Opel has introduced its new Astra range, which comprises of the new saloon, a five-door variant, the Sports Tourer, the three-door GTC coupe and the high performance OPC model. The Astra is a key seller for Opel contributing to approximately one third of all Opel car sales. Opel has improved its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, it has 140hp and is now fitted with an over-boost function that momentarily gives the car an extra ten per cent torque, something that’s useful for overtaking. The Astra OPC goes on sale across Ireland this August. It promises to deliver blistering performance and comes equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 280hp and 400Nm of torque. It will reach a top speed of 250 km/h. There are also a range of diesel engines available in the Astra line-up, the 1.7-litre CDTI ecoFLEX offers two power outputs (110hp and 130hp) with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km. It’s an extremely fuel efficient engine offering a combined consumption of 3.7l/100km. The new Astra is available with a host of new driver assistance systems which include the second generation Opel Eye front camera, lane departure warning, following distance indication and forward collision alert. The full range of new Opel Astras will go sale this September.
