General Motors Astra

The Astra is a General Motors (GM) small family car, badged as an Opel in continental Europe, a Vauxhall in the United Kingdom, a Holden in Australasia, and a Chevrolet in Latin America. In Russia, it carries Opel and Chevrolet badges.

The Astra is now built in Germany, Belgium, the UK, Brazil, South Africa, India, Poland and Russia, as well as being assembled in completely knocked-down (CKD) kits in other countries. It competes against the Ford Focus and VW Golf. In the mid- to late-1980s, it was badged as a Pontiac in the United States of America.

Astra history

There have been five main versions of the Astra:

• 1979–84 Vauxhall Astra Mk 1/Opel Kadett D/Chevrolet Kadett
• 1984–present Vauxhall Astra Mk 2/Opel Kadett E/Daewoo Le Mans/Daewoo Racer/Daewoo Cielo/Daewoo Nexia/Pontiac LeMans/Passport Optima
• 1991–8 Opel Astra A/F/Opel Kadett (South Africa) F/Vauxhall Astra Mk 3/Holden Astra TR/Chevrolet Astra
• 1998–present Opel Astra B/G/Vauxhall Astra Mk 4/Holden Astra TS/Holden Astra Classic/Chevrolet Astra (Brazil)/Chevrolet Viva (Russia)
• 2004–present Opel Astra C/H/Vauxhall Astra Mk 5/Holden Astra AH (uses the GM Delta platform).