We’ve already seen spy shots and some sketches of the new Opel/Saturn/Vauxhall Astra and now GM has decided to tease us a little more, by releasing a photo of the car covered with a semi-transparent veil. Now I don’t know why everyone says that the car will make its debut next year at Frankfurt, because the car seems ready to take off and, who knows, maybe we’ll get to see it in Paris next month. I mean, why would you release a teaser one year before the launch, just doesn’t make sense. Just as a reminder, the new Astra borrows a lot from its bigger sister, the Insignia, such as the exterior styling and a series of features like the Front Camera System or the Adaptive Front Lighting (AFL).

Read More: "Teaser photo of the next generation Opel Astra"

Vauxhall, Opel’s British arm, has released the first official sketches and some details on the upcoming 2010 Astra. We’ve already seen the first spy shots of the car and Opel has confirmed that the car’s design will be influenced by the recently launched Insignia. Regarding the mechanical part, the new Astra will be based on GM’s latest Delta platform and one of the most important aspect engineers are working on is the fuel economy. Besides design clues, the Astra will take some other features too from the Insignia, such as the Front Camera System or the Adaptive Front Lighting (AFL).

According to Opel, after the Frankfurt debut next year, the 5-door Astra will hit showrooms by the end of 2009/early 2010, followed by the GTC version in spring 2010 and than the rest of the models from the range (sedan, wagon and coupe-cabriolet).

Above you have the 5-door version sketch, and after the jump you can see the GTC version. Read More: "More details and the first sketches of the new Opel/Vauxhall/Saturn Astra"

Opel’s British arm, Vauxhall, announced today that the Astra TwinTop will be available with a VXR bodykit, which will include a restyled front spoiler skirt, side sills, rear spoiler and lower spoiler skirt. The more aggressive look of the TwinTop fitted with the VXR kit is inspired by Vauxhall’s record-breaking British Touring Car Championship team. And it looks really good, wondering if US designers will do the same good job.

The full bodykit is available for £1,399 (around $2,500) and Vauxhall also offfers the possibility for the rear spoiler to be fitted separately for £299 (around $530). All prices include installation and painting to match body color. For customers wanting more than a bodykit, Vauxhall offers more accessories such as sport exhausts, stainless steel pedals and alloy wheels.

Read More: "Vauxhall Astra TwinTop gets VXR styling kit"

According to Automotive News, GM is considering moving design for some of its non-US models to the United States. And don’t think that they’re planning on doing that because the US designers are awesome, but because they’ve got a lot of spare time, with GM canceling or delaying a lot of US models, such as the Chevrolet Impala or the Buick sedan. Unlike their US colleagues, employees from the German and Korean design departments have their hands full, especially with GM’s recent small car programs, so some design work for Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Daewoo might be done in the future in Michigan.

“We have had a couple studios where some projects have been canceled,” said Ed Welburn, GM’s design vice president. “We have other studios that are totally overloaded. We just need to level that work around the globe.”

Read More: "GM USA to handle design work for European models"

Nope, that’s not figurative talking, the new Vauxhall Insignia actually landed in London. The 4.7 metre-diameter orb containing the Insignia was suspended by a crane high above Potters Fields Park, 45 metres to earth and then was let fall down in only 6 seconds (pretty impressive stunt). The event featured 300 guests and Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer for GM Europe, who drove the Insignia onto the stage after it landed safely on the ground, said: “We are very proud of the Insignia and decided that an extraordinary car needed an extraordinary entrance, that’s why we chose to drop in at one of London’s most frequented and iconic locations - Tower Bridge just next to the London Assembly.”

The Insignia debuts tomorrow, 22 July, at the British International Motor Show, where Vauxhall will announce the vehicle’s price in the UK. Sales begin immediately in the UK for both the hatchback and notchback versions and there is a range of five engines. All meet Euro 5 emissions standards and come with six-speed transmissions, either manual or automatic.

Check out the video after the jump.
Read More: "Vauxhall Insignia lands in London"

The Vauxhall Corsa VXR (known in Europe as the Opel Corsa OPC) is one fun car to drive and the guys from Opel thought to make it even cooler, by creating the Vauxhall Corsa VXR Arctic Edition, which will debut next week at the British Motor Show in London. But don’t expect the car to be a Corsa fitted for North Pole expeditions, because the name comes from the special Glacier White paintwork.

Available in only 500 units, the car is fitted with a Remus Sports exhaust which increases the 1.6 liter turbocharged engine’s power output by 15 hp, so the Arctic Edition develops a total of 207 hp. This, combined with the dark tinted rear windows, the black roof and side mirrors and the new 18 inch V-spoke alloy wheels, make the Vauxhall Corsa VXR Arctic Edition a really good deal for the £16,995 (around $34,000, £995 more than the standard Corsa VXR), you’ll have to pay for it. No official info on the performance figures, but we don’t think there’ll be any major improvements compared to the ‘regular’ Corsa VXR’s (0-60 in 6.8 seconds and 140 mph top speed).

Check out more photos after the jump.
Read More: "Vauxhall Corsa VXR Arctic Edition"

Although GM’s CEO said the much anticipated VOLT is not guaranteed to go into production, and that the massive resources put in motion for the technology were not enough, we find out that there will be an European restyled version.

Opel and Vauxhall will both benefit from redesigned versions of the GM VOLT, however, it is expected that the prices will be steep, and we should expect price growth of around 10.000 Euros more than normal Opel/Vauxhall variants. That does not sound like a market hit to us, but it will be a good image booster for the company as this idea fits well within the current tendencies .

Expect the Opel/Vauxhall VOLT to hit European shores around late 2012.
Read More: "Plugged-in Opel/Vauxhall based on the Volt"

Today, Vauxhall presented their new logo, which will debut on the upcoming Insignia. With this new logo, the British GM subsidiary wants it to inspire “modern, fresh and inspired”, just like their current cars, the redesigned Astra and Corsa, plus the upcoming Insignia.

Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall’s Managing Director, said “While the new-look Griffin pays homage to our 100 year-plus manufacturing heritage in the UK, it also encapsulates Vauxhall’s fresh design philosophy, first showcased in the current Astra, and set to continue with Insignia”.

As we said, the new Vauxhall logo will debut together with the new Insignia, at the British International Motor Show in July. After the show, all Vauxhalls cars will roll out of the factory wearing the logo.

Check out the Vauxhall logo evolution after the jump.
Read More: "New Vauxhall logo revealed"

It looks like, with the next generation coming out, Opel will be dropping the “Vectra” name tag of its mid-size sedan, which will bare the name “Insignia” (Latin for “symbol”). Not sure what was wrong with the Vectra name, I personally like it more than Insignia, but hey, who am I to judge…Opel wants to name it Insignia, they can name it whatever they want.

The new Opel/Vauxhall Insignia will debut at the 2008 British Motor Show, which will take place next July and will be built at Opel’s plant in Rüsselsheim, Germany. The car, which is based on the GTC concept, presented by Opel at this year’s Geneva Show, will be built on GM’s new Epsilon II platform and will feature a wider an taller body.

Alain Visser, the Chief Marketing Officer of GM Europe, said: “Dynamic performance is one of the Opel brand’s core values. In the new Opel Insignia, this defining characteristic is realized by sophisticated powertrain technology, active safety and the interface between driver and car. The Insignia’s level of comfort and environmental friendliness is unrivaled even among considerably more expensive competitors.”

Also, check out a teaser video of the new Opel Insignia, after the jump.
Read More: "New Opel Vectra generation to be called Insignia"