GM on Tuesday said it will spend more than $4.2 billion (€3.1 billion) on the next generation of the Opel/Vauxhall/Saturn Astra. GM announced it would build the new Astra at its Ellesmere Port, England; Bochum, Germany; Trollhattan, Sweden; and Gliwice, Poland plants instead of its Antwerp, Belguim plant where the car is currently built raising questions about the Antwerp plants future.
Officials in both the Belguim and Flemish governments expressed disappointment with the decision and said they had been working hard to improve the Antwerp plant’s efficiency.
This car will replace the 2008 Saturn Astra (pictured below), which was the first model imported by Saturn from Opel as part of GM’s new strategy of merging the two companies product lines. The car is renowned in Europe for its excellent interior, good handling and has beaten its VW competition in comparison tests. Expect to see this new Astra in the US as GM continues to integrate Saturn and Opel into one.
