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The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by Opel. It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, as Buick Excelle in China, and as Chevrolet Astra in Latin America. The Astra is now built in China, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Poland and Ukraine, as well as being assembled from complete knock down (CKD) kits in other countries.
[edit] Naming conventionThe Astra nameplate originates from Vauxhall who had manufactured and marketed earlier generations of the Opel Kadett (the Kadett D (1979-1984) and Kadett E (1984-1991)) as Vauxhall Astra. Subsequent Opel policy standardised model nomenclature in the early 1990s whereby model names were the same in all markets regardless of whether the vehicle was being sold as an Opel or a Vauxhall. As of 2009, there have been four generations of the vehicle (six if the two earlier Vauxhall badged generations of the Kadett are included). In a fashion typical for Opel models, they are designated with subsequent letters of the Latin alphabet. Opel's official convention is that the Astra is a logical continuation of the Kadett lineage, thus referring to the first generation of Opel Astra as the Astra F (the last Opel Kadett was the Kadett E). Another convention used by GM starts with Astra A, adopting the notion that the Astra is a separate model. Models sold as Vauxhall, Holden or Chevrolet have different generation designations reflecting the history of those nameplates in their home markets and their naming conventions. [edit] Astra F/A
The Opel Astra F debuted in 1991. With the Kadett E's successor, Opel adopted the Astra nameplate, which was already used by Vauxhall for the Kadett D and E (see Vauxhall Astra). It was offered as a three or five-door hatchback, a saloon (sedan), and an estate (wagon), known as the Caravan. A cabriolet was also offered, designed and built by Bertone in Italy. This car was offered in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Turkey for name Astra Classic for 1998 to 2002. The Astra F finished production in 2002. The model was launched in South Africa in 1992, where it was produced under licence by Delta. However, the Kadett name was retained for the Astra hatchback until 1999. The South African Astra included a variant with a 2.0 L turbocharged engine called the 200tS which was produced in limited numbers in both sedan and hatchback guise. The engine (C20LET) in the 200tS was sourced from the Calibra 2.0 L turbo 4wd found on European markets, but local engineers converted the 6 speed drivetrain to front wheel drive only and as such was unique to that market. Sedan and station wagon models were offered under the Astra name. Controversially, the Kadett and Astra in South Africa won the title of 'Car of the Year' in two consecutive years (1993 and 1994) even though they were versions of the same car. South African nomenclature was denoted in centilitres, so the Astra and Kadett ranges featured 140, 160i, 180i and 200i models.  The Opel Astra also became available in Australasia badged as a Holden, first in New Zealand in 1995, and then Australia in 1996. The first models were imported from the UK, but the current model is imported from Belgium. The original Holden Astra was originally a rebadged Nissan Pulsar, first sold in the mid-1980s. Opel Astra's first generation was imported to Brazil. Chevrolet of Brazil sent the 2.0 liter/115 bhp engines to Belgium whence the completed cars took their way to Brazil. In 1996 the Brazilian government increased the import rate, though the car remained very expensive[citation needed]. The second generation was manufactured in Brazil. The Opel Astra F consisted of two main revisions and was revised in 1995, with the launch of Opel's new Ecotec engine. For a short period, a submodel which consisted of parts from both revisions was produced. The submodel used all the new Ecotec running gear, but many parts from the previous revision were used in order to use up leftover parts. Other main changes included mildly-altered exterior styling, and availability of new specification models.[citation needed] Aside from the South Africa-only 200TS, the lead model was the GSi — a 2.0 L I4 16v petrol injected model with 147 bhp (110 kW), available as a 3-door only. However, this was substituted between 1995 - 1996 and was renamed the ASTRA SPORT, although only a limited number were produced. It also featured sports bodykit and interior. The GSi too was updated in 1997, with the engine being replaced for a lower-powered but more modern 'Ecotec' version.
[edit] Astra G/B
   The Astra was launched in Europe in 1998, though sketches of the car can be seen as early as 1992. It was available as a 3 and 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon and two special versions: the Astra Coupé and the Astra Cabrio, both of them designed and built by Bertone. The Astra G/B saw the introduction of a natural gas-powered engine. Its chassis was tuned by Lotus and formed the base of a seven-seater compact MPV, the Opel Zafira. The manufacturing of Astra G/B continued at Opel's Gliwice plant in Poland after the debut of the next-generation Astra H/C, with the older model being branded as Astra Classic in a similar fashion to its predecessor, catering to the lower end of the market. Apart from European markets, these models were sold in Australia and New Zealand as Holden Astra Classic, until they were replaced by the Holden Viva in 2006. The Astra G/B continues as the locally-built Chevrolet Astra in Brazil. It was facelifted in 2003, and is sold in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and other Latin American markets. In Brazil, the Astra G/B remains as the leader of its segment in sales since 1999.[citation needed] The GM Brazilian 2.0 8v I4 engine which equips the Astra has the "flexpower" technology, that allows the car to run on both petrol/alcohol fuels, providing 128/140 hp (G/A) @ 5.200 rpm. A taxi version of the Brazilian sourced model, powered with gasoline 2.0 engine was sold in Chile as the Chevy Urban.[1][2] In 2004, GM's Russian joint venture, GM-AvtoVAZ, launched the Chevrolet Viva, a four-door version of the Astra G/B. It was sold through Chevrolet dealers in Russia, while Opel dealers were (and are, as of July 2008) selling the newer Opel Astra H/C. Sales were poor from the start due to high pricing: the only version launched was equipped with 1.8L with above-average trim level, placing Viva price above Toyota Corolla.[3] A project costing $340 million was selling less than a thousand cars annually[3] (801 car in 2007);[4] rumours of shutting down Chevy Viva production circulated as early as summer of 2005.[5] GM-AvtoVAZ shut down small-scale production of Viva in March 2008.[3] [edit] Astra V8 Coupe in DTMThe Astra G series Coupé look was used for the V8 powered dedicated race cars in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series. These DTM cars are purpose built race cars with barely any parts taken form the road cars save for lights or door handles. The car's bodywork featured gull-wing doors that were each supported by two gas struts. The race cars were powered by 4.0L V8 engines with nearly 500 hp (370 kW). Opel did poorly during several season of DTM as only Manuel Reuter placed significantly in the championship once, taking second in the inaugural season 2000. Opel won the 24h Nürburgring in 2003, though. [edit] Astra XTremeThe Astra XTreme, a concept presented at the 2001 Geneva motor show, was a single-production V8 powered Astra based on the G-series Astra DTM. Like the DTM race car, it featured a 4.0L V8 engine, producing 444 hp (331 kW), gull-wing doors supported by gas struts, carbon fiber panels, and race-specification interior with five-point seatbelts. [edit] Astra H/C
Opel launched Astra H/C in March 2004. Based on the then-new Delta platform,[citation needed] its size was increased compared to the previous version. Each engine is provided with its own Lotus-tuned suspension settings.[citation needed] The Astra H/C was first launched as a five-door hatchback, which by the end of 2004 was joined by a five-door Caravan estate and a sporty three-door hatchback, designated the GTC for European markets, Sport Hatch in the UK and the Coupé in Australia. The GTC has the option of a windscreen called "panoramic windscreen" (unique for a production car at the time of its launch) which extends into the roof area.   In 2005, GM Brazil replaced the aging Vectra B by developing a Astra H/C's sedan version on the full length GM Delta platform, that was named as Chevrolet Vectra. The model received also a facelift to match the others models offered in Brazil. On 19 October 2006 at the international auto show in Istanbul, Turkey, Opel launched this version of the sedan, to be manufactured in Gliwice, Poland as an Opel for several Eurasian markets.[6] At that time, a 3-door van variant of the wagon was introduced by Vauxhall in Britain. In September 2007, GM Brazil lauched a version of 5-door Astra C hatchback, marketed as Chevrolet Vectra GT to differentiate from the already existing Astra G/B, which remains in production with a lower pricepoint. The Astra sedan was launched in Ireland as the Opel Astra Saloon in 2008, the only country in Western Europe where it was sold, and also the first right hand drive market for the model.[7] GM Russia launched SKD assembly of Astra on a temporary production site near Saint Petersburg in February 2008, with a potential capacity of 25,000 vehicles annually.[8] A first for any major European car is the availability of digital radio on some versions of the new Astra, while for the Astra product class first are electronic Continuous Damping Control (CDC) and AFL (Adaptive Forward Lighting). In 2005, the new Opel Astra Diesel-Electric Hybrid appeared. By the end of 2005, estate and coupé versions were also launched. In 2008, sales of the Astra commenced in the United States and Canada, where it is sold as the Saturn Astra. 2008 was the last model year for the Chevrolet Astra in Mexico as a result of withdrawal of Opel products from the brand, replaced by the Chevrolet Cruze sedan for the 2010 model year. [edit] Astra OPC/VXRDuring 2005 Opel introduced the OPC version of the Astra GTC (Astra VXR in the UK) which is powered by an updated version of the 2.0 L turbo ecotec engine producing 240 PS (177 kW) and 320 N·m (236 lb·ft) of torque. Standard features of the OPC version include sports bodykit and interior, a six-speed manual gearbox, xenon headlamps and 18" alloy wheels amongst others. This vehicle is sold in Australia and New Zealand as the HSV VXR. HSV VXRs are sold as standard with full leather trim and 19" alloy wheels. [edit] Astra TwinTopIn 2006, the Astra TwinTop arrived. The "TwinTop" name also applies to the smaller Tigra refers to a folding hard-top coupé version of the car. In the case of the Astra, the TwinTop has a three-part folding metal roof which sits in the upper half of the boot space, leaving considerable luggage space below it. Still marketed as a four-seater, the rear seating space is smaller than a "normal" Astra. The TwinTop was available in three trim levels with a range of engines in each, including a 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp) 2.0L turbo and the 1.9CDi diesel. [edit] Saturn Astra Intended to replace the Ion as the company's smallest model, the Saturn Astra is a captive import built in Antwerp, Belgium.[9] It is available in three and five-door hatchback body styles, with sales starting on January 2, 2008 and is available with one engine only: a 1.8 L Family 1 DCVCP inline-4 cylinder gasoline engine with variable-valve technology producing 138 hp (103 kW) and with an available five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission. The Astra XE is available only on the five-door hatchback bodystyle version; this is the basic trim level for the Saturn Astra. The XR version is the more upmarket trim level of the Saturn Astra. This is the only trim level for the three-door version, and is also available on the five-door hatchback. It has 17-inch (430 mm) alloy wheels.[10] In IIHS crash tests the Astra earns a Good overall score in frontal impacts, while in side impacts it receives a Marginal overall rating. Front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags are standard.[11] General Motors were predicting sales of between 30,000–40,000 vehicles a year in the United States. The Saturn Astra debuted during the 2007 Chicago Auto Show.[12][13] Due to a large number of unsold 2008 & 2009 remaining on dealer lots, GM announced it would end production of the Saturn Astra[14]. Fewer 2009 model Saturn Astras were imported to the United States, although majority of the final Saturn Astras were imported to Canada. On June 5, 2009, GM announced it was selling the Saturn Corporation to Penske Automotive Group. Under the terms of the sale GM will continue to produce Saturn Aura, Vue, and Outlook models for two years, expressly excluding the Astra. Production of the Saturn Astra effectively ended.
[edit] Astra J/D  The next-generation Astra will be based on the Delta II platform, and debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show[16][17] (September 17–27, 2009). The car has taken most of its styling from the new Opel Insignia, with many of the higher options fitted as standard. Full production came on line at Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port Plant at the end of September 2009 (Pictures). Deliveries began in December 2009. Shanghai GM launches the Chinese specification of Opel Astra, which is badged as Buick Excelle XT. This car goes on sale in January, 2010. Three engines has been announced: Ecotec D-VVT 1.6L, 1.8L and 1.6T. [edit] Engines[edit] Petrol
[edit] Diesel
Engines are available with the 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission. The only optional available automatic transmission is the 6-speed with active select mode, which can be ordered for the 1.4 turbo ecotec, 1.6 turbo ecotec and 2.0 CDTI ecotec. [edit] Gallery
[edit] Motorsport The Astra has been used in auto racing around the globe, in particular in touring car racing. Its highest success were achieved in the British Touring Car Championship (see BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe). The Astra Coupe soon became one fo the most successful cars in Touring Car history after taking both 1st and 2nd in the BTCC in 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2004 with it also managing to take the Teams and Manufacturers Championships at the same time. During its 4 years in the hands of the works VXRacing team it was almost invincible. after 2004, it was decided that Vauxhall would retire the Astra Coupe and move on to the Mark 5 Astra Sport Hatch for the next two years. The newer cars struggled to match the coupe's pace and were beaten by the Hondas and SEATs on many occasions. Yvan Muller was runner-up and Colin Turkington sixth in 2005. Fabrizio Giovanardi finished fifth, Gavin Smith seventh and Tom Chilton eight the next season. For 2007, VX Racing dropped the Astra in favour of the Vectra C. Due to the reliability and speed fo the cars, they were used by many independent teams such as GA Motorsport, Collards Motorsport, Thurlby Motors and Arkas Racing for the next few years with one car entered this year by Martin Johnson. In 2002, 2003 and 2006, three different drivers were European Rallycross Champions in the Division 2 driving Astras. The 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 runner-ups also raced in that car. Christian Ledesma was 2004 TC 2000 champion with an Astra and Matías Rossi took that title in 2006 and 2007. The Astra has been used in the shape of silhouette racing cars as well. It was featured in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters from 2000 to 2003 (Manuel Reuter was runner-up in 2000) and the Stock Car Brasil from 2004 to 2008 (Giuliano Losacco won the tournament in 2004 and 2005). In 2009, the Astra B body was replaced Stock Car Brasil by a Vectra, which is in fact the same as the European Astra C. [edit] References
[edit] External links
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