Opel will take the covers off of the Astra GTC later this year at the Paris Motor Show. We don’t have many details at this point, but the GTC Paris will be a concept car, which will preview a production model that we will see in Geneva in 2011.
Opel says that “And the speed was pure beauty,” a line from the novel Jonathan Livingston Seagull inspired the Astra GTC Paris.
So far, Opel->ke65 has only released one photo of the car, which shows the outlandish design and the GTC Paris’ logo.
Opel insiders are saying that this new model will be shapelier than anything else in the range. This means that it could rival the Volkswagen Scirocco->ke1517, rather than the Golf.->ke164 By looking at the photos, it appears that the GTC will be in the middle of those two, using Scirocco looks with a GTI sporty roofline.
There will likely be a 230-250 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged General Motors four-cylinder under the hood. We also expect a three-door and a five-door to be available.
We are hoping that the GTC will come to the United States as a Buick, but that is more a wild and crazy idea than anything else.
The Astra Sports Tourer will also be shown at the auto show, along with the new Meriva.
Press Release
With two world premieres and several new exciting entries, Opel will bring emotion in motion and e-mobility to the Mondial de l'Automobile 2010 in Paris (October 2 – 17), the most visited motor show in the world.
Some 1.5 million visitors will get a chance to see the GTC Paris concept, the Astra Sports Tourer, a station wagon version of the successful compact; the new Meriva, with an expanded diesel range; and significant new entries in the Opel ecoFLEX line-up. And, they will learn about the latest development of the Ampera, Opel's revolutionary extended range electric vehicle.
World Debut: The GTC Paris, Opel's New Concept Combines Speed and Beauty
"And the speed was pure beauty." This simple line from Richard Bach's famous novel, Jonathan Livingston Seagull inspires the vision around Opel's newest concept car, the GTC Paris. The line is so integral that Opel has laser-etched the words in the upholstery of the seats.
The name, GTC Paris, evokes both the dynamic character of the vehicle and the fashionable city where it will have its debut. It is an expressive, sporty compact hatch with dramatic proportions and sculptural surfaces typical of Opel's design language.
World Premiere for Opel's Athletic All-Rounder, the Astra Sports Tourer
Launched at the 2009 IAA, the Astra five-door has been very well received with nearly 200,000 orders collected in less than one year. Now the Astra Sports Tourer model will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. This sleek station wagon features first-class practicality in an athletic and stylish shape.
While it shares the same Opel design DNA and Sports Tourer name as its larger counterpart the Insignia, the Astra Sports Tourer has its own dynamic yet practical appeal. Its good looks are combined with an ample flexible cargo carrying capability. An efficient trunk design and premium features enhance the functionality to effortlessly raise load space between 500 and 1550 liters. With the seatbacks down, the cargo load length is increased to 1835 mm, 28 mm more than the current Astra wagon.
The new Astra Sports Tourer has been designed for smooth loading, while the clean, flat wall linings of the carefully contoured cargo compartment optimize useable space by eliminating odd, hard-to-use corners. Opel engineers have taken great care to enhance functionality by incorporating features from premium station wagons with a rare sense of quality and precision.
They have developed a new FlexFold Rear Seat system, which allows each section of the 60/40 split-fold rear seatbacks to be folded forward at the press of a button located in the side walls of the cargo compartment: A spring is electrically released, automatically activating swift, remote folding of the seatbacks. The Astra Sports Tourer is the first compact wagon equipped with this convenience feature.
The Easy-Access Cargo Cover slides upward and out of the way with a simple tap. The cover retracts with a quick hand motion. Likewise, these two new features are borrowed from the luxury class.
Families and business professionals using the Astra Sports Tourer benefit from the same harmoniously sculpted cabin as in the five-door hatchback. The wraparound wing front fascia and the flowing forms of the cockpit provide a great sense of space and security.
The cabin is as practical as it is comfortable. Sports Tourer users wish to stow a range of items where they need them, not just in the trunk. To help achieve that, 25 liters of cabin storage space has been added, twice as much as in the previous generation wagon. For long distance driving comfort, customers can choose the only front ergonomic seats in the segment certified by independent back experts from the Aktion Gesunder R?cken (AGR).
The Astra Sports Tourer is presented with a high quality finish and incorporates exciting Opel innovations that make life more comfortable and driving safer. These include the adaptive mechatronic FlexRide chassis, the AFL+ adaptive forward lighting, the ergonomic front seating systems and the Opel Eye front view camera system that recognizes traffic signs and warns drivers when they inadvertently depart from their lane. In addition, Opel engineers are developing a next-generation FlexFix integrated rear bike carrier, which will be introduced for the Sports Tourer next year.
New Meriva: Expanded diesel line-up enhances efficient performance
In Paris Opel's new Flexibility Champion, the Meriva, will show off its complete powertrain range. Three new important diesel engines join the two diesels and three gasoline motors that already were available at launch. Customers now have eight powertrain choices ranging from 55 kW/75 hp to 103 kW/140 hp – far outnumbering competitors.
In tune with Opel's continuous efforts to reduce its eco footprint, the new 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX version combines 21 percent more power (70 kW/95 hp) and 11.2 percent lower emissions (119 g/km CO2) than its ecoFLEX predecessor. Also new are two powerful versions of the 1.7 CDTI engine respectively developing 81 kW/110 hp and 96 kW/130 hp and up to 300 Nm of torque for an average combined fuel consumption of 5.2 liter/100 km.
All diesel engines in the Meriva are equipped with particulate filters as standard and comply with Euro 5 norms.
Along with this wide powertrain range, customers also benefit from a variety of innovative features that optimize the easy use of space and make the new Opel Meriva, the Flexibility Champion.
Significant new entries in Opel ecoFLEX line-up
As proof of Opel's continuous work improving the efficiency of its ecoFLEX family, the line-up has significantly changed in the last six months. New for Paris are the Corsa and Agila with Start/Stop technology; the Meriva 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX and the Insignia 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX.
Opel now offers Start/Stop technology on the Corsa 1.3 CDTI (55 kW/75 hp) and Agila 1.2 gasoline (69 kW/94 hp) together with a Euro 5 upgrade and a CO2 engine optimization package, delivering significant fuel economy in urban driving. By the end of 2011, all major carlines will offer the Start/Stop CO2-saving technology.
Fuel consumption and CO2-emissions have been reduced on the Insignia ecoFLEX model from 5.2 l/100 km and 136 grams to 4.9 l/100 km and 129 grams, showing that the brand is committed to working on a range of innovations that can reduce – and ultimately displace – oil dependency, minimize CO2 emissions and encourage energy diversity.