The first new-generation, RHD, Holden-badged Opel Astra five-door hatchback destined for Australia and New Zealand was built in Poland at General Motors’ Gliwice plant rather than Ellesmere Port in England.
The first car was red with a 150hp, 1.4-litre turbocharged I4 and will be delivered to a customer in Australia, WardsAuto.com reported.
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“To date, in Europe we have already received more than 250,000 orders [for the new Astra],” GMMP general manager Andrzej Korpak said in a statement. “We are very proud that this Gliwice-made best-selling model will be offered in the markets of Australia and New Zealand as well.”
Polish production of Opel/Vauxhall Astras launched in Poland a year ago. Some versions, including wagons, are also made in Ellesmere Port, UK.
Gliwice already produces Holden Astra GTC and Astra VXR models, both based on the previous-generation Astra, as well as the Holden Cascada and US-bound Buick Cascada convertibles, WardsAuto noted.
The Polish Astras are the latest in a long line of C-segment models Holden has sourced from Europe and Korea and, earlier, by rebadging locally produced Nissan and Toyota models. The long-established GM Australia brand is ending local production of cars by the end of 2017. It will stop making the Cruze early next month but the ‘home grown’ Commodore will continue until the end of next year. It is widely expected to be replaced by a variant of Opel’s next generation Insignia, built in Germany.
Earlier this month, it announced it would sell a US-sourced, seven-seat Acadia SUV from 2018 and also announced the new Astra hatch, Barina small car, Trax small SUV and Thai-built Trailblazer full-size SUV “to represent the next wave in Holden’s ongoing product revolution, with a particular focus on the critical and growing SUV segment”.
