A short history of the Vauxhall Astra.

From the Mark 1 to the current Mark 6, a brief timeline of the popular Vauxhall Astra.

Originally released onto the market as the Opel Kadett D in 1979, the model first took on the Astra name in 1980. Brought onto the market to replace the Vauxhall Viva, the Astra was the British manufacturer’s first model to feature four wheel drive. Although very much a British model, the Astra was virtually identical to the Kadett D and was originally produced in Opel’s West German plant in Bochum.

The Mark 1 Vauxhall Astra was available in both three door and five door formats and three body styles; hatchback, saloon and estate. Production of the Astra moved to Vauxhall’s plant in Ellesmere Port, UK in 1981. Named WhatCar?‘s Car of the Year in 1980, the Astra was extremely popular with UK motorists and quickly became the second most popular small family car behind the iconic Ford Escort.

The Mark 2 Astra was first released in October 1984 and featured a sleek restyled body and improved aerodynamics. Available in a range of body styles, the Astra saloon was launched in October 1986 and was rebranded as the Vauxhall Belmont. Released in 1991, the Mark 3 Astra was virtually just a restyled Mark 2. Just like many other manufacturers at that time, Vauxhall began to place a huge emphasis on safety – this was reflected by the inclusion of a number of key safety features such as twin side impact bars and a toughened safety cage in the Mark 3.

In 1998 the manufacturer introduced the Vauxhall Astra Mark 4 to the UK market. Offering a smoother ride and better handling than the Mark 3, the new Astra was awarded a Euro NCAP 4 star crash test rating thanks to its greater body rigidity. Available with a range of engine types including 16v Econetic engines and 8v units, the Mark 4 was available in both standard hatchback and coupe body types.

The Mark 5 was first brought to the market as a five door hatchback in 2004, with a five door estate and three door hatchback added to the line up later in the year. The most successful version of the Astra to date, the Mark 5 was Britain’s second best selling car in 2005, 2006 and 2007 behind the Ford Focus.

Debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Mark 6 Astra design was heavily influenced by the Vauxhall Insignia. Featuring storage areas for the top 20 car items, the new Astra has many style traits of a compact saloon. Despite being more expensive than the Mark 5, the Mark 6 became the best selling car in the UK in June 2010, outselling the Ford Focus by nearly 50%. An estate version of the Mark 6 Astra (the Sports Tourer) was debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2010.