| Year
(of specifications) |
2012 |
| Engine(s) |
three
petrol, one diesel option |
| Transmission |
FWD |
| Max
speed |
132
mph (1.6 litre Turbo) |
| 0-60 |
- |
| Horsepower |
180
hp (1.6 litre Turbo) |
| weight |
- |
The production Astra GTC is based on the GTC
Paris Concept which debuted in September 2010.
Overall the concept and the production car are very similar
in appearance - which is a good thing. The biggest differences
are found at the front, where the bumper has been restlyed and
fitted with less stylised but more practical driving lights.
At the rear the production car gets a lightly revised bumper
with a larger black panel rising from under the car, and a more
traditional tailpipe design.
The third body style to come off the new Astra's Delta platform
(following the Hatch and last year's Sports Tourer), the only
elements the GTC shares with its siblings are door handles and
the roof aerial – even the wheelbase and tracks are different.
Right from the start of the Astra GTC's development the target
was to deliver a focused and driver-orientated feel to the car.
As a result, significant changes were made to the front suspension,
including the adoption of Vauxhall’s HiPerStrut (High Performance
Strut) used on the 325 horsepower Insignia VXR.
The HiPerStrut uses the existing attachment points from the
regular Astra, and has a reduced kingpin inclination and a shorter
spindle length. This reduces levels of torque-steer, improves
grip – and therefore cornering power – while also
enhancing steering precision and feedback.
Compared with the Astra Hatch, the Astra GTC's ride height has
been lowered by 15mm, while the wheelbase has grown by 10mm,
from 2685mm to 2695mm. Both tracks are wider, too, at 1584mm
(+ 40mm) front and 1588mm (+ 30mm) rear. This allows the option
of larger rims (up to 20-inch), as well as improving stability.
Since the Astra GTC shares no body panels with either the Astra
Hatch or Sports Tourer, it has a unique appearance in the range.
"We wanted the Astra GTC to be the ultimate expression
of Vauxhall’s design language, and to embody our passion for
the motor car," said Mark Adams, Vice President of Vauxhall/Opel
design. "But we didn’t want emotion to get in the way of
functionality: the Astra GTC still needed to be clever, affordable
and practical."
The Astra GTC can be ordered with a choice of four engines -
one diesel and three petrols.
With 165PS, the 2.0 CDTi is an upgraded version of the diesel
that's fitted to some models in the Insignia and Astra ranges.
All engines have a diesel particulate filter, six-speed transmission
and Start/Stop as standard, maximising economy and performance.
Delivering 380Nm of torque (including overboost function) the
2.0 CDTi engine provides excellent mid-range acceleration for
the GTC, combined with a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top
speed of 130mph.
That torque also allows the GTC a relaxed cruising gait, meaning
a combined mpg of 57.6mpg and C02 emissions of just 129g/km.
It also gives drivers a range potential in excess of 700 miles.
Start/Stop and a six-speed gearbox are also standard on both
versions of the 1.4-litre Turbo petrol engine. With either 120PS
or 140PS, the 1.4T achieves a combined 47.9mpg and 139g/km of
C02 emissions, yet each still delivers crisp performance with
maximum torque of 200Nm delivered between 1850-4200rpm.
The most powerful engine in the range is the 1.6-litre Turbo,
which produces 180PS and allows the GTC to hit a top speed of
132mph.
Similar and related vehicles:
Vauxhall GTC Paris
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