Taking a punt on latest Astra

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor


It was a mix of celebration and sadness for Holden New Zealand managing director Brian Mynott. On Tuesday morning, he presided over the launch of the new Astra. On Tuesday night, he learned of the death of Australian cricket great Keith Miller.

Mynott, 60, and Miller, 84, were different generations. Mynott was born in Britain in 1944, Miller in Melbourne in 1919.

When Mynott was learning to walk in hometown Southampton, World War II pilot Miller was patrolling the skies above it.

Mynott arrived in Melbourne from war-torn Britain as a child. Miller returned to Melbourne as a hero.

They never met ("I don't think we ever did," said Mynott) but they had one thing in common: they played Australian Rules football for Melbourne's St Kilda club.

Miller turned out for 50 games in the 1940s, earning a place in the Victoria state team in 1946 and a nomination for the club's hall of fame in 2003.

Mynott played 210 games for St Kilda between 1964-75 and made the state team in 1971. He hasn't been nominated for the hall of fame but has something that eluded all but a handful of club players: a championship flag.

In its 140-odd years, St Kilda has won the annual championship only once, in 1966. Mynott was in the winning team, "a worthy, honest hard worker who never stopped trying," says the club. "A fine warrior until the end of his career."

Mynott arrived in New Zealand from Holden Australia at the beginning of the year. He has since kept a low profile. It hasn't been difficult. The 1966 championship flag might follow him around Victoria but it doesn't count for much in New Zealand.

The Astra unveiling in Christchurch was Mynott's first official media event as managing director. It was also Holden's first new-product launch in New Zealand for a few years.

The bigger (longer, wider, higher), stronger and more refined AH Astra arrives here fresh from its European debut, where it is badged the Opel Astra in the General Motors network.

Three hatchback models are available, the CD, CDX and top-range CDXi, all built in Belgium. Holden Astra brand manager Julie Knight says prices will be competitive when they are released next week. The outgoing Astra started at $29,995.

Holden launched the first Astra range in New Zealand in 1998 with three models - hatchback, sedan and wagon.

The hatch has clearly been the best seller: 585 out of 985 Astras in 1998; 471 out of 682 in 1999; 641 out of 891 in 2000; 953 out of 1106 in 2001; 1039 out of 1220 in 2002; 959 out of 1763 in 2003. So far this year the hatch has accounted for 693 sales out of 1002.

Holden expects the latest model to attract new buyers at the premium end of the small car segment, conquests from the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla markets.

The new car is powered by an unchanged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine producing 92kW (124bhp), 5600rpm and 170Nm of torque at 3800rpm. Around 90 per cent of torque is available between 2200-5500 rpm.

Buyers have the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic.

Shoulder room has increased by 30mm in the front and 20mm in the rear and Astra now has 40mm more rear headroom. The new seats feature enhanced contours, higher lateral supports and longer cushions.

The CD model includes standard features such as air-conditioning, ABS anti-lock brakes, dual front and side airbags, steering wheel mounted audio controls, front electric windows and heated electric exterior mirrors.

The CDX and Astra CDXi come with more equipment, including 16-inch alloy wheels, six-stack CD player, cruise control, leather-wrap steering wheel, trip computer (CDX), electronic climate control, curtain airbags, front fog lamps, eight-way front sports seats and leather-wrap sports steering wheel (CDXi).

Standard across the range is brake assist, which aids emergency braking.

Holden says the AH Astra is perhaps the most dramatic expression yet of Opel's modern styling direction, highlighted by the wedge-shaped profile, roofline lowered by 50mm at the rear, steep side panels, prominent wheel arches and flared door sills.

"The new design language, all taut surfaces, crisp lines, technically crafted details and distinctive graphic elements, gives it a distinctively different appearance from competitors."

A feature of Astra's interior is the crease in the centre console, which carries over from the crease lines on the bonnet.

Holden engineer Graham Anderson says the latest model "is the most refined small car Holden has put on New Zealand roads".

"Holden's increasingly global GM role allowed our regional engineering department in Fishermans Bend [Melbourne] to be involved in the AH Astra's development throughout the programme.

"Worldwide, Astra is sold in 80 markets, but only five are bigger than Australia and New Zealand. They are Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France and Italy. So our requirements were taken into account from the outset.

"Although we continue to receive good feedback on the way the current Astra performs, with AH Astra much work has been done on the body structure to provide an even better feel."

Anderson said the car's torsional rigidity - its resistance to twisting under driving forces - had increased by 15 per cent.