Irmscher Upgrades its 2010 Opel Astra Styling Kit

Longtime Opel tuner Irmscher has expanded its 2010 Astra offerings with the launch of 20-inch alloy wheels that are available in various designs and can be wrapped in 235/35 R20 tires. The new rims complement the tuner's styling package that was first introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and includes 18-inch alloys and a body kit with a new grille, front lip spoiler, rear apron with a diffuser, side skirts and a roof spoiler.

Buyers can also upgrade the new Astra with a sport exhaust system with two or four tail pipes and a suspension kit that lowers the car's ride height by 30mm for a sportier stance.

On the inside, Irmscher's offerings include a leather package for the seats, door panels and central armrests, matt aluminium door-locking pins and sport pedals.

First 2010 Astras Hit the Road Today in Britain

General Motors' UK arm Vauxhall is celebrating the retail launch of the all-new 2010 Astra today as the first customers who placed their orders soon after the model went on sale in September received the keys to their cars.

In Britain, the new Astra hatchback is available with five petrol engines ranging from an 87PS1.4-litre to a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit producing 180PS, while diesels span from 110 to 160PS in either 1.7 CDTi or 2.0 CDTi form. Prices start from £15,675.

The company said that initially, Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant will build the new Astra for all European markets. The UK will take the biggest share with around 25 per cent of all production headed to British buyers.

It is believed that the still under development four-door sedan version of the new Astra will come to North America as a Buick within the next two years.

Buick Previews Official Sketch of Premium Compact Sedan [With Video]

During Buick's Los Angeles Auto Show press conference for the unveiling of the Opel Insignia-based 2011 Regal saloon, the company's product marketing director, Craig Bierly, showed a teaser sketch of the next addition to the Buick range, a premium compact sedan.

"And now, I have more exciting news to share with you; the first public showing of a rendering that includes our entire future sedan portfolio," Bierly said at the presentation.

"In addition to the new Regal, which you see on your right, you see our LaCrosse in the center and at the far left, an all-new premium compact sedan with the styling and craftsmanship of Enclave and LaCrosse plus the European-inspired driving dynamics of the Regal - and at a price that will make this Buick our new entry point to the brand.

"Is Buick's transformation complete? No … but we believe we're making steady progress," Bierly added.

While Bierly did not give out any specific details on the car, it's safe to assume that, like the Chinese market 2011 Buick Excelle hatchback, the four-door saloon will also be based on the new Opel Astra (sedan version), which shares the same Delta II platform with the new Chevrolet Cruze.

Our spies have already captured Buick's compact sedan testing in Germany, though at the time, it wasn't clear if GM was developing the car exclusively for China or also for the North American market.

In the States, the new Buick compact sedan will most likely be offered with a similar engine range to the Cruze including a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot, and quite possibly, the Astra's more powerful 1.6-liter turbo unit with 180 ponies.

Opel Releases Full Details on 2010 Astra Engine Range, Includes New 140HP 1.4-liter Turbo

Given that we're getting very close to the first public debut of the new Opel Astra at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, GM's European division decided to confirm the engine range for its Golf-sized hatch that will go on sale later this fall. At launch, the 2010 Astra will be offered with a revised line-up of eight diesel and petrol engines ranging from 95 HP to 180 HP with Opel claiming gains of over 12 percent in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions across the range compared with the current generation model.

The initial gasoline range comprises of four engines that include two naturally aspirated four-pots, a 100 HP 1.4-liter and a 115 HP 1.6-liter, and two turbocharged units, a 1.4-liter with 140 HP that replaces the old 1.8-liter engine, and a 1.6-liter that makes 180 HP.

There will be three diesel engines available at launch, a 1.7-liter CDTI with 110 and 125 HP plus a 2.0 -liter CDTI producing 160 HP. An ecoFLEX model powered by a 1.3-liter CDTI with 95 HP and an average fuel consumption of only 4.2 lt/100 km (56mpg US) will be added to the range in spring 2010.

According to the German automaker, the average fuel consumption of the four diesel engines, which are expected to represent almost half of the new Astra cars sold in Europe, is 4.6 lt / 100 km or 51.1 mpg US, and for the four petrol units, 6.1 lt /100 km or 38.6 mpg US.

All Astra models meets the Euro 5 emission norms with most being equipped with six-speed manual transmissions as only the naturally-aspirated 1.4 and 1.6-liter gasoline and the 1.3 turbo diesel come with five speeds. Opel will also offer an optional six-speed automatic transmission on 1.6, 1.4 Turbo and 1.6 Turbo gasoline models and with the 2.0 turbo diesel motor.

Reader Scoops 2010 Opel Astra Test Car in Michigan

This past weekend, eagle-eyed Carscoop reader Thomas Czarny picked up these shots of a heavily disguised 2010 Opel Astra hatchback prototype in a shopping mall parking lot in Traverse City, Michigan. The test car was fitted with manufacturer license plates and sported a GMPT (General Motors Powertrain) Engineering Vehicle sticker on the front windshield.

We're fully aware of the fact that new cars go through all sorts of tests in various places around the world including markets where they will not be sold, but we also know that GM is preparing an Opel Astra based small sedan for Buick which is scheduled to go on sale in the States by the end of 2011.

Earlier this year, our spy photographers snapped the Buick four-door sedan along with a five-door Astra prototype sporting Buick's corporate waterfall grille while undergoing testing in Germany.

Although the five-door model is said to be under development for Buick's Chinese market line-up, we can't entirely rule out the possibility that GM may also be considering the hatch for the U.S. where it would compete against the VW Golf and Mazda3.

This naturally brings us to the question, in addition to the sedan model, should GM also enhance Buick's U.S. range with a rebadged version of the 2010 Opel Astra hatchback?

Kudos to Thomas Czarny for the Scoop!

First Photos of Irmscher's take on the 2010 Opel Astra

The hotly anticipated 2010 Opel Astra is still a couple of months away from showrooms but that hasn't deterred German tuning firm Irmscher, which specializes in Opel products, from being the first tuner to develop a sporty styling package for the compact hatch. There's no official announcement at the time being, but the photos reveal that the initial kit includes a front spoiler lip, side skirts, a new front grille and a rear apron that makes room for four tailpipes.

The German tuner also created specific alloy wheels that are said to be offered in sizes 18- to 20-inches. Buyers should also expect various interior treats such as aluminum pedals and unique mats along with a lowering sport kit.

Irmscher will reveal its styling package for the 2010 Opel Astra at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.

Via: Autoblog.nl

2010 Buick Astra Spied in Germany - Could it Make it to the US?

Bolstering previous rumors that General Motors may expand Buick's lineup with new models from its European Opel division, our spy photographers bagged these shots of a prototype Astra model fitted with Buick's trademark waterfall-style grille. The test mule that was spotted in Germany also featured slightly larger fog lights on the front bumper but other than that, we did not detect any other styling changes compared to the Opel - Vauxhall Astra that is scheduled to make its first public appearance at this fall's Frankfurt show.

We do know that GM's Buick unit is preparing to add the Astra to its Chinese market portfolio selling it alongside the Regal sedan that is nothing more than an Opel Insignia with a new grille and different set of badges.

But what about the U.S.? Prior to General Motors' decision to sell off its Saturn unit, it was believed that the new generation Astra would be built in North America and sold in the States under the Saturn brand.

Just before General Motors entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, several news agencies reported that the Opel Insignia as well as the Astra were being considered for Buick's North American range.

So what's the deal now with the Astra at post-bankruptcy GM? Well, to be completely frank, your guess is as good as ours. When GM's CEO Fritz Henderson says in June that the Pontiac G8 won't be rebadged as another model in the US and a month later, Bob Lutz says the opposite, stating in a magazine interview that the G8 will be reincarnated as the Chevy Caprice in North America, there's so much credibility that you can you give to any rumors or/and reports that surface.

But whatever the deal is, we reckon that a North American built Astra with a Buick badge accompanied by some serious marketing efforts could provide GM with a credible contender to the Mazda3 and its ilk.