does down here. Any insight would be nice. Cheers All.