Opel and Vauxhall Reveal Facelifted Astra Family, gets New 192hp Twin-Turbo Diesel

If you were wondering why Opel did not show the front end of its new Astra sedan (sold as the Buick Verano in North America) during its web presentation earlier this month, this is because the entire family of the compact model has received a mid-life makeover.

The new model year Astra has been treated to a minor restyling while Opel and its sister company Vauxhall have also introduced a new array of assistance systems and a fresh 192hp (195PS) twin-turbocharged diesel engine to the range.

While not so evident, the Astra gains a new front grille with the wing-like chrome bar and Opel logo now positioned in the center, plus a redesigned front bumper with a more pronounced lower grille and the availability of LED daytime running lights.

New front indicator lamps and a new design of fog lamps (when available) round out the changes up front.

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At Last, Opel Unveils All-New 2013 Astra Sedan

This is the all-new Opel Astra sedan, the fourth and likely last member of the Astra family after the five-door hatchback, the Sports Tourer station wagon and the GTC coupe as the upcoming convertible model is said to gain a new nameplate in the likes of the VW Golf-based Eos.

If you have already laid eyes on the North American market Buick Verano or its Chinese twin, the Excelle GT, the 2013 Opel Astra sedan's appearance won't surprise you.

That doesn't mean there aren't some styling changes, just that they are limited to the front and rear ends with the European model sporting the typical Astra face and new tail lamps that ditch the Buick's chrome 'eyebrows' along with a restyled boot that integrates a spoiler in its design.

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Spied: Opel's Upcoming Astra Convertible Opens Up for Some Fresh Air

Even though we are less than a year away from the scheduled start of production of Opel's Astra-based convertible at GM's Gliwice plant in Poland, the company continues to perform tests with early engineering prototypes.

In our latest scoop shots, Opel's engineers removed the cloth top but retained the framed doors on the unfinished test car.

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GM to Build Next Opel Astra in the UK Instead of Germany, Bochum Plant Faces Closure

Bad news for Opel's Bochum plant in Germany as General Motors has decided to allocate production of the next Astra, which is the brand's second bestselling model after the Corsa, to its manufacturing plants in Ellesmere Port, UK and Gliwice, Poland.

GM said that it made the decision after the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall workforce approved a new labor agreement on Wednesday, which comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra, into the early 2020s.

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Opel Reportedly Mulling to End Astra Production in Germany in 2015

General Motors' struggling Opel brand may end production of the popular Astra compact model at its Rüsselsheim plant in Germany after the presentation of the next generation model in 2015, according to a report from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Citing unnamed senior labor representatives who are involved in restructuring talks, the German newspaper wrote that GM's top brass in Europe is proposing to transfer production of Opel's second bestselling model after the Corsa to its existing factories in Ellesmere Port, England and Gliwice, Poland.

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Spied: New European Market Opel / Vauxhall Astra Sedan

In what seems like ages in the auto industry, Opel and its British sister brand Vauxhall are still developing the Astra sedan more than three years since the introduction of the hatchback model in the fall of 2009, and two years after Buick launched the Chinese market version of the car under the Excelle GT nameplate.

In the meantime, GM also brought a Buick version of the Astra sedan named the Verano to the North American market.

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Spy Shots: New Opel Astra Convertible Caught Out in the Open Again

Opel is sure taking its time to complete the lineup of its popular Astra model. It has already been close to three years since GM's European brand introduced the five-door hatchback, which was followed by the Sports Tourer estate, the three-door GTC and more recently, the 276hp OPC flagship sports model.

In fact, while we're still waiting for the presentation of the four door sedan (closely related to the Buick Verano) and convertible models, we found out that Opel is working on a mild update for the five-door hatch!

The Convertible model seen in these latest spy shots will enter production next year, which means that its world premiere should take place at the Paris Motor Show this fall or at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

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Scoop: Is Opel Working on a Mild Refresh for its Opel Astra Range?

It has become something of a norm for automakers to update their vehicles after three or four years into the market, depending on their life span.

The fourth generation of the Opel Astra is nearing that phase as it was introduced in five-door hatchback form at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show with the estate model (called Tourer) following a year later at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and the three-door GTC being presented at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Our spy shooters caught up with a vehicle transporter in Germany loaded with a bunch of new Opel Astras, one of which was a Tourer model with its fascia partially masked in tape.

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Hot Opel Astra OPC with 276hp Storms the 2012 Geneva Motor Show

GM's Opel division is challenging both the 250-horsepower Ford Focus ST and the 267bhp (270PS) Volkswagen Golf R with its brand new Astra OPC that will be sold as the Vauxhall Astra VXR in Britain.

Revealed to the public for the first time at the ongoing 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the new Astra OPC is based on the sporty looking three-door Astra GTC hatchback adding to the mix a powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 276bhp (280PS) output and maximum torque of 400Nm (295 lbft).

A six-speed transmission and a mechanical limited slip differential on the front axle drive the front wheels allowing for a top speed of 250km/h (155mph). Opel has not yet confirmed acceleration times.

As with the rest of the Astra GTC range, the OPC model gets the GM/Saab sourced HiPer Struts (High Performance Struts) on the front axle while the company's engineers also made changes to the suspension, steering wheel and brake systems.

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