Renault Megane Vs Opel Astra hatchback rivalry

General Motor’s Opel and France’s Renault are showing off new versions of their mainstay small cars at the Frankfurt auto show that use one key marketing tactic: make basic transportation not so basic.

Barra said Tuesday the new Astra will “play a significant role in the long term success of Opel”.

Ms Barra said the safety systems in the cars of today – including the new Opel Astra – are becoming so sophisticated that they represent an “an important step into that direction (towards zero crashes)”.

The Sports Tourer also manages to offer an extra 80 liters of luggage capacity, as the total volume (with the seats down) sits at 1,630 liters.

The list of novelties also includes the infotainment area, where the Astra now offers Apple’s CarPlay, as well as the Android Auto interface.

Mark Bernhard, Holden Chairman and Managing Director, who has just unveiled the last-ever Commodore and is the first Australian boss of Holden in 25 years, said the all-new Astra promised Australian customers European style and sophistication, coupled with outstanding efficiency, state-of-the-art technology and connectivity features that signal the future for the Holden brand and its vehicles.

Barra stressed GM’s commitment to Opel, which went through a rough patch after GM flirted with selling it following a bankruptcy restructuring in 2009. Opel gained market share in 2014; sales were up 5.2 percent through July (though that lags the industry’s 8.6 percent gain).

The Astra isn’t coming to the United States, but its architecture could eventually be used on other GM vehicles.

Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche gets the rock star treatment as he presents – to his mostly-male audience – the new Mercedes-Benz S-class cabriolet.

The two models will add to 27 new models Opel/Vauxhall plans to build between 2014 and 2018 as part of a strategy to revive the brand in Europe and move into second place on the continent by 2022.

Compared to the previous-generation Astra five-door, which was sold here wearing Opel badges between mid-2012 and mid-2013, the new Astra is slightly smaller and weighs around 130kg less yet boasts more rear legroom and standard equipment.