Vauxhall Astra three-door: pics
24.09.2010 - Andy Goodwin
(12)
The three-door Vauxhall Astra will have a sporting, coupe-like design significantly different to the five-door hatchback Astra currently in showrooms.
Removing the rear doors has allowed the Astra's British design team to extend the rear wheelarches, giving the car a more aggressive stance.
It will replace the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch when it arrives in the UK in 2011, and will be first seen by the public at next week's Paris Motor Show.
The show car in these pictures won't change much for production, with only the huge 21-inch wheels likely to be swapped for more practical, smaller versions.
Design highlights include thin "eagle-eye" headlamps, LED daytime running lights, a low front grille, and LED rear lights.
The Paris car is fitted with a 2-litre turbo petrol engine with direct injection and stop and start technology, with a six-speed manual gearbox - a setup which is likely to be featured in the car when it goes on sale.
Bold interior design includes asymmetric red and black front seats covered in multilingual slogans and GTC badging which is likely to be replaced with VXR branding in the UK.
