 Reviews and test drives
Launched at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the new Opel Astra (Vauxhall in the UK) has been designed to revolutionise the compact class.  29.10.2009 - Its refined and sophisticated interior using premium materials has been inspired by the aerodynamic lines of the exterior.
The sporty instrument panel, rounded off with chrome and finished with aluminium, combined with warm ambient lighting add to the distinguished look. Lighting points frame the gearbox surround and provide illumination from above the centre console and within the door handle recesses, depending on trim level.
The height of the improved seats can be raised by up to 65mm while their fore and aft range extends to 280mm, allowing the driver and all passengers to find their ideal seating position. Ergonomic sports seats (standard on all Elite models) have improved tilt adjustment (driver’s seat only), four-way power lumbar support, superior side support and supporting foam pads.
The new Astra has a variety of simple, but effective storage solutions. There is a hard-shelled sunglass case above the door opening on the driver’s side, coin slots and pen holders are moulded into the inside edge of the glove box lid, and the glove box itself has two removable compartments. A second mini-glove box has been added just below the light switch. Further storage innovation appears in the centre console, which can accommodate nine CD cases, as well as having a small storage area and an insert for two cup holders. There’s also the option of an under-seat drawer beneath the passenger seat which is big enough to hold a pair of shoes. Rear passengers also benefit, with a 12-volt connection available for MP3 players, in addition to space for drinks bottles.
The new Astra’s boot is also extremely clever. A recess in the side of the boot can accept either a first aid kit or warning triangle, while a patented FlexFloor offers further under-floor storage, and the floor itself can be fixed at a choice of different heights.
The powerful and sporty new Astra has a coupé look which features elegant details and the reappearance of ‘the Blade, which make for an attractive vehicle sure to attract many admiring glances. Slightly longer than its predecessor, it has more space for rear seat passengers, and therefore increased comfort all round. The vehicle incorporates all the usual safety features too, plus Advanced Forward Lighting (AFL+) with several illumination functions which change intensity to improve both day and night vision.
The new Astra is powered by downsized petrol engines and ultra-efficient diesels which all give a significant reduction in emissions and fuel consumption, making this car on average 13.3 per cent cleaner and more economical than its predecessor. Six-speed manual gearboxes, offering a wide spread of ratios and a fuel-saving top gear, are standard fit across the entire range, and an all-new, GM Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission is offered with all petrol engines except the naturally-aspirated 1.4/1.6-litre, which have five-speed gearboxes for optimum fuel economy.
For more information about the new Opel Astra, visit www.opel.es.
This article appears in the print edition 602 of Island Connections | Canary Islands - 30.07.2010 - Soaring temperatures yesterday have brought a sweltering end to the month for most parts of the Canaries. more... Santa Cruz - 30.07.2010 - Eight swimmers using Santa Cruz's municipal swimming pool required medical treatment yesterday evening after chlorine leaked from a maintenance tank into the air. more... Gran Canaria - 30.07.2010 - The owner of Gran Canaria's most successful karate school is to be prosecuted for almost 60 separate offences in what Spanish media are billing as the biggest child sex scandal in the country's history. more... Santa Cruz - 29.07.2010 - A Santa Cruz woman who knocked over a pedestrian and damaged several cars in the Ramblas area of the city was well over the alcohol limit, according to police. more... Arona - 29.07.2010 - The main tourist areas in Arona are to receive a massive facelift under a 22 million euro project unveiled yesterday by the local council. more... Canary Islands - 29.07.2010 - Yesterday's headline-making decision by Catalonia to outlaw bullfighting in the region as of 2012 has prompted a flurry of media reminders here that the Canaries were the first part of Spain to ban the sport. more...
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IslandConnections - Edition 622 Real Estate TenerifeWe are a real estate company, constituted in the year 2002, and nevertheless our professional team possesses a long trajectory in the real estate sector in the north of Tenerife. www.optima-tenerife.es ic media group The Magazine - Edition 54
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