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2003 Opel Astra
2001-06-26 - By ciaran
Time is a funny thing. Not so long ago, everyone was slating the Astra for its unadventurous looks.
The collective opinion now is of a very competent motor car. Furthermore, the meek Astra is picking up sales lost by the brash 'brave New Edge world' approach of the Focus.
The new car, though, cannot be called unadventurous.
So what has Opel decided to do with this winning formula? Why, tear up the rule-book and start all over again, of course. Opinion may have been divided about the Focus' styling, but its controversial looks won it plenty of column inches - notoriety is the best form of publicity, as any Rolling Stones fan will tell you.
 The styling on the new Astra could be termed as 'revolutionary' such is the impact of the angular bodywork and unusually flat windscreen. It manages to make the Focus look positively old-hat.
Note too that the wheelbase has been stretched to provide extra interior space, so expect the roomy Honda Civic to have some competition very soon.
An estate version will also be made, due for launch shortly after the hatch arrives in mid-2003. The popular Zafira will take styling cues from the new Astra, though the seven-seat arrangement will stay - it has proved a winner with MPV customers.
GM's collaboration with Fiat will finally come to fruition with the new Astra - both companies will share the excellent common-rail JTD engines in 1.9 4-cylinder and 2.4 5-cylinder form. GM has a relatively new 2.2-litre 4-cylinder (which may find its way into the forthcoming Fiat Stilo) suitable for high-end Astras, and from a purely objective point of view, Fiat's small-capacity petrol engines tend to be better than GM's units. So expect much cross-pollination between the two companies.
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