The All-New Vauxhall Astra will be in dealerships from October, with new engines, new Tech and cheaper too.

• All-new Astra in Vauxhall showrooms from October
• Priced from £15,295 on-the-road
• New powertrains and tech including OnStar and Apple CarPlay

The new Astra is now on sale, with first cars arriving in Vauxhall showrooms this October after its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

One of the UK’s top-selling and best-loved cars, Astra is a household name for British car buyers with almost three million sold in the UK over the last 36 years, including 50,000 in the last 12 months. More than 25 per cent of British motorists have either owned or driven an Astra, so reaction to a new model will always be felt across the market. 

New Astra is based on an all-new lightweight vehicle architecture with a new design, powertrains and technology, the Astra is built at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant in Cheshire. It is the lead plant for the new model.

Accounting for 12 per cent of C-Segment sales, key rivals in this fiercely competitive sector include the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf. The Astra has a very diverse customer profile appealing to people from all areas of society, male and female, young and old. The retail/fleet split is 70:30 in favour of company car drivers and fleet decision-makers.

Depending on the model and trim level it is up to 200kg lighter than its predecessor. The completely new vehicle architecture plays a major role in the weight reduction. Every component was checked for compact design and lightweight materials. The body shell weight alone was reduced by 20 per cent from 357kg to 280kg.

Additional, chassis-related measures resulted in a further 50kg weight loss. These include high-strength and ultra-high-strength low-weight steels, compact subframes as well as weight reductions to the front and rear axle.

The powertrain portfolio features petrol and diesel units ranging from 100PS to 200PS, including an all-new 1.4-litre (150PS) ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo and the recently-launched 1.6-litre CDTi Whisper Diesel.

New Astra is also the first Vauxhall to feature OnStar, the ground-breaking connectivity technology now available across Europe. OnStar includes high-speed 4G LTE mobile network, emergency response notification and stolen vehicle recovery alert.

Astra is also one of the first vehicles from a mainstream manufacturer to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, available through a new version of the IntelliLink infotainment system.

"The all-new Brit-built Astra raises the bar in terms of quality, design and connectivity," said Tim Tozer, Vauxhall's Chairman and Managing Director. "Lighter than ever before, with new powertrains and cutting-edge technology, the new Astra is set to shake up the C-segment when it arrives in showrooms this autumn."

FRANKFURT - Jaguar Land Rover presents the cars that take a starring role in the new Bond film, SPECTRE.

• Jaguar and Land Rover stunt vehicles Jaguar C-X75, Range Rover Sport SVR and Land Rover Defender make international debut in Frankfurt, Germany
• SPECTRE cast members Naomie Harris and David Bautista attend star-studded event ahead of reveal at motor show
• Guests entertained by British singer and musician John Newman
• Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations [SVO] as well as Jaguar and Land Rover Design worked with filmmakers on the conception and creation of the Bond
• SVO is responsible for the most luxurious and highest performing cars that Jaguar Land Rover makes
• Jaguar and Land Rover to release exclusive and interactive behind-the-scenes SPECTRE content on www.jaguar.com and www.landrover.com

Jaguar Land Rover celebrated their vehicles appearing in the new Bond adventure, SPECTRE. Cars, including the Jaguar C-X75, Range Rover Sport SVR and the iconic Land Rover Defender, stole the show as they were unveiled in public for the first time at the palatial Thurn und Taxis in Frankfurt.

Naomie Harris (Moneypenny) and David Bautista (Hinx) were guests of honour at the glamorous event showcasing special stunt vehicles used in the latest instalment of the James Bond series.  Guests were entertained by British singer and musician John Newman, who performed a number of top ten hits from his album.  

SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, sees the Jaguar C-X75 drive through the moonlit streets of Rome in one of the movie’s most iconic high speed chase scenes.   Driven by Hinx, played by David Bautista, the C-X75 supercar, named the most advanced Jaguar ever created, was provided by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) in collaboration with development partner Williams Advanced Engineering headquarters in Oxfordshire, England.  

SVO was created in June 2014 to focus on meeting the increasing expectations of today’s most discerning and enthusiastic Jaguar and Land Rover customers.  Working on the development of high performance versions of existing models, luxury bespoke commissions and limited run collector editions, it represents the very pinnacle of the two iconic brands. 

Specially modified Land Rover Defenders and the fastest, most powerful Land Rover ever, the Range Rover Sport SVR also star in major action sequences shot in Austria.  The highly capable Defenders were constructed by the JLR Special Operations division with huge 37-inch diameter off-road tyres and enhanced body protection to tackle the challenging terrain of the snow-covered mountain roads used for filming.

Actor David Bautista said, “To have the opportunity to be a part of an iconic chase scene in a Bond movie and to drive the C-X75 supercar was like a dream come true for me. It truly is a beautiful beast of a car that will go down in movie history.”

Naomie Harris, who will reprise the role of Moneypenny in SPECTRE said: “I made my Bond debut in the Defender, and I have so many fond memories shooting that sequence in Turkey. It’s such a special franchise to be a part of, and I’m thrilled to be here in Frankfurt with the Jaguar Land Rover team”.

Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, John Edwards, said: "For Jaguar Land Rover to once again be a part of the iconic vehicle line ups in one of the most celebrated film franchises in the world represents a proud moment for us.   It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase production and concept cars alike and we look forward to continuing this relationship well into the future.”

Fans around the world will be treated to a host of exclusive behind the scenes SPECTRE content on Jaguar and Land Rover’s social channels and brand new websites, including special access to unseen footage and interviews with the design, SVO and stunt teams as well as a stunning 360 dynamic walk-around of the Jaguar C-X75.

SPECTRE is released worldwide from October.