First reserved for the British Vauxhall, the Astra replaced the Kadett at Opel 30 years ago. While its sixth generation, now cousin of the Peugeot 308, is about to land in the dealership, back in pictures on the eventful saga of this rival of the Volkswagen Golf.
To draw a line on 55 years of history: it is the heavy responsibility assumed by the first generation of Astra. When it appeared in 1991, this compact indeed succeeded the Kadett, whose name was used for the first time by Opel in 1936. However, it was not until 1979 to see the current formula appear, with front-wheel drive and a transverse motor to optimize space. Unfortunately, it is not enough to take the recipe from the Volkswagen Golf to have the same success. Without demerit, the brand à l’Éclair will remain confined to the roles of foil in the category.
This is arguably what prompted decision-makers to opt for a whole new name in the 1990s. With, as a bonus, the desire to align with the Corsa, Vectra and other Omega whose surname necessarily ended with an A. But in the United Kingdom, where the Opels are sold under the Vauxhall brand, the Kadett was already transformed into Astra since 1980. It was therefore also a way to put the two labels on an equal footing.
The best-selling model of the brand
With 4.13 million copies sold between 1991 and 1997, the first Opel Astra of the name, aka Astra F, has partly succeeded. It remains today the most produced model in the entire history of the brand. Yet her figure was not that different from that of the previous Kadett. To stand out, it mainly relied on increased comfort, a little more roominess, engines now all catalyzed or even a reinforced safety range: height-adjustable pretensioner belts, reinforcement tubes in the doors, etc.
10 electric version prototypes will even be produced under the name Impuls III. But they had a maximum range of 160 km, and it will be necessary to wait until 2023, with the future Astra-e, for Opel to really launch a compact without thermal engine on the basis of its all new generation. This time taking advantage of a base and engines drawn from the Stellantis group, which bought the brand from the American General Motors in 2017 when it was still called PSA and then only included Citroën, Peugeot and DS.
Short career for the latest Astra GM
Opel Astra K (2015-2021)
Appeared in 2015, the Astra K will have seen its career shortened. If it had been voted car of the year in 2016, a first for an Opel compact since the Kadett E of 1985, it made the manufacturer too dependent on its former owner. But before her, the model had already changed three times completely. Without ever cultivating the same penchant for continuity as its obvious rival, the Golf. With its two-and-a-half-volume silhouette, the Astra G from 1998 did not in fact look like its predecessor at all. No more than its replacement, the Astra H proposed between 2004 and 2009, will not look like it, with its lines now carved with a billhook. As for the Astra J, sold between 2009 and 2015, it revives a curvaceous style. While unfortunately taking a lot of weight, a defect that his replacement will try to correct by losing up to 200 kg.
Now cousin of the Peugeot 308
Despite these efforts, and the multiple variations offered over the years, the Golf will never be really worried. Will the next generation finally get there? Nothing certain, but she seems to have at least given herself the means to try, with its much more modern interior and a more assertive aesthetic. In a few weeks, it will give us its steering wheel, in order to check whether its new underwear shared with the Peugeot 308 and DS 4 benefit driving pleasure.
In the meantime, embark with us to discover, in our captioned slideshow, the saga of his ancestors. A saga that does not forget the coupes and convertibles that have disappeared today, nor the sporty GSI or OPC versions, nor even the entry into the German DTM touring championship, with a V8, between 2000 and 2004.
>> Relive the Opel Astra saga in pictures in our slideshow <<
