Local retailer, Evans Halshaw with locations in Hull and Beverley, is celebrating this week as one of the most-loved cars produced in the UK, the Vauxhall Astra, comes off the Vauxhall production line for the four millionth time.
The iconic vehicle, which was first produced back in 1979, has sold almost 20 million units across Europe since launch and has continually evolved to meet changing consumer demands.
What’s more, Vauxhall has introduced a number of key innovations along the way, so its little wonder the Astra is celebrating this memorable milestone and looking forward to the future.
To mark Vauxhall’s momentous achievement at its Ellesmere Port Factory, Evans Halshawis reliving some of the Astra’s highlights and reasons why it has been a firm favourite with British motorists over the last four decades and why one in four motorists has owned or driven an Astra:
1. The first generation Astra broke the mould and was the first Vauxhall model to boast front wheel drive when it launched back in 1979.
2. The Astra proved to be a huge hit across the world and was voted European Car of the Year in 1985, the same year British legends, Wayne Rooney and Lewis Hamilton were both born.
3. The second-generation was the first Astra to be offered as a convertible in 1984.
4. The third-generation Astra was a revolution as it introduced many new safety features. In fact, this was the first Astra to feature side-impact bars and front seatbelt pre-tensioners.
5. In 1998, after almost two decades, Vauxhall introduced an all-new Astra with the fourth general model, which focused on delivering superior handling. It was also the year where the DVD format was released onto the UK market.
6. In 2004, Vauxhall heralded a new look for the Astra which was available as a five-door hatchback, five-door estate and sporty three-door hatchback.
7. The sixth generation Astra was officially unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Show, and immediately proved to be a big hit amongst buyers.
8. The 2013 plate Astra was also used on BBC’s Top Gear ‘Reasonably Priced Car’ segment, after being driven around the test track at Dunsfold Park, Surrey, by celebrities including Olly Murs and Will Smith.
9. The seventh generation was unveiled at the 2015 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and became a huge success amongst drivers. The latest generation also continued to be a popular choice for professional drivers with a number of F1 drivers using this and previous models as a training vehicle.
10. The current model has won critical acclaim since its launch and has amassed a host of top awards, including 2016 European Car of the Year, What Car’s Best Family Car for under £18,000, as well as a game-changer award from Autocar and category award wins from Auto Express and Fleet News, to name but a few.
Aron Brown, Dealer Principal at Evans Halshaw Beverley, comments:
“Producing the four millionth Astra at the Ellesmere Port factory is a huge landmark for Vauxhall, and testament to the popularity of this fantastic car. The Astra has changed considerably over the years to meet motorists’ demands, and remains one of the best family cars in the market today. We are extremely proud of this model and we can’t wait to see what future generations of the Astra will look like.
“We’re delighted to be celebrating this momentous occasion and we’re pleased to be able to offer the Astra range to our customers; the vehicle really has raised the bar in terms of quality, design and connectivity over the years. It’s great to see that the Astra is still one of the most sought-after family cars to date and we would encourage anyone in the market for a new car, to come visit us and test drive today.”
The Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.4i Turbo (150PS) is available in Evans Halshaw from just £215 per month plus advance rental.*
To view the video celebrating the four millionth Astra coming off the production line, visit: https://youtu.be/EiHW3EhK_wI.
For further information on Astra or the rest of the Vauxhall range you can go to: www.evanshalshaw.com/vauxhall. or visit the team with locations in Hull and Beverley.
