First pics of new Astra interior

Vauxhall have released the first official pictures of the new Vauxhall Astra interior.

The new hatch, which makes its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, features Insignia-inspired detailing and a wraparound instrument panel.

Vauxhall has decked out the Astra’s innards with ambient lighting, a shallow-angle centre panel and driver-focused chrome-ringed dials.

The company’s top boffins also did their research and found out the most common items stored in customer cars.

Using this info, they developed the new Astra’s storage solutions to accommodate these items, including a sunglasses case above the door opening on the driver’s side, coin slots and pen holders moulded into the glove box lid and a large-storage centre console.

The new Astra gets a ‘Flex-Floor’ rear boot system, which opens up more storage space beneath the standard boot floor – itself fixable at different heights.

Vauxhall reckon the new Astra’s interior – which makes use of ‘upscale’ materials and ‘top grains’ all result in a premium feel. We’ll have to wait until September to find out.

20/06/2009