Opel Astra Sports Tourer is a Success Story

Production milestone: 100,000th Astra in station wagon body style rolls off assembly line

Rüsselsheim/Ellesmere Port. The Astra Sports Tourer success story continues. The station wagon version of the compact Opel model hasn’t even been on the market for one year and the Ellesmere Port plant in England is already celebrating the 100,000 unit production milestone. “The response to the Sports Tourer has exceeded our expectations. Its combination of great design, innovative technology and excellent everyday suitability is welcomed all across Europe,” says Alain Visser, Vice President Sales, Marketing and Aftersales.

Launched last September, the Sports Tourer is the leader in its segment in Europe. In order to meet demand, the plant is operating at its capacity limit and is running extra shifts. The largest market is Germany, where more than 40,000 units have sold to date, followed by Italy and Great Britain The bestselling engine in Europe is the 1.4 Turbo, followed by the 1.7 diesel. Fleet sales remain strong, while the share of private customers continues to grow.

The new Astra Sports Tourer wagon brings style, practicality and eco-friendly technology to the compact station wagon segment. Sharing the same Opel design DNA and Sports Tourer name as its larger Insignia counterpart, the Astra Sports Tourer also introduces a similar focus on first class quality and functionality. Space-efficient trunk design, enabling an impressive load volume of up to 1,550 liters, is complemented by smart, upscale features such as the new FlexFold Rear Seats, which fold down at the touch of a button.

Athletic looks are backed by an equally athletic driving experience. The Astra Sports Tourer shares the same innovative rear suspension and mechatronic FlexRide chassis as its hatchback peer. Other class leading features such as AFL+ adaptive forward lighting and orthopedist-approved ergonomic front seats add comfort and safety to the driving fun on offer. Filled with comfort and safety features, it is also a lot of fun to drive. Premium components like the bi-xenon AFL+ lighting system and ergonomic front seats carrying the AGR (Action for Healthy Backs) seal of approval make this car unique in the compact station wagon class. The Sports Tourer has already won a number of awards including the “Golden Steering Wheel” and the “red dot award” design prize.

“Our new models, led by the Astra Sports Tourer, are extremely popular on the market,” says Alain Visser. “The new Zafira Tourer and the Astra GTC will be launched in fall. And with the Ampera, the first electric vehicle suitable for everyday use, we will establish a completely new segment in Europe. This is an excellent basis for continued growth.”