After more than six years of continuous production in Germany, Poland, Russia and the UK, the Opel Astra J is preparing to make way for the 2015 Opel Astra K. Confirmed to debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA) in September, the fifth-generation Astra has its fair share of secrets, including some fancy headlights.
On September 17th, General Motors-owned Opel AG will unveil the Astra K to the media. On paper, we’re in for quite a few treats. For starters, the GM Delta II platform will be replaced by the newly-developed GM D2XX architecture, developed for C/D-segment cars.
The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 2016 Chevrolet Volt and China-spec Buick Excelle GT are all underpinned by the D2XX architecture. Mainly engineered by Opel in Russelsheim, word on the street is $220 million have been invested into developing the D2XX platform. If you’re asking, the rear end of the 2015 Opel Astra is kept in check by a torsion beam suspension setup.
On the oily bits front, the German automaker informs that all engines will be new. Highlights include a 1.0 SIDI Turbo (105 PS and 170 Nm / 123 lb-ft), as well as a 1.4 SIDI Turbo rated 145 PS and 235 Nm (163 lb-ft) of torque with the overboost feature activated.
In terms of diesel power, the 1.6 CDTI “Whisper Diesel” could prove as the most popular engine choice.
Roughly 5 centimeters shorter than the current Astra, the all-new model boasts more interior space and a boot capacity of 370 liters. Dieting? Engineers applied some magic to the Astra K, magic that will ultimately translate to a more feathery compact hatchback. Look forward to weight savings between 120 and 200 kilos (264 - 441 lbs) depending on the model and engine, as well as “an awesome design” according to Opel chief executive officer Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann.
Oh, the lights! Nearly forgot about them. The full-LED matrix IntelliLux headlamps promise performant high beams, high efficiency, and high performance. 16 LED elements - 8 in each of the headlamps - are the main culprits. Thing is, Opel states in the release available below the demo video that “glare-free high beams will be available in the compact class for the first time.” Umm, hold on.
Isn’t SEAT the first manufacturer to offer this lighting technology on the Leon or something? Here is what the Spanish automaker tells about its LED headlamp technology: “The light assist system is clever enough to recognize when oncoming vehicles are approaching and dip the full beams automatically.”
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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