Opel Astra K 1

Opel/Vauxhall has begun teasing its new Opel Astra K, even though the hatch remains clad in camo and in prototype form. The 11th-gen will make its debut at the IAA in Frankfurt in September.

The company has come up with a video celebrating the Astra's heritage, with Opel CEO Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann stating that the upcoming car will feature "an awesome design," highest efficiency and an abundance of innovations.

The new car is smaller than the outgoing 10th-gen J, but the automaker says the the interior space will be increased substantially. It's also set to be much lighter than its predecessor.

According to Autobild, which has reportedly gotten up close with one of the development mules, the Astra K - which will be underpinned by a D2XX platform - will be around 120 to 200 kg lighter than the J, which is no small thing. And, despite having a shorter overall length and reduced wheelbase, the new Astra will have an additional 34mm of legroom. More on this one as it gets closer to Frankfurt.