New Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer (2011) Revealed

The Vauxhall Astra ST 2011

You can’t have a new Vauxhall Astra without a new Astra Estate, so Vauxhall has now got round to revealing the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer, which will go on sale at the end of the year and be built at Vauxhall’s plant in Ellesmere Port.

Vauxhall has done a good job of making a load-lugger from the stylish Astra. The wheelbase remains the same but the load length grows by 28mm, not a huge amount but enough to give the Astra ST 500 litres of load space with the seats up and 1550 litres with them down. That’s more then either the VW Golf or Ford Focus.

The story for the rest of the Astra ST is really that of the Astra. A better cabin, more space, better looks, better dynamics; a strong contender. The falling roofline and blades on the side of the car have conspired to deliver an estate that looks stylish without compromising its abilities.

Engine options at launch will be a choice of three petrols and three petrols. Diesels will be a 1.7 litre in either 108bhp or 123bhp flavours or a 2.0 litre with 158bhp. There will also be an EcoFlex option soon after launch with a 94bhp 1.3 litre.

The petrol options are a 99bhp 1.4 litre, a 113bhp 1.6 litre and a 1,4 litre turbo with 138bhp. There should – at some dim and distant point in the Astra’s lifecycle – be an Astra VXR ST, which will be an enticing car. Mind you, we first have to get the regular Astra VXR which isn’t on the cards until 2011.

The new Astra Sports Tourer will be open to order from October with first customer cars due by the end of the year. More details – models and prices – before then.

By Cars UK