New Opel Astra image leaked from dealer presentation

Here we have an image of the next generation Opel Astra making one of its first public appearances without any camouflage. This grainy photo comes from a dealer presentation of the new Astra in what appears to be Portugal.

The pic reveals few details but we do get an idea of where the new Astra's styling cues are coming from. Borrowing heavily from its siblings the Opel Corsa and the Insignia, which recently won the European Car of the Year award, the new Astra reveals a sleek, hunched, road hugging design that is very different from the hatch's current look.

The back hatch comes abruptly and appears tight and rounded, after a sloping rear roof line gives the cabin the look of a coupe-styled sedan. Check out the downward sloping side rear windows, a little cue from both the Corsa and Insignia. That may not necessarily mean a claustrophobic feel in the back, given how much each of these Golf-segment hatches keep growing from one generation to the next. After all, the current VW Polo is larger than the original Golf Mk I.

But this car is very Insignia-infused and that may not be such a bad thing. We need a better look at the new Astra to see if its a real looks winner but taking its design inspiration from the Insignia may be a good start.