Go Torque - Trade News Direct Issue 1 2016 | Page 12

ALL-NEW ASTRA VOTED
EUROPE’S CAR OF THE YEAR 2016

The new Astra is European
‘Car of the Year 2016’ –
winner of one of the world’s
most prestigious motoring
awards. The 58-strong jury of
automotive journalists from 22
European countries awarded
the Astra a total of 309 points,
versus 294 for the Volvo XC90
and 202 for the Mazda MX-5.
The Astra emerged as the winner
from a field of 7 COTY finalists.
More than 40 new cars, from
sporty roadsters to premium
limousines and SUVs, were
among the contenders.
Holden Executive Director of
Sales, Peter Keley, said Astra
would redefine Holden in the
important small car segment.
“We already knew that Astra was
a world-beating vehicle and this

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latest prestigious award cements
those credentials,” said Mr Keley.
“Astra is a critical part of Holden’s
plan to launch 24 new models
by the end of 2020 as we refresh
or replace every model in the
Holden vehicle portfolio. With
more than one-third of our future
vehicles to be sourced from
Europe, along with fantastic
vehicles from North America and
Asia, we are building the best
and most comprehensive model
line-up in Holden’s history.
“World-class vehicles like the
Astra embody the rejuvenation
of the Holden brand. Astra is
one of the most technologically
advanced small cars in the
world, in addition to an intuitive
infotainment system, it also boasts
a range of premium features you
would usually expect only on

GO TORQUE. TRADE NEWS DIRECT. Issue 1. 2016

high-end prestige vehicles.
“With our Holden engineers being
embedded in the program from
the beginning and giving Astra
that special Holden touch, you can
be assured Astra will be perfectly
suited to Australian conditions.”
This latest award continues
Astra’s winning streak, with Astra
already taking out international
awards such as SAFETYBEST
2015 and the 2015 Golden
Steering Wheel.
The all-new Astra is based on
a completely new lightweight
vehicle architecture and
powered by the latest-generation
powertrains. Smartphone
integration and the worldclass connectivity complement
additional high-end technology
such as IntelliLux LED® matrix light.