The exclusive shots...
The exclusive shots in this week"s mag clearly show that the daring machine will keep the bold face and sliding doors first exhibited by the concept at the Paris Motor Show in 2002. Aimed at rivals such as the forthcoming Renault MODUS and the acclaimed Honda Jazz, the road-going S탩same is expected to debut at this year"s Paris Motor Show in September.
This Astra is actually...
This Astra is actually a customer demonstrator based on the 170bhp SRi flagship. It has been fitted with Vauxhall"s Continuous Damper Control - hence the CDC badging on its bonnet and tailgate in the mag"s image.
Spotted doing laps of the Níƒá¼rburgring in Germany, the one-off Astra is being used by engineers to familiarise sales staff with the technology. CDC is part of the Astra"s Interactive Driving System, and constantly adjusts the shock absorber settings to match road quality and the style of driving. Vauxhall claims it also improves grip and reduces braking distances - which could have been useful for this test driver, given the wet weather.
The firm insists there are currently no plans to build a five-door Astra VXR. However, if you like the looks, all is not lost. Buyers of the SRi 200 will be able to specify the VXR bodykit, if not the power.