Does Holden want the new Astra?

Beleaguered General Motors operation Opel revealed a teaser photo of the new Astra last week but now a full range of undisguised images have been leaked. Not due for public unveiling until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, website Carscoop has beaten Opel to the punch.

The shots show off a stylish new look for the five-door hatchback that shares the same design theme as the larger Insignia sedan. A three-door variant, referred to as the GTC Coupe, is expected to launch later this year alongside the hatch.

Based on the GM Delta platform that underpins the Cruze and electric Volt there are big expectations on the new Astra. It will be a key model for Opel and its British sibling Vauxhall in the European market as both brands fight for survival. Several different variants are planned for the new platform including a wagon in 2010 as well as sedan and convertible models in 2011.

One major area for improvement are the powertrains with several new engines coming on stream as Opel strives to create more power but less consumption and CO2 emissions. Following the trend of its rivals, including the Astra's archrival the Volkswagen Golf, the new model will be powered by a range of small capacity turbocharged engines.

A range of 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engines with outputs varying from 90kW to 104kW are tipped to spearhead the line-up. They will be joined by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol unit that produces 135kW and a range of turbodiesels in 1.3, 1.7 and 2.0 forms.

But whether or not the new Astra makes it to Australian shores remains in doubt. In addition to the doubt surrounding Opel's ownership (more here) the addition of the South Korean-sourced Cruze to the Holden range could spell the end of Astra Down Under.

Holden will launch the Cruze to the media next week and is billing the small sedan as the future of the company. Kate Lonsdale, Product Communications Manager for Holden, refused to confirm that the Astra would continue here.

"Obviously we would need to make a strong business case," Lonsdale says.

But she did hint that the two small models could work alongside each other.

"Cruze launch aside, Astra is still a strong brand for us," she says.

"From a customer base I don't see why not. They cater to slightly different needs."

Giving the Astra hope is that initially the Cruze will only be available in sedan form leaving the path clear for the hatch and coupe variants. But there have already been indications that the Cruze will add a hatch in the near future.

 "We've talked about a hatch as potential option," Lonsdale says.

"We're just focusing on launching the Cruze first and then we'll look at other things."

But the biggest factor could be the ownership of Opel. With the Fiat Group making a play for the German firm and General Motors looking to offload it, the ties between Holden and Opel could soon be cut.

"We're working business as usual at the moment," Lonsdale says.

It's worth noting though that the Astra is the only Opel product left in the Holden portfolio. Previously the Vectra and Barina had been sourced from the German operation but those vehicles have effectively been replaced by GM Daewoo in South Korea.

But Lonsdale insists that those decisions haven't been about Holden weaning itself off Opel products and is strictly about making the numbers stack up.

"It's based on business cases," she says. "It's certainly not a conscious decision to move away from the Opel product."

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