What’s clear from the images is that the new Astra sport hatch is going to be a great looking car. While this may be a concept it’s safe to say that the production car will look almost identical. Seeing as this is a concept it has to have oversized alloys, in this case a massive 21-inches in diameter, but expect the real Astra GTC to have something closer to 18-inch or 19-inch.

Other notable features are chrome-surrounded LED running lights underneath the eagle-eye shaped headlamps, complete with xenon bulbs. At the rear are twin rectangular tailpipes, roof-mounted spoiler and LED tail lights featuring a distinctive ‘wing’ design.

While there’s no word on performance (it’s a concept, remember) Vauxhall claim that the Astra GTC Paris features a tuned chassis with wider track. Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbo with direct injection mated to a six-speed gearbox, which matches the speculation of a heavily tuned version of the old Astra’s engine – expect something between 280bhp and 300bhp. There’s also mention of an electronic limited slip diff, so the new GTC/VXR should have better road manners than its unruly predecessor.

Of course, in this day and age you’ve got to try and claim some green credentials so the new Astra will have a Start/Stop system – expect better economy, cheaper road tax and undying gratitude from penguins and polar bears.

With the Paris Motor Show less than a month away it won’t be long before we know a lot more about the Astra VXR replacement. But will it keep the VXR badge or is Vauxhall looking at a new performance range?

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New Astra VXR Images, But New Name As Well? is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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The new Vauxhall Astra has been out for almost a year but up until now we’ve only had access to the five-door version. Vauxhall are all set to show us the sporty 3-door with its coupe-like styling, and that also means that they might be willing to tell us a bit more about the next Astra VXR.

Little has been announced about the new VXR, other than a few concept screenshots appearing on the web. However, Vauxhall have been caught napping by their competitors as the  power battle has increased. The VXR now languishes behind models such as the Focus RS, Golf R and Leon Cupra R, and so speculation is rife about what will be under the bonnet. The most likely scenario is a Focus RS-rivalling 300bhp from a reworked version of the familiar 2.0-litre turbo.

Another big unveil will be on the Ford stand where they’ll be showing off the all-new Focus, set to hit showrooms next year. A new model means there’ll have to be a new Focus ST, and it’s believed that Ford will be showing off a pre-production version of this new hot hatch.

Thanks to the demise of the 2.5-litre 5-cylinder (thanks to melting rainforests or something) the next Focus ST will be powered by a 2.0-litre Ecoboost engine and is tipped to have around 250bhp and 260lb/ft of torque. Not enough to rival the Astra VXR, but that will be the job of the next Focus RS – expect this to exceed 300bhp and maybe even feature some electric hybrid technology to boost the output from a smaller petrol engine.

Expect more news to leak from the PR departments as the show gets closer.

New Hot Hatches Ready For Paris is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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2. New Astra VXR Images, But New Name As Well?
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If a recent article at Autocar is correct the new Astra VXR will be more hardcore than the current version, reinforcing the VXR’s brand of extreme performance.

When the last Astra VXR was released it was competing in a market where 240bhp was top of the class. Since then the game has moved on and we now have 270bhp from the likes of Volkswagen, Seat and Audi while the Focus RS is showing just how easily you can deploy 300bhp through the front wheels of a hot hatch.

The problem that Vauxhall’s engineers have got is extracting enough power from the 2.0-litre engine without affecting driveability and reliability.

The next Astra VXR isn’t expected to arrive until 2011 but it will be based on the upcoming three-door Astra Sport Hatch, due to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September.

Source: Autocar

2011 Astra VXR May Get 300bhp is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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Don’t worry, the flags are relatively subtle and just the right side of tasteful. You can have side stripes stretching from the edge of the bonnet to the rear window and matching door mirror caps, both of which feature the red and white England flag. All yours for just £149.

Or you could go and get some of those plastic England flags to stick in your windows for £1 a piece.

Corsa Fans Flying The Flag is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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The interior includes a piano black centre console with contrasting white air vents and alloy pedals, as well as a few Limited Edition badges. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, fog lights, cruise control and CD changer with MP3 capability. There’s also a raft of options to choose from including Bluetooth, electronic climate control and rear parking sensors.

However, don’t let the looks fool you – under the bonnet is a choice of two weedy engines. You can pick the 85PS 1.2 16v VVT petrol or the 75PS 1.3 CDTi ecoFLEX, with combined fuel consumption figures of 53.3 and 65.7mpg respectively. Not exactly pocket rockets but at least they’ll be easy on the purse strings, especially as both manage to qualify for free road tax in the first year.

Prices for the Corsa Limited Edition range from £13,995 for the 3-door petrol up to £15,400 for the 5-door diesel.

Vauxhall Corsa Black And White Edition is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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The video below shows that this is one Astra that’s gone home and is staying there. The driver of the doomed Astra runs out of talent on one of the many corners of the ‘Ring, just as the forces of understeer take over and send them into the Armco barrier with some force before rolling to a stop.

Fortunately no-one was seriously hurt, although the Astra was a write-off. God only knows what ADAC charged for the rescue operation and circuit repairs, but this was one extremely expensive lap of the ‘Ring.

Astra VXR Nurburgring Meets Its Maker (video) is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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With a new Astra VXR, based on the all-new model, due to hit the showrooms within the next year sales of the current model are expected to dip. What better way to inject a bit of life into the range than with a limited edition with some extra kit?

There will be just 500 Astra VXR Arctics built, using a similar recipe to that used on the popular Corsa VXR Arctic Edition. That means Olympic White paint as the only colour choice with a contrasting black roof, mirror covers, front grille and rear trim and a smart set of black 19-inch alloys.

The Astra Arctic Edition is priced at £23, 595 on the road – just £720 more than the standard Astra VXR – and comes with over £1,900 worth of extra goodies, including heated leather Recaro front seats and tinted glass. There’s also an optional £920 upgrade to the Astra’s excellent panoramic windscreen, which really does make a difference to the atmosphere in the cabin. With heat-reflecting glass and a sliding shade you can choose to enjoy the sky views or shut them out.

However, where the Corsa VXR Arctic got a great new Remus sports exhaust that added 15bhp, the Astra VXR Arctic Edition makes do with the standard 2.0-litre. Not that it’s slow with 237bhp and 320Nm of torque, but a bit of extra firepower would have made the Astra Arctic edition a much more interesting prospect. Hurry to your nearest Vauxhall showroom if you want one, the Astra VXR Arctic Edition is expected to sell out quickly.

[Show as slideshow]

Vauxhall Astra VXR Arctic Edition is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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Running from April through to August, VXR Power Events will provide a fantastic opportunity for VXR enthusiasts and owners to show off their driving skills in a variety of track challenges and road trips which demonstrate the strength and breadth of the VXR product line-up.

This year you can take part in any of the following activities:

Rollercoaster Challenge

The Rollercoaster Challenge is a road trip with a difference. The challenge is for VXR owners to drive to, and ride on, the UK’s top adrenaline rollercoasters – Thorpe Park, Alton Towers and Blackpool. The event will be held in May and starts from either Blackpool or Thorpe Park and then moves to Alton Towers for the final rollercoaster ride and a celbratory BBQ. Check out Torque Astra for more information on the challenge and the possibility of raising money for Help The Heroes.

VXR Track Days

Building on the success of last year’s VXR Track Days, this season’s open-to-all events will add more track time for drivers and more venues too. Vauxhall will also be bringing along its full range of VXR cars.

VXR Sprint Nights

Spread across five airfield venues, the VXR Sprint Nights will give drivers the opportunity to take part in a timed 0-60 & quarter-mile challenge and to set the fastest time on a specially designed autotest course – the ultimate arena in which to test your driving skills. Vauxhall will supply the cars for each activity, while VXR owners will have the chance to put their own cars to the test in the 0-60 and quarter-mile challenges.

VXR Karting Challenges

Includes exciting on-track battles with a calendar of team endurance racing, the fastest teams going through to a Grand Final and VXR glory.

Epic road trips to Nürburgring and Le Mans

One-off events this season include joining the works-supported OPC Team at the prestigious 24 hour Nürburgring endurance race, a weekend at the legendary Le Mans 24-hourrace, and a full-on petrolheads’ road trip to the Nürburgring circuit.

VXR Power Festival

The season’s grand finale will take place at Silverstone Circuit throughout the August Bank Holiday weekend. Up to 4000 people are expected to attend, along with some of the fastest Vauxhalls ever produced. Activities will include timed acceleration runs for owners, the final of the season’s karting championship, live entertainment and much, much more.

Full details, including event dates and how to take part can be found by visiting www.vxrpowerevents.co.uk.

Vauxhall VXR Power Events For 2010 is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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The A6 configurator is mighty impressive, but it’s possible to do some clever things with technology that your average car buyer is likely to own. For example, a webcam, printer, piece of A4 paper and some free software are all you need to take a 3D test drive of the new Vauxhall Astra.

Watch the video below to see it in action, or visit Torque Astra for more details.

Clever stuff!

Printer + Webcam = 3D Test Drive is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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Interior

As you climb behind the wheel of the new Astra you quickly realise the cabin has undergone a huge makeover. While a quality interior is not necessarily the first thing you look for in a hot hatch it can’t hurt to have one, and in this regard the Astra goes to the top of the class. The plastics are all top quality, dials are easy to read and the switches are trimmed in chrome and have a nice positive action. There’s even LED lighting around the gear stick and door handles that give the cabin a welcoming feel, although you won’t find this on all models.

The Astra’s cabin is a huge improvement on the previous model and is now equal to the best in class. Quality is on par with the excellent Golf and A3 but there’s just a bit more flair in the Astra than it’s German rivals. If dull grey is your thing then you’ll probably still prefer a VAG interior, but if you like your interior to be a bit more interesting the Astra is the place to be.

Engines

The new Astra is being launched with a choice of eight engines, four petrol and four diesel. Petrol engines include a 1.4-litre (in 86bhp or 99bhp tune), 1.6-litre (113bhp), 1.4-litre turbo (138bhp) and 1.6-litre turbo (178bhp). The diesel line-up starts with a 1.3-litre (94bhp), then moves up to the 1.7-litre (109bhp or 123bhp) and finally the 2.0-litre (158bhp).

The first engine I tried was the standard 1.6-litre. Not exactly well-endowed, the 115bhp 4-cylinder wheezed it’s way up the hill route and, thanks to a lack of torque, at one point it even required a change to first gear for the 21% gradient.

This engine is carried over from the old model and highlights one of the new Astra’s problems – weight. The new model is 132lb heavier than before, giving the engine even more work to do, so if performance is on your list of priorities the 1.6-litre is not the engine of choice.

Next up was the 123bhp version of the 1.7 CDTi. Straight away there was a noticeable difference in grunt and on the hill route the torquey nature of the diesel made easy work of the steep inclines. Out on the high-speed bowl the CDTi hit an indicated 120mph without fuss and was quite happy to cruise at that speed. The 1.7-litre is reasonably quiet for a diesel and with a combined economy of 60mpg this would be a good choice if you want economy without sacrificing too much performance.

The pick of the engines are the turbocharged 1.4 and 1.6-litre. The 1.4 provides more power (138bhp) and torque than the non-turbo 1.6 and even uses less fuel, with 47mpg compared to 44mpg. The turbocharged 1.6 is the most powerful engine in the range, kicking out 178bhp and providing much more torque, and even manages to return 41mpg. A note for badge spotters – if you see a new Astra with the Turbo badge on the back then it is one of the two petrol engines, all diesels are badged up as CDTi.

The turbo engine revs smoothly and there’s very little in the way of lag. The power is available from low revs and with all of that turbocharged grunt the Astra hauled its way up the steepest inclines with ease, powering out of the hairpins and giving the ESP system a little trouble. Torque-steer is not too much of an issue but the 178bhp can get the front wheels spinning before the traction control cuts the power.

Ride And Handling

With a new Watts linkage setup in the rear suspension the new Astra is claiming to offer class-leading ride and handling. The good news for Vauxhall is that the new Astra is a big improvement on the old model, and also beats most of its rivals. But not all…

The Watts linkage is over 220 years old, originally used by James Watt in 1784 to limit the movement of his steam engine’s piston. While it may be an old design it has come in very useful for a cash-strapped General Motors, allowing them to fit softer mounting bushes to the Astra’s suspension and still keep the movement of the rear axle in check.

Out on the hill route it was immediately obvious that the Astra has been transformed. Whereas the old model would have crashed its way over the concrete strips the new model soaked up the bumps with ease, backing up Vauxhall’s claim to have tuned the Astra’s suspension settings for UK roads. If the Astra can take the punishment from Millbrook then it should be able to cope with a few potholes and speed bumps on our poorly maintained roads. On the high-speed bowl the wider track and longer wheelbase helped the Astra feel rock solid, even flat out at 130mph in the 1.6 turbo.

The SRi model benefits from sports suspesnsion that lowers the ride height and stiffens things up a bit, but not at the expense of ride comfort. Even with the stiffer setup the SRi managed to handle the bumps with a surprisly supple ride., and it’s not just the ride that’s better.

The handling has been improved too, with quick turn-in and great composure through the corners. In this area the Astra easily beats the 308 and Civic, and provides a more entertaining drive than the A3 and Golf’s uninspiring setup. But is it better than the Focus, the hatch that still leads the class when it comes to fun on the twisty sections? It’s a close-run thing, certainly closer than before, but the Focus’s chassis still wins it for me with its superior multi-link rear suspension, and the steering feel from the Focus is still better.

Design

OK, so beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think the new Astra is a good-looking car. The overall shape of the 5-door is sleek, with a steeply sloping windscreen and arched roofline. While the overall body shape may be similar to other cars in the sector, thanks to crash regulations restricting the freedom of car designers, there are plenty of nice detail touches that help.

Look at the front. Where are the indicators? They’re not built into the headlights like most hatchbacks these days. Instead they’re built into the fog lamp cluster under the bumper, allowing even base-spec models to at least look like they’ve got fog lamps. A cheap, but effective, trick.

The ‘wing’ shape of the front lights is echoed at the rear with a pair of matching shapes built into each light cluster. It’s a distinctive feature that makes the Astra’s rump easy to identify in a crowd.

One disappointment is the understated nature of the SRi trim. Back in the 80′s and 90′s the SRi was the junior hot hatch that sat below the sportiest GTE and GSi models. It didn’t have the power but it had some of the visual appeal, but now the SRi gets little more than some chrome window surrounds and bigger alloys. Where are the sideskirts and the front and rear spoilers? They’re on the options list – just tick the box marked SRi VX-Line and you’ll get different alloys and the VXR styling pack (no word yet on how much it’ll cost you).

When Is It Out?

The new Astra is launched today, so you’ll be able to wander down to your local Vauxhall dealer and have a look for yourself. Prices start at £15,675 OTR for the 1.4-litre (86bhp) Exclusiv while the highest spec 2.0 CDTi Elite will set you back £23,695 if you choose the automatic gearbox.

Personally I’d go for the SRi model with the 1.6-litre turbo engine, which will set you back £20,555 OTR. That’s a big price to pay but then you are getting a premium hatchback with good space and a decent level of kit.

So What About The New Astra VXR?

Unfortunately we’re going to have to wait a while for the hottest Astra VXR. First of all we’ll see the 3-door Astra which, like the previous model, will benefit from sportier styling. That’s expected to arrive in Spring 2010 and then hopefully we’ll see the VXR model arrive before the end of the year.

Details are scarce at the moment, but it is expected that the Astra VXR will benefit from a reworked version of the 2.0-litre turbo, with power expected to up to around 270-280bhp. One thing is for sure, with the huge improvements on this new model Astra we can expect the new VXR to be an absolute corker.

[Show as slideshow]

2009 Vauxhall Astra – Behind The Wheel is a post from Driving Spirit.Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

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