Vauxhall Astra GTC revealed: Prices & Models

Vauxhall Astra GTC - looks good

Vauxhall has certainly got some mileage out of the launch of the 2012 Vauxhall Astra GTC. As has Opel for the launch of their differently badge version of GM’s Euro-hot-hatch, designed to take on the likes of the VW Scircoco.

Since the Astra GTC was revealed at Paris last year we’ve had the expected dance of the seven alloys as Vauxhall reveals a bit more with each bit of news. It’s all part of the game.

But we seem to have had a reveal of the Astra GTC already back in April when Vauxhall rolled out photos of the production version of the GTC.

To be entirely fair to Vauxhall they did make it clear in April that they were having two bites at the GTC’s reveal cherry, and that we’d have to wait until today for proper details and prices.

But it’s not over yet for the GTC’s reveal. Oh, no. The public debut is not scheduled until Frankfurt in September. A year from the first reveal at Paris and five months on from the ‘Production’ reveal. Talk about milking it.

Still, the Astra GTC is a good-looking Vauxhall and promises much. Although whether it will deliver…

Vauxhall say the GTC offers “Driver-focused chassis layout derived from Insignia VXR and fine-tuned in the UK”, which you can read as ‘won’t shake out your fillings on our crappy roads’. They also say that “Dramatic design will set it apart from rivals – as will sub-£18.5k entry price!” Which means ‘We’ll get ‘em on price even if we’re not as good’. We’ll see.

The GTC’s a complete remake of the current five-door Astra, with only the door handles carried over. It’s lower (a bit), has a longer wheelbase (the same bit) and a wider track – 40mm at the front and 30mm at the back.

It gets FlexiRide adaptive damping with three modes – Standard, Sport and Tour – with HiPer strut front suspension and a Watt’s link axle at the back (yep, we had to look that up), which promises some B-Road fun.

Engines at launch will include the 1.4 litre petrol turbo with either 118bhp or 138bhp. There’s also a 1.6 litre petrol turbo with 178b hp and a 2.0 litre diesel with 163bhp.

Starting point at launch is the 1.4 Sport Turbo at £18,495 and the range tops out at the 2.0 litre diesel SRI at £22,430. That will change when Vauxhall roll out their big guns with the Astra GTC VXR which is expected to get 300bhp. But not just yet.

The Vauxhall Astra GTC will get a public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month, although it’s official public debut won’t be until September at Frankfurt, shortly after which it will start hitting customers driveways.

Let’s hope it delivers what its looks promise.

Vauxhall revealed the Astra GTC - again - with some new photos of the production model

9 Photos

By Cars UK