Vauxhall Astra

There's one car that I'm particularly interested in finding out more about. It's not a fancy BMW or even a Rolls-Royce. It's the humble Vauxhall Astra that has been in our lives for some 36 years.

We won't know much about it until its world première at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show this September, but Vauxhall has released some information about it now.

As with any new car, it's been on a diet. Although it has saved "up to" 200kg, Vauxhall has been honest in saying that the average saving was a realistic 130kg, which helps improve refinement and efficiency I'm sure.

Talking about efficiency, there's an option of a 1.0-litre petrol unit which kicks out 105 PS or a range of 1.6-litre 'Whisper Diesel' units capable of producing between 110 and 160 PS. But what Vauxhall's really keen for us to know about is its new 1.4-lite 4-cylinder petrol engine producing 145 PS and 250 Nm.

As regards its magnificent design, well, just wow! Look at it! That's not the Astra I'm used to! Its darkened C-pillar helps make the illusion of a floating roof, something that every car manufacturer seems to be going for nowadays. Add to that the front headlights that fuse into the grille and the perky rear end and you have yourself a more luxurious family car.

It's just under 5cm shorter and 2.6cm lower. Even the wheelbase has shrunk by 2cm, but Vauxhall claims to have added 35mm to the rear passengers' legroom thanks to some newly designed seats.

Inside you've got Vauxhall's IntelliLink infotainment system which is capable of connecting to an iPhone or Android using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The new IntelliLux LED Matrix Light Headlights are a group of 8 LED segments on each side that automatically and continuously adapt to avoid blinding oncoming vehicles. The company claims that LED headlights help you spot things 30-40m earlier than xenon or halogen lights, thus giving you an additional 1.5 seconds of thinking time.

Although not standard equipment, it will be possible to specify the new Astra with Traffic Sign Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Following Distance Indication, Forward Collision Alert with Collision Imminent Braking, Cruise Control with Speed Limiter, Advanced Park Assist, Rear View Camera, Side Blind Spot Alert an18-way adjustable driver’s seat, massage function, ventilation and heated outer rear seats.