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Vauxhall Astra Loses Diesel Engine Option, Gains Minor Updates

Previously unprofitable, Vauxhall and sister brand Opel were handed over by General Motors to Groupe PSA in 2017. Now known as Stellantis after the merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the French overlord is on a mission to electrify just about everything to the detriment of good ol' internal combustion powerplants.
Vauxhall Astra 19 photos
Photo: Vauxhall
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Once a popular sight on European roads, diesel-engined passenger cars and crossovers are slowly but steadily going extinct for a number of reasons. First and foremost, current emission regulations require very expensive componentry for a diesel to be approved for sale in the Old Continent. And secondly, Dieselgate was a watershed moment that singlehandedly forced the automotive industry to refocus on all-electric vehicles.

The diesel's market share fell to 16.4 percent in the European Union last year, whereas gasoline topped the ranking with 36.4 percent of new car sales to its name. Electric vehicles accounted for 12.1 percent in the EU.

Alas, the Vauxhall brand chose to stop offering a diesel in the Astra. This change means that Grandland soldiers on as the only Vauxhall available with a diesel engine. Over at Opel in Germany, the Astra can still be configured with a 1.5-liter turbo diesel four-pot lump.

Together with this paradigm shift, Vauxhall has also announced a few updates for the compact hatchback and its five-door station wagon sibling. For starters, the Intelli-Drive technology suite has been updated with Advanced Intelligent Speed Adaptation and Semi-Automated Lane Change. AISA is programmed to monitor weather conditions and road signs to adjust the vehicle's speed accordingly. If the driver instructs the vehicle to change lanes, the SALC system is much obliged to do it at speeds between 45 and 70 miles per hour (approximately 72 and 113 kilometers per hour).

Intelli-Drive 2.0 comes standard on gasoline and plug-in hybrid variants of the Ultimate, and on the GSe, regardless of body style. Design models also upgrade from chrome to high-gloss black for the lower bumper stripes and Vizor frame, bringing them closer to the exterior styling of GS models. The Ultimate range welcomes the Sports Tourer, which is Vauxhall's way of saying wagon. Or estate given that it's the UK market.

Astra Sports Tourer Ultimate builds on the GS with the addition of IntelliLux LED pixel-type headlights, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Sport Alert, and Lane Change Assist. Wrapped in Alcantara and heated for good measure, ergonomic sports-type front seats certified by AGR also need to be mentioned. A head-up display, a wireless phone charging pad, 18-inch alloys, high-gloss black roof rails, a powered rear hatch, and a panoramic sunroof pretty much sum up the highlights.

At press time, Vauxhall wants 33,765 of your hard-earned pounds sterling for the Astra Sports Tourer Ultimate. At current exchange rates, it means $42,300.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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