2010 Opel Astra Unofficially Revealed

Opel's upcoming 2010 Astra has been unofficially revealed thanks to German publication Auto Motor und Sport.

Exterior styling is heavily influenced by the Opel Insignia which gives the new Astra a far more premium and substantial appearance than the outgoing model. While the low hood and resulting odd frontal appearance will likely draw criticism, this design was required to meet Europe's pedestrian crash safety laws.

The base engine will be a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated petrol unit that produces 90 horsepower, emits less then 120 grams of CO2 per kilometer, and features stop/start technology. For drivers wanting more performance, a supercharged version of this engine will be available and it will crank out 180 horsepower. On the diesel side, we can expect a 1.7-liter turbocharged engine to offer 110 horsepower.

Although technical specifications are still rather sketchy, it appears that the Astra will grow 15cm in length, feature optional all-wheel drive, and adopt the Insignia's adaptive damping system. Among the other items included on the new Astra are an electric parking brake, adaptive lighting, and a park assistant system.

As with the current Astra, several different versions will be available. There isn't too much information about them, but it appears the Astra Sport Tourer will be at least 20 cm longer than the standard car while the Astra GTC will likely adopt a six-cylinder engine.

More information should become available as the car inches closer to its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, so stay tuned for more details.