Photo: SB-Medien
Expected to enter production at the Ellesmere Port factory in Britain towards the end of this year, the all-new Opel Astra K is a crucial new car for Opel and its European buyers. We've been tracking its progress for over a year now, and the latest prototypes seem much more technologically advanced than what we've seen so far.
Two nearly identical Astra prototypes were spotted yesterday during a night testing session. Both had their lights completely uncovered and we could clearly make out for the first time just how much tech the 2015 Astra will offer. At the back, the taillights seem more squashed than the current model's and have horizontal lines which remind us of the SEAT Leon.
Around the front, the inverted boomerang upper accents have been carried over, but the lines are much more crisp and narrow. We're not 100% sure, but from the clarity of the light and the size of the unit, the Astra's beam projectors seem to use LED tech as well and are "intelligent".
That's only the start of a long list of new technologies. Like the new Corsa, this Astra K will be able to park itself using sensors dotted around the car. You can clearly make out their placement on the front and rear bumpers.
The cross brace we can see underneath the car suggests they don't have independent rear suspension (IRS) on these two Astra prototypes. But who knows, maybe high-spec models will have it. For example, VW offers IRS starting from 150 hp on the Golf and SEAT from 125 hp on the Leon.
Besides the fuel cap at the front, the Astra prototype also has a round opening on the front left fender. Usually, this is a clear sign of a plug-in hybrid, but Opel officials have so far stated they aren't going to target this segment with the Astra, instead focusing on standalone green cars. We could just be looking at an access point for the front suspension, but the Astra is actually based on the same platform as the most famous extended range EV made in America.
Both the 2015 Astra and 2016 Chevy Volt are underpinned by the D2XX platform designed for C/D-segment cars. The platform was engineered to be lightweight, highly flexible, so an Astra Hybrid wouldn't be that surprising. Watch out Prius PHEV, the Germans are coming to steal your thunder.
Around the front, the inverted boomerang upper accents have been carried over, but the lines are much more crisp and narrow. We're not 100% sure, but from the clarity of the light and the size of the unit, the Astra's beam projectors seem to use LED tech as well and are "intelligent".
That's only the start of a long list of new technologies. Like the new Corsa, this Astra K will be able to park itself using sensors dotted around the car. You can clearly make out their placement on the front and rear bumpers.
The cross brace we can see underneath the car suggests they don't have independent rear suspension (IRS) on these two Astra prototypes. But who knows, maybe high-spec models will have it. For example, VW offers IRS starting from 150 hp on the Golf and SEAT from 125 hp on the Leon.
Besides the fuel cap at the front, the Astra prototype also has a round opening on the front left fender. Usually, this is a clear sign of a plug-in hybrid, but Opel officials have so far stated they aren't going to target this segment with the Astra, instead focusing on standalone green cars. We could just be looking at an access point for the front suspension, but the Astra is actually based on the same platform as the most famous extended range EV made in America.
Both the 2015 Astra and 2016 Chevy Volt are underpinned by the D2XX platform designed for C/D-segment cars. The platform was engineered to be lightweight, highly flexible, so an Astra Hybrid wouldn't be that surprising. Watch out Prius PHEV, the Germans are coming to steal your thunder.
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