Vauxhall have just released some images of the upcoming Astra VXR replacement, only there’s a bit of a surprise. Dubbed the Astra GTC Paris concept, the pictures give us a clear idea of what the VXR replacement is going to look like, and there’s a suggestion that the GTC badge could be adopted on the new car.
What’s clear from the images is that the new Astra sport hatch is going to be a great looking car. While this may be a concept it’s safe to say that the production car will look almost identical. Seeing as this is a concept it has to have oversized alloys, in this case a massive 21-inches in diameter, but expect the real Astra GTC to have something closer to 18-inch or 19-inch.
Other notable features are chrome-surrounded LED running lights underneath the eagle-eye shaped headlamps, complete with xenon bulbs. At the rear are twin rectangular tailpipes, roof-mounted spoiler and LED tail lights featuring a distinctive ‘wing’ design.
While there’s no word on performance (it’s a concept, remember) Vauxhall claim that the Astra GTC Paris features a tuned chassis with wider track. Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbo with direct injection mated to a six-speed gearbox, which matches the speculation of a heavily tuned version of the old Astra’s engine – expect something between 280bhp and 300bhp. There’s also mention of an electronic limited slip diff, so the new GTC/VXR should have better road manners than its unruly predecessor.
Of course, in this day and age you’ve got to try and claim some green credentials so the new Astra will have a Start/Stop system – expect better economy, cheaper road tax and undying gratitude from penguins and polar bears.
With the Paris Motor Show less than a month away it won’t be long before we know a lot more about the Astra VXR replacement. But will it keep the VXR badge or is Vauxhall looking at a new performance range?
Gorgeous styling on this 3 door Astra but I think Vauxhall should ditch the VXR brand. The badge has got a horribly chavvy image that just doesn’t sit well with the new ‘grown up’ Astra. It’s time they ditched the name and tried to be a bit more mature about their performance range.