Vauxhall celebrates the seventh generation of the Astra with a giant Union Jack

Vauxhall celebrates the seventh generation of the Astra with a giant Union Jack

Vauxhall has come up with a novel way to celebrate the launch of its all-new seventh generation Astra.

Using 128 red, white and blue new Astras, workers at the Ellesmere Port manufacturing port created a giant Union Jack to pay tribute to the 36 years of Astra manufacturing at the Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant, which has seen over five million cars roll off its production line.

Vauxhall's Chairman and Managing Director, Tim Tozer commented: "The all-new Brit built Astra raises the bar in terms of quality, design and connectivity. Lighter than ever before, with new powertrains and cutting-edge technology, the new Astra is set to shake up the C-segment when it arrives in showrooms."

He continued, "The Vauxhall Astra has been one of Britain's best-selling and most-loved cars produced for over three decades. The next generation Astra not only continues to drive this legacy and celebrate the strong British heritage of the brand, but is also a key investment for the home of the Astra  Ellesmere Port  and celebrating the workers who have built the vehicle to world class levels of quality and productivity, making it a household name."

A long-term contract to build the Astra at the Cheshire plant was secured in 2012 which guarantees 2,000 jobs at the plant over the next decade. When full production begins in 2016, it is estimated that workers at the plant will produce 680 Astras per day. At present, an Astra takes 24 hours to build from sheet steel to completed car, but this is expected to be reduced to 22 hours as production advances.

by: Laura Thomson