ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁an ▁all - new ▁format ▁that ▁won ▁pra ise ▁for ▁its ▁sle ek ▁looks ▁and ▁much - im pro ved ▁resistance ▁to ▁rust . ▁ ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁had ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁the ▁Nova ▁super min i , ▁a ▁re bad ged ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish - built ▁Op el ▁C ors a . ▁The ▁new ▁entry - level ▁model ▁in ▁the ▁V aux hall ▁range , ▁it ▁was ▁available ▁as ▁a ▁h atch back ▁or ▁a ▁sal oon ▁and ▁was ▁sole ly ▁built ▁at ▁the ▁Zar ago za ▁plant ▁in ▁Spain . ▁This ▁completed ▁V aux hall ' s ▁reg ener ation , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁it ▁had ▁over t aken ▁Austin ▁R over ▁( former ly ▁British ▁Ley land ) ▁as ▁Britain ' s ▁second - most ▁popular ▁car maker . ▁The ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁Nova ▁also ▁sp elled ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Che v ette ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁after ▁nearly ▁a ▁de cade ▁in ▁production . ▁ ▁The ▁A stra ▁further ▁strength ened ▁its ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁market ▁with ▁an ▁all - new ▁model ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁featuring ▁an ▁aer od ynamic ▁design ▁rem in is cent ▁of ▁Ford ' s ▁larger ▁Sierra . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁the ▁aer od ynam ically ▁sty led ▁V aux hall ▁A stra ▁M k 2 ▁built