Opel's success story in the compact saloon market can be traced all the way back to 1962 when the Opel Kadett A was launched. In fact the Opel Kadett laid the foundations for the modern compact segment in Germany during the economic boom years due to the affordable mobility it offered to the growing middle class.

Fifty years later, the new Astra saloon is celebrating its world premiere at the Auto Salon Moscow (August 29 - September 9, 2012) ahead of its Irish debut in October. So far Opel has sold ten generations of compact vehicles, equivalent to 22 million cars. It is also an anniversary within an even bigger celebration: Opel is this year celebrating its 150th birthday as a company. There are very few other car makers that have such a long tradition.

Today, the new Opel Astra marks the fourth generation of Astra for Opel. Available from October in Ireland, this new addition to the Opel family is a perfect sibling to the award winning Insignia. With its sporting, elegant design and refined build quality, the new Astra saloon is set to become a core product in the Opel Astra line-up.