New Vauxhall Astra at Brands Hatch

The final round of the 2009 British Touring Car Championship, and the manufacturer’s race team, VX Racing’s, swan song, will be the venue for the first UK public appearance of the new Vauxhall Astra.

The highly acclaimed model will be displayed on Vauxhall’s stand at Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, as part of the manufacturer’s display at the BTCC event. With race cars from previous years as well as models from Vauxhall’s current road car line up, the new Astra will take pride of place for this historic occasion.

Vauxhall’s involvement in British motorsport draws to a close at the final event of this season’s BTCC. After over 20 years in the series, the manufacturer has withdrawn from the Series leaving a legacy of unrivalled success during this time. The Astra Coupe, fielded in the early 2000’s, has left a lasting impression on the championship, It won 25 out of 26 races in its debut year and remains the most successful car in touring car history with 62 wins from 96 starts in the series.

The new Vauxhall Astra will mark the sixth generation of the model in the last 30 years and from launch will be built at the company’s Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, UK. This new model not only features a longer wheelbase and wider tracks for improved stability and ride comfort, but also a cleverly positioned Watts link rear suspension system that is set to offer drivers class-leading handling and ride comfort. Vauxhall’s much-praised FlexRide adaptive damping system will also be available on most Astra models – a feature rarely found in compact class cars.

Visitors to the British Touring Car Championship event at Brands Hatch will not only be able to see the new Astra for the first time, they will also be able to meet some of Vauxhall’s past BTCC drivers and examples of the cars they drove in the last twenty years.