2012 Opel Astra GTC revealed

The GTC will rival the likes of the Renault Megane Coupe and the Volkswagen Scirocco, with its three-door coupe layout, based on the five-door Astra. Every aspect of the GTC is said to have been re-engineered above the five-door model, except for the door handles.

The GTC will be available with four engines initially, including two versions of a 200Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine (88kW/103kW), as well as a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 132kW. A CDTI 2.0-litre turbodiesel version will offer 121kW and 380Nm.

Equipped with a six-speed manual transmission across the range, the GTC is being pitched as proper sports hatchback. It's 10mm lower than the standard five-door, 40mm wider at the front and 30mm wider at the rear. Combined with a newly developed HiPer strut front suspension and Watt’s link rear axle, Opel says it will provide "unmatched stability and handling precision".

Opel Design vice president, Mark Adams, said in a recent report,

The Opel GTC will be officially unveiled in the flesh at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show in September. It's anticipated to be a cracker of a car.