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You're looking at the next generation Vauxhall Astra VXR, sort of.
This is the GTC Concept; a concept, chirrups Vauxhall, that "gives the strongest hint yet to the Astra Sport Hatch's successor".
See more pics of the Vauxhall Astra GTC Concept
This bold, made-for-Paris concept car showcases the lines next year's three-door Astra will take, and it looks mostly rakish.
Vaux's designers have apparently ‘maximised tension' in the GTC by minimising the lines, making it appear the body has been ‘pressed' onto the wheels.
But it's what lies underneath that svelte and marginally derivative exterior which we feel ‘maximises tension': an electronic limited slip diff.
This is good news indeed. The last VXR - while a seriously cool car - unfortunately had a tendency to get very left/right depending on the random movement of space debris. Fitting a limited slip diff is a ruddy good way of curing that - witness the 300 horses Ford has (barely) managed to tame in the Focus RS.
Vaux has omitted any power details, but the show car gets a direct injection 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit mated to a six-speed box, along with adaptive dampers and stop/start technology.
The concept will be fully unveiled at this month's Paris motor show.
Whaddya' reckon? Don't forget, the new Astra is a fine hatch, and with the right chassis tweaks and power, could be an absolute corker as a VXR...
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Want to comment on this?
airbuggy commented on this article
at 03:25 pm on 08 September 2010
looks nice and neat.no fussy details.would love to see vauxhall competing in WRC against fiesta's and ds3's.would make it all the more interesting for europeans.
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airbuggy commented on this article
at 03:27 pm on 08 September 2010
i was just looking closely and it appears that the rear passengers might have to be resting their heads on the parcel tray thanks to the rather good-looking sloping roof.love the glasshouse.reminds me of a shark fin for some reason.
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ralexxx commented on this article
at 03:55 pm on 08 September 2010
Bravo OPEL!!!
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samey.umako commented on this article
at 05:35 pm on 08 September 2010
So Vauxhall acquired Renault and restyled the Megane, eh? Wait, Astra?
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Vagelis commented on this article
at 05:39 pm on 08 September 2010
New Astra to get e-diff ? Really like the useless ones on the VWs? People need to testdrive more and read less car specs... Drive an e-Q2 equiped Alfa or a true mechanical diff and you 'll know what I mean. Looks like Opel is getting better than VW, but that shouldn't be all that difficult. It's boringh ....
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