All-new Astravan hits the road

Vauxhall’s longest established van has just got better, with an all-new fifth generation about to go on sale. Designed with the driver in mind, New Astravan is the light commercial vehicle that’s just as good on the road as it is with a load!

At Vauxhall retailers in October, the newcomer has been designed and developed in the UK, where almost 10,000 Astravans a year are sold, and has been designed from the ground up to be every inch the ‘Driver’s Van’.

Based on the platform of the Vauxhall Astra estate, a car praised in the press for its impressive dynamics, stylish design and impressive load carrying ability, New Astravan takes these elements of its design to even more practical levels.

For example, it retains the dynamic abilities and comfort of the car, but with even greater practicality. Its spacious load bay is completely flat, while a wide tailgate, plastic inner body mouldings and a smooth undertray make loading a hassle-free experience.

Yet from behind the wheel it feels little different from a car. It benefits from Vauxhall’s award-winning range of engines and transmissions, is compact and agile to drive and is a lot more stylish than your average commercial vehicle!

Design

Although based on the structure of the five-door Astra estate, every component of New Astravan has been reassessed or redesigned so it’s purpose-built for commercial duties, while a great deal of attention has been paid to making the load bay as practical and usable as possible.

The front end styling is identical to that of the much-lauded Astra range, while the dynamically-designed roofline tapers backward by 50mm, as per the Astra estate, to improve the flow of air over the roof of the vehicle and give it a better drag coefficient.

Most of the design and development work has been carried out in Britain, which is Astravan’s number one market, and the engineering team have made extensive use of GM’s extensive testing facilities at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire to ensure Astravan is in tune with its key market.

It was their intention from the start to make Astravan the ‘The Driver’s Van’, and this really shows in the composed and agile way in which Astravan drives.

Manufacturing

New Astravan is built alongside the Astra five-door hatchback at GM’s manufacturing facility in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. The plant was home to the current Astravan until 2004, when the line was transferred to Poland to make way for car production.

The greater commonality between New Astravan and the current Astra means it can once again be built in Britain, and will take advantage of Ellesmere Port’s state-of-the-art production line and reputation for exacting quality control.

Chassis and steering

New Astravan’s chassis takes advantage of the dynamic design of the Astra car range, and is adaptable to suit different models in the range.

The rear axle has been redesigned so that the fuel tank can be moved, giving the van a lower centre of gravity and increased stability as well as allowing for extra load space and a completely flat floor.

At the front, the camber and toe angles have been adjusted to deliver lower fuel consumption and reduced tyre wear, while the electro-hydraulic power steering system is map controlled, meaning it adjusts the level of assistance dependent on vehicle speed and the rate at which the steering wheel is turned. The benefit of this set up is that not only does it always allow smooth and predictable steering inputs, but is also light around town while remaining stable at motorway speeds.

The steering and chassis set-up comes into its own on twistier sections of road. Vauxhall has identified that a good number of Astravan drivers use their vans exactly as they would a car, and that Astravan’s compact dimensions make it ideal for tackling routes that some larger van drivers may choose to ignore. Not only is New Astravan easy to drive, but it’s also agile and, compared to most rivals, positively sporty – with the same rewarding chassis that has made the Astra car range such a hit.

Comfort

If you use a van as an essential tool of your work, it’s important that it must also be a pleasant working environment – and that’s where New Astravan really scores. The cabin shares the ergonomically-designed layout of the Astra car, and is designed to offer comfort and refinement levels that most van customers would never expect to find.

The seating, in particular, has been carefully designed. Seats are incredibly important to van drivers, as they must offer not only short-term comfort but also long-term support. In New Astravan, they have been designed to offer a sense of well-being, to prevent premature fatigue and a loss of concentration – both identified as major factors in accidents involving commercial vehicles.

Using new materials and improved contours, they offer higher side supports and a longer seat base to provide more cushioning under the driver’s legs, while the sports seats fitted to Sportive models have an even more defined, figure-hugging position.

The instrument panel is logically laid-out, while all of the frequently-used switches are within easy reach of the driver’s hands.

Practicality

New Astravan has a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs than the existing model, and the benefits of this not only include better handling and ride, but also mean extra interior space both in the cabin and the load bay.

The tailgate opens low and wide to give an impressive aperture, while the floor itself is 58mm longer and 9mm wider than in the current Astravan. Loads of up to 29mm higher than the outgoing model can also be stowed in the back, while the overall payload has been increased by up to 45kg.

Six individual lashing points on the rear deck allow objects to be secured in place, while a half-height bulkhead with optional extension mesh prevent loads from sliding forwards into the cabin during heavy braking.

Engines

Initially, New Astravan will be available with a choice of three diesel engines and one petrol.

The flagship model uses the 120PS 1.9-litre CDTi powerplant that is found in the Astra car range, offering class leading performance, refinement and running costs.

An uprated 100PS version of the current Astravan’s 100PS 1.7-litre CDTi unit is also on offer, along with a 90PS version of Vauxhall’s award-winning 1.3CDTi engine, voted ‘Engine of the Year’ by Engine Technology International and Commercial Fleet World.

All three diesel units are Euro 4 compliant, as is the one petrol addition to the range. Powered by a 90PS 1.4-litre engine, the petrol Astravan makes use of GM’s Twinport technology to deliver maximum refinement, responsiveness and economy.

Safety

Vauxhall is proud of the safety of its passenger cars, and in New Astravan those impressive levels of passenger protection are carried over into the commercial vehicle range.

Active safety features include the dynamically designed chassis, ABS, EBD, Emergency Brake Assist and optional tyre deflation detection system, while should the worst happen New Astravan benefits from the same passive safety features that earned the Astra car range a five-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating.

Driver and passenger airbags are standard, while side airbags are offered as an option. The energy from any front end impact is fed through three different load paths to cushion the main cabin structure, which also features Vauxhall’s patented Pedal Release System, pulling the pedals away from the driver to minimise cabin intrusion.

Security

There’s little more valuable than your cargo, and in recognition of that New Astravan has a host of security features that are designed to give peace of mind to both owners and fleet managers.

All models will have remote central deadlocking, with tamper-proof protected door locks, while a perimetric alarm system and a solid rear tailgate will be offered on the options list.

For the first time, Astravan’s headlights will also feature a follow-me-home system, where the lamps can be set to remain illuminated for a short while after the van has been locked to light-up the path to your door.

One of Astravan’s greatest security features, however, is in its design. Unlike most vans, you can tuck it away overnight in a conventional garage. And to anyone who has ever had to load and unload a nearly-full van twice a day, that’s one of the greatest features of all!

Ownership and running costs

Low-running costs are one of the most popular features of the existing Astravan, and are something that will be carried over to the newcomer. The engines are both fuel efficient and tax-efficient, while we’re expecting New Astravan to follow the lead of the current model and enjoy some of the best residual values in its class.

For fleet managers, there’s Vauxhall’s wide dealer network, with over 500 locations where servicing and repairs can be carried out – and like all Vauxhall CVs New Astravan will be covered by a comprehensive three-year warranty. We know van drivers and fleet managers alike prefer to minimise the amount of time their vehicles spend off the road, too, so new Astravan will have a 20,000-mile/one-year service interval. Vauxhall’s network of Commercial Vehicle Premier Service Centres, which aim to reduce downtime and maximise mobility through longer opening hours and dedicated LCV Service bays, further adds to the ownership experience.

New Astravan will also be offered with Vauxhall’s innovative Structure Wheel, pioneered on the Vectra, which has all the style and presence of an alloy, but features an inexpensive to change plastic cover to cut down on repair or replacement costs – perfect for the fleet manager who wants his vans to look special, but not be saddled with refurbishment costs.

Prices and specifications

New Astravan will arrive at Vauxhall LCV retailers in October 2006, priced from £9,995 + VAT. Two trim levels will be on offer, in nine different exterior colours.

Club models come with a comprehensive array of standard equipment, including electric windows, a CD30 stereo-radio CD player, body coloured bumpers with black insterts, black side protection mouldings, central locking, dark tinted tailgate glass and a height-adjustable driver’s seat.

The range-topping Sportive models get 16-inch Structure Wheels, air conditioning, sports seats, electric door mirrors, roof rails, body-coloured door mirrors and handles, a sports leather steering wheel, chrome-effect fascia inserts and metallic paint.