Opel Unveils Redesigned Astra

General Motors Co.'s Opel unit has revealed details about its all-new Astra five-door hatch. The car will make its public debut at the Frankfurt auto show in September.

The 11th-generation design was inspired by the Monza concept car Opel presented at the Frankfurt show two years ago. The production version is slightly smaller than the current Astra but offers more interior room. The car also is 120-200 kg lighter, thanks to a body shell that, at 280 kg, weighs 20% less than the current architecture.

Opel says a greater use of high-strength steel, coupled with lighter subframe and suspension components, trimmed vehicle weight by another 50 kg.

The 2016 model Astra gets an entirely new array of engines, starting with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder diesel that makes 95 hp. The gasoline-fueled base engine is a 1.0-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder unit rated at 105 hp. A 1.4-liter 4-cylinder variant, which weighs 10 kg less than the current 1.4-liter unit, delivers 145 hp.

The new car will be Opel's first to offer OnStar, a service that provides drivers with roadside assistance, automatic airbag deployment monitoring and access to live advisors. The Astra also will offer GM's next-generation IntelliLink infotainment system, which will be compatible with Apple Inc.'s CarPlay and Google Inc.'s Android Auto connectivity platforms.

Safety-oriented electronic safety features will include traffic sign assist, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, forward collision alerts, automatic park assist, blind spot alert and a rearview camera. The Astra also will offer heated rear seats and an optional 18-way adjustable driver's seat that includes massage, ventilation and seat width adjustment.

The Astra's headlamps each use a forward-facing camera and an array of eight LEDs to produce beams that automatically adjust to conditions. Opel says the systems can "cut out" portions of their light beams to avoid creating glare for an oncoming vehicle.