CAR revealed some spy photos of the upcoming Astra Sport Hatch. The article reveals some interesting info, which of course cannot be taken for granted, but CAR is always well informed and definitely there is some truth.
- "This is an engineering mule, hence the five doors, but it's been confirmed to us that underneath the bodyshell lies the hardware of the three-door Astra due in late 2011"
- "Continuing the current positioning of the Sport Hatch, the three-door will be a swoopier, curvier model with some genuine coupé credentials"
- "Exact details remain shrouded in mystery. But our source suggests there is a gap in the market between the current 180bhp 1.6 turbo Astra and the full-fat 240bhp VXR. Somewhere – oooh, let's think – around the 207bhp Golf GTI sweet spot"
- "Interestingly, the GSi will be available in both five- and three-door format. It's likely to stick with the 1.6 turbo, tuned for even more performance. Vauxhall has openly said it doesn't want to use large capacity engines to extract extra grunt"
- "The current three-door and VXR, which between them account for a fifth of all Astra sales, will continue in production until autumn 2011, when the sleek new models land"
- "Other new Astras to look out for include the Sport Tourer estate, due in summer 2010. Stop-start models start arriving in January 2011, as Vauxhall and Opel roll out the eco tech across every model range in the next three years"
Source: Car magazine
