The upcoming Opel Astra undergoes testing in extreme climates

The upcoming, all new Opel Astra is nearing completion of its impressive test programme that has seen it head to the Earth's frozen extremities. With the testing almost complete, the Astra is one step closer to arriving in showrooms around the world.

Over the winter months, Opel's engineers took the all new Astra to the freezing landscapes of the Swedish Lapland. With temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, chassis experts executed lap after lap on slippery track surfaces, continuously optimising the electronically controlled systems for traction and anti-lock braking.

Following the extensive testing process, the all new Astra is able to handle safely and consistently, regardless of the surface, be it ice, snow, or wet or dry asphalt.

The testing also ensured that the Astra meets Opel's stringent in-house safety standards, which state that the frozen windows of any Opel model must be clear of ice and fog in the shortest possible time to ensure safe visibility for drivers.

Because the Astra is available as an efficient plug-in hybrid, engineers also kept a close watch on the warm-up times of the lithium-ion battery, making sure that the performance of the cells meets driving standards over a range of temperatures.

The pre-production cars also had to meet high standards for high speed driving, with the all new Astra required to remain controllable at speeds well above 130km/h and stable under hard braking.