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Opel

Opel confirms 3dr Astra GTC for Australia

Vauxhall Astra GTC

Opel Australia has confirmed they will be adding the three door GTC hatch to its range when the Astra launches here towards the end of the year.

Bill Mott, Opel Australia Managing Director, says the GTC is the pinnacle of the Astra line, “Opel designers wanted the Astra GTC to be the ultimate expression of Opel’s design language ‘sculptural artistry meets German precision’ and to embody our passion for the automobile.

“We are excited to be able to present this dynamic car to Australians, as it offers the ideal blend of emotion and functionality, and expect our ‘hot hatch’ to bring a breath of fresh air into the sports compact segment.”

In overseas markets the GTC is available with four engine choices, we can’t see all four making it to Australia. Our guess is Opel Australia will market the car against the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Renault Megane RS 250. Therefore we expect to see the top of the range 1.6 litre turbo with 132kW/230Nm. We may get a diesel-powered GTC too.

The petrol model is a little underpowered compared to the Golf GTI (155kW/280Nm) and Megane RS250 (184kW/340Nm). It will need to be sharply priced to seriously tempt buyers away from established hot hatch benchmarks.

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Opel

3 door Astra GTC being considered for Australia

Vauxhall Astra GTC

Opel revealed the production version of its three-door Astra GTC at Frankfurt last month. Here’s a few pics we’ve raided from the Vauxhall press gallery. Also included are three videos showing the car in a real world context.

Speaking about the launch of the GTC, Opel Australia Managing Director, Bill Mott, said “Astra GTC is a stunning car and highlights the ‘emotional design’ that underpins the Opel brand together with the dynamic driving performance that will come with the state-of-the art chassis and sporty suspension.

“GTC is a totally different concept compared to traditional three-door models. It will launch in Europe before the end of the year with a range of powertrain combinations and we’ll be looking at it closely for the Australian market.”

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Opel

Opel Australia confirms 2012 product range

Opel Astra

Opel Australia will launch their product range next year. Bill Mott, Opel Australia Managing Director, used the recent Frankfurt Motor Show to confirm Australia’s model line-up.

According to Opel over two-thirds of new car sales in Australia are from the small to medium segments. So it’s no surprise that the expected line-up of Insignia, Astra and Corsa has been confirmed.

“We’re able to draw from our European portfolio and offer the right mix of models that will appeal to Australian customers and hit the sweet spot for these segments,” Mr Mott said.

“Opel will offer a great range of body styles, powertrains and specification levels across Corsa, Astra and Insignia from launch which will be a solid foundation for the brand and position us well for long-term success.”

It looks like the key brand message Opel Australia will employ is to drive home the German connection.

Already Bill Mott is on message, “Australia is one of the most competitive automotive markets in the world with a real appetite for European, and particularly, German marques.

“Australians will quickly discover that Opel delivers on the promise of German engineering, but not in a conservative way.”

You’ll also be seeing a lot of these words too, Wir leben Autos. In case you’re wondering that means we live and breathe cars.

More from Opel after the break, including brief outlines of expected engines to be offered from launch and the future product plans beyond 2012.

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Opel

Opel Astra priced to play with class-leading Golf

2010 Opel Astra

According to GoAuto the Opel Astra, due in Australia in 2012, is expected to carry a $3500 price premium over its locally built Holden Cruze cousin. That’s likely to put the Astra right in the firing line of the Volkswagen Golf.

It;s understood the entry-level Astra will be fitted with a 103kW/200Nm turbocharged four cylinder, with a predicted price tag of around $26,000. That places the model in between the $24,990 Golf 90TSI and $29,490 Golf 118TSI.

Holden’s boss Mike Devereux was talking about the Astra at the launch of the Cruze II. He explained, “The plan for the two brands—Holden and Opel—would be to have intelligent price points, intelligent approaches to content and technology.”

Therefore, we can expect the Astra models to be well equipped in order to offer value for the extra asking price. Devereux acknowledges the Opel won’t dislodge established players Toyota and Mazda from the top of the sales charts and has set his sights on annual sales in the 7,000-10,000 region.

[Source: GoAuto]

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GM Holden Opel

Opel targets Australian launch in 2012

Opel Insignia

Some quite big news emerged from the Detroit Auto Show early this morning with Holden boss Mike Devereux announcing, “Opel will be sold as a stand-alone brand in Australia for the first time in 2012.

“Opel presents a new opportunity for GM in Australia with a growing demand for German design and technology at affordable prices.”

Previous Opel-sourced models to sell in Australia, re-badged as Holdens, include the Corsa (known locally as Barina), Astra and Vectra. It will be these three models, or their current replacements, that will find their way down under, as well.

The entry level Corsa, Astra and mid-size Insignia models have all undergone considerable upgrades in the last 18 months or so and the Insignia was voted the 2009 European Car of the Year. All three will be welcome additions to the local market.

Opel’s product plans for each model are unknown at this stage. However, they bring with them a broad range of options, including wagon versions of the Astra and Insignia, as well as performance variants of all three models.

Holden will assist its sister brand to gain a market presence, which will presumably take place in the form of utlising the local dealer network.

You can keep up to date with developments by registering at the new Opel Australia website.

Today’s official press release is available after the break. Although, one question does remain unanswered; do you think Australian Opel owners will rush out to modify their cars with Holden badges?

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Opel Vauxhall

Vauxhall GTC hot hatch concept

Vauxhall GTC Concept

Okay, the Holden Cruze hatchback is not a bad looking car. But the current model Astra looks better. As it currently stands there are no plans from Holden to bring the current Astra down under. That’s a shame, really, because it means we probably won’t get to see this new GTC hot hatch on our shores.

The pics here are of the concept model that will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show in a bit over two weeks from now. Concept model or not, this car looks almost production ready. Save, perhaps, for the 21″ wheels.

It looks quite smart, too. Vauxhall/Opel have not confirmed any specs just yet, apart from a few details on suspension and that it will be powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder.

More after the jump.

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Opel Vauxhall

Inside Vauxhall’s new Astra

2010 Vauxhall/Opel Astra

In May images of the new Vauxhall/Opel Astra were leaked, then officially released. At the time no interior images were revealed, leaked or otherwise. Well, now they have been.

It’s still a mish mash of button overload, like previous Astras, but the new model has been given a major overhaul and, aesthetically at least, is a vast improvement over earlier iterations.

Full of “clever storage solutions” the new Astra is aiming for a more premium feel and the product planners claim to have used higher grade materials inside to aid that cause.

It’s still too early to say if we will see the new Astra in Australia wearing a Holden badge so—short of getting yourself to the Frankfurt Motor Show in September for the car’s first public showing—you’ll simply have to look at these pics to be the judge. Click on each pic to load a wallpaper sized 2000px version.

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Opel Vauxhall

2010 Opel Astra – official pics

2010 Opel Astra

As is always the case, once material has been leaked manufacturers are quick to get official images out and about. And Opel, showcasing their new Asrta, is no different. Included here are nine official pics (click on each one to load wallpaper sized versions) and a press statement from Vauxhall UK.

There’s still no interior pics, but Vauxhall says they will be released soon. The new Astra will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and will go on sale shortly after.

As noted yesterday, I quite like the look of this new Astra. Although, while some, including Vauxhall, say it is inspired by its bigger brother, the Insignia, I say it’s a homage to its mid-size berthren. Or, in Gen-Y speak, its a mash up of current design cues.

There’s a bit of Mazda 3 in the lower front grille and C-pillar. There’s some Golf VI in the strong shoulder line. A bit of Audi A3 in the lighting treatment, especially at the front. And, oddly enough, some Nissan Murano in the rear hatch badge treatment. No matter, though, because as an overall result it gets the AUSmotive tick of approval.