Astra La Vista - Vauxhall's Hatch Is Number One Seller

    * Astra overtakes newly-launched rival to become UK's top seller for February
    * Vauxhall takes overall number one manufacturer spot in car sales charts
    * Corsa and Zafira dominate their sectors 

Buyers made the Astra Britain's best selling car in February - despite the launch of some very high profile rivals. Official figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that 4703 Astras found new homes last month, giving it six percent of the total market. Strong sales of the Astra added to Vauxhall's other February successes, giving it the overall number one manufacturer spot with 11,817 car sales. Corsa continued to dominate the supermini sector and came in at number three in the charts, while the Zafira was the only MPV to appear in the top ten - despite a new model being just around the corner. The Astra's impressive performance is expected to become even stronger over the next few months, when the stylish Sport Hatch models finally reach eager buyers. Vauxhall is also working hard to secure extra production of the sportier SRi and SXi models, which have been in especially high demand.

Almost a fifth of all Astras registered last month were these sporty variants, which bodes well for the launch of the storming 240bhp VXR, due to go on sale in September.

Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall's Executive Director for UK & Ireland said "It's particularly gratifying to 'do the double' with both the car and manufacturer top sales spots in a month when our main rivals are launching new products. It proves that customers really appreciate the stylish looks and driving dynamics which the Astra - and all Vauxhalls - provide. The arrival of the Sport Hatch, plus extra-value models such as the Breeze special editions, mean that we intend to push the pedal further over the next few months".

UK car sales - February 2005

Source: SMMT

1 Vauxhall Astra 4703
2 Ford Focus* 4620
3 Vauxhall Corsa 2756
4 VW Golf 2688
5 Ford Mondeo 2256
6 Vauxhall Vectra 2076
7 Ford Fiesta 2004
8 Peugeot 206 1690
9 Vauxhall Zafira 1541
10 VW Polo 1538

*Does not include the C-Max MPV variant Founded in London in 1903, Vauxhall is a UK brand aiming to deliver driving excitement and stylish and innovative design. Its vehicles benefit from the best of GM's worldwide capability while being designed to cater for the various and varied demands of modern day drivers.

Producing thousands of vehicles every year at its van plant in Luton and car plant in Ellesmere Port, Vauxhall is a major contributor to the local economies and communities in both Bedfordshire and Cheshire.

Total sales for 2004, were 373540 (325,012 cars and 48,528 vans). UK production of cars and vans in the same period totalled 236,883 (147,918 cars and 88,965 vans).