That is cool! I hadn't even known about their connection. Thanks for posting. I like all the variants the Astra had, especially the little van. A Cobalt van would be right up my alley.
The Cobalt was Chevrolet's replacement for our Cavalier.
It has since been replaced by the Cruze, but the name Cobalt is being used for a strange-looking Russian Aveo.
Quick update: I've aired the tires up to 40 psi. I'm also considering ditching the wheel covers, but we'll see. They're quite noisy, and the chrome looks a bit tacky. Also, I noticed yesterday that half of the driver's side mudflap is torn off. Huh. Unfortunately it's a part of the wheel wheel liner, so I'll have to pull the whole thing out if I want to do a half-decent job cutting it.