Astra Hatches A New Model
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday November 10, 2006
Sales of small cars are powering along so well that Holden believes there is room for yet another version of the Astra hatch.
The new Astra SRi five-door - the ninth model in the Astra range - is best described as a warm hatch. Powered by a 2.2-litre engine, it is more potent than the regular 1.8-litre Astra but not as hot as the Astra SRi Turbo (which has a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine).Prices for the SRi hatch start from $29,990. Add $2000 for a four-speed automatic gearbox. The SRi hatch made its debut at the Sydney motor show and is due to go on sale next month.Its engine has 110kW of power and 215Nm of torque compared with the SRi Turbo's 147kW and 262Nm.Holden hopes the new five-door will appeal to small-car buyers who want improved performance but don't want the burden of the higher insurance premiums that turbocharged cars usually attract.Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, climate control air-conditioning and heated leather seats. Safety equipment includes front, side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes.Sales of small cars are up 1.1 per cent for the year to October in a market that has fallen 2.8 per cent. However, Astra sales have dropped 43 per cent this year. From January to October last year sales were 29,167. In the same period this year, the tally has fallen to 16,546, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.The drop in Astra sales is due to strong sales of the Toyota Corolla and Holden's introduction of a cheaper small-car alternative, the Viva, built in Korea by Daewoo.
© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald