The model of the lower middle class Astra was introduced on August 1, 1991 by the German carmaker Opel with the aim of seriously endangering the dominant position of the standard of this class, which has long been Volkswagen Golf.
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Although the aster did not dethrone its Wolfsburg rival, it is one of its serious competitors. Opel recently introduced its latest generation, which will offer a hybrid drive for the first time.
The Astra became the successor to the very successful Kadett model. The car with this name was manufactured from 1936 to 1940, its modern history then continued from 1960 and in 1985 in its sixth generation it won the title of European Car of the Year.
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Unlike golf, the design of which has undergone only a gradual evolution since its introduction in 1974, the appearance of the astra differs significantly in individual generations. The first generation, which took the name from its sister British brand Vauxhall (Kadett has been sold in Britain as Vauxhall Astra since 1980), was marked with the letter F (the last Kadett bore the nickname E). And although she didn’t beat VW Golf in sales statistics, she succeeded in the market. It has produced over 4.13 million units and is still Opel’s best-selling model in history.
Astra F, which in its time attracted modern, pleasing shapes and relatively large interior space, initially appeared on the market in five body versions – as a three- and five-door hatchback, sedan, combi and utility van, in 1993 a convertible was added. Asters were produced in Germany, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Belgium, South Africa, Taiwan and Argentina (and in the United Kingdom under the Vauxhall brand). After the end of production in Germany in 1997, it continued for another five years, for example in Poland, where the Astra F was given the nickname Classic. The offer also included a GSi sports variant with a two-liter 150 horsepower. The good features of the car included reliable engines, low operating costs and low consumption. Weaknesses were the susceptibility to corrosion and the fluctuating quality of production.
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The second generation of the Astra, introduced in 1998, significantly changed its appearance, from a classic hatchback to a car on the border between a hatchback and a liftback, which resulted in, for example, a more spacious interior and an enlarged luggage compartment. The sporty version of the GSi has been replaced by a new variant of the OPC (Opel Performance Center), which, according to reviews, provides “experienced drivers with a great deal of fun”. At that time, however, Astra also added a new important competitor, the Focus model, which Ford replaced with the age-old Escort and which impressed customers with its original shapes and excellent driving characteristics.
The third generation of the Astra, which was launched in 2004, achieved significant success. in sales statistics he did not even find a conqueror and climbed to the first place. The following aster, marked J, took over a number of exterior and interior elements from the larger Insignia sedan, but critics blamed it for being too powerful or cumbersome. The current generation of asters has been produced since 2015 and a year later won the premiere title of European Car of the Year.
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In July this year, Opel unveiled a new generation of asters that will be launched in the fall. Exclusively the five-door car offers a more distinctive look characterized by sharply cut body edges, digital instrument panel and control via touch screens in the spirit of current automotive trends. The wide range of engines includes petrol and diesel engines as well as hybrid drive. The car, as well as the chassis platform, is shared with its Stellantis sibling, also recently introduced by the new Peugeot 308.
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