SPY VIDEO: 2011 Opel Astra GTC and GTC Turbo, Could Rival VW Scirocco

Opel will soon bring the total body count of the new Astra range to three with the presentation of the sporty Astra GTC, also known as the Vauxhall Astra in Britain, that will join the already available five-door hatchback and the recently revealed, Sports Tourer estate.

Even though we'll have to wait for the Paris Motor Show in October for the official unveiling of the GTC, we can give you a glimpse of the sporty looking three-door Astra as two prototype models were caught on film during testing in Germany.

As you can see in the video after the jump, the first camouflaged Astra GTC features a single tail pipe at each corner of the rear bumper and beefy tire/alloy combos, suggesting it's a turbocharged model, quite possibly, the rumored GSi that's said to be fitted with a more potent version of the 1.6-liter turbo delivering a little over 200HP.

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New Opel Astra Sports Tourer Unveiled - Should Buick Bring it to the States?

[Updated Gallery] This here sleek-looking station wagon model is the all-new Opel (or Vauxhall in the UK) Astra Sports Tourer and it has been revealed ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show on October 2. It is set to go on sale across Europe in November.

The exterior design of the Astra Sports Tourer brings to mind the Insignia ST, and that's a positive thing. Unlike its boxy predecessor, Opel's styling team led by Mark Adams opted for a much more 'lifestyle estate' design with a more raked roofline and a less perpendicular tailgate.

The Sports Tourer shares its footprint with its five-door sibling, with a similar 2,685 mm-long wheelbase and front and rear tracks of 1544 and 1558 mm respectively.

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Steinmetz Spiffs Up New 2010 Opel Astra

Opel tuning specialist Steinmetz introduced some tasteful mods for the new Astra hatch at this week's 'Tuning World Bodensee 2010'. These include a front spoiler and a rear wing plus new upper and lower front grilles finished in black.

Other tuning options include a new lowering kit that brings the compact hatch 30mm (1.2 inches) closer to the road and two 19-inch alloy wheel designs, both of which run on tires size 235/35 R19.

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U.S. Patent Drawings of 2012 Buick Excelle Sedan

If these U.S. patent drawings of Buick's forthcoming entry-level compact sedan are anything to go by, then the North American version of the car will be identical to the China-market 2012 Buick Excelle that was recently caught on film without any camouflage whatsoever.

We don't know if GM will keep the 'Excelle' nameplate for North America, but we do know that the General is planning to bring the car to the States in 2011.

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New Buick Excelle Compact Sedan Scooped Totally Undisguised

New photos of the upcoming Chinese / North American market baby Buick have surfaced in China (courtesy of Autohome), and it doesn't look too bad. The small, 2010 Opel Astra-based sedan will be a fitting bookend to what may become the most attractive Buick lineup ever.

The worst view by far has to be the red profile shot (anyone else think it looks like a Neon?) with the car sporting a very un-sporty wing. Let's hope that doesn't make it over to the states. Same goes for the gaudy chrome eyebrows over the tail lamps.

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GM Shows Off Astra Police Car at HOSDB Exhibition

The recent Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HODSB) show saw General Motors' Vauxhall division displaying its new generation Astra police vehicle that is offered for UK and overseas law enforcement officials.

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SPIED: 2011 Opel / Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer

These latest spy shots show a lightly camouflaged version of the forthcoming Opel Astra Sports Tourer. The station wagon variant will be the second addition to the new Astra family after the five-door hatchback. It will be followed by a three-door hatchback, a coupe convertible and a four-sedan model that will be sold in the States as a Buick - see the scoop here.

Stylistically inspired by the larger Insignia Sports Tourer, the Astra Estate is evidently longer than its hatchback brethren which should translate to a more cavernous and practical boot.

The estate will use the same engine line-up as the five-door hatch, which means a petrol range stretching from a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated four-pot up to a 180 horsepower 1.6-liter turbo, and a comprehensive diesel range that tops out with a 160HP 2.0-liter CDTi.

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Baby Buick Sedan Based on New Opel Astra Scooped Inside and Out in Germany

We still don't know the name of Buick's all-new small sedan that will take its place right under the 2011 Regal in the carmaker's line up, but these latest spy shots from Germany give us our best look to date of the upcoming compact-sized model's exterior and interior design.

And if the styling looks familiar that's because Buick's baby sedan is in essence the North American version of the upcoming Opel Astra sedan.

From what we gather by looking at these revealing spy shots, the only differences worth mentioning aside from the badges concern Buick's signature waterfall grille and possibly, the styling of the tail lights.

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Buick's VW Jetta-Fighting Small Sedan Realistically Rendered

Using an official sketch that was revealed at Buick's Los Angeles Auto Show conference last December as a canvas, GMI (GM Inside News) forum member "Mr. Burns" created a fairly realistic rendering of the firm's forthcoming small sedan that's expected to be heavily based on the Opel Astra.

The new four-door saloon that will make use of the same Delta II platform as the Chevrolet Cruze, will take the place of the Opel Insignia-based 2011 Regal sedan as Buick's entry-level offering in North America while it is also expected to replace the current Excelle in China.

The VW Jetta sedan should be considered one of the most closest rivals to the as of yet unnamed "baby" Buick model.

Though details still remain scarce, it is believed that the engine range will include the same 140HP 1.4-liter turbo four found in the Cruze while it's also possible that GM may add the Opel Astra's more potent 1.6-liter turbo with 180HP in the mix.

Chances are that we'll get to see the new Buick model arriving in the States sometime next year.

Renderings: GMInsidenews

Irmscher Upgrades its 2010 Opel Astra Styling Kit

Longtime Opel tuner Irmscher has expanded its 2010 Astra offerings with the launch of 20-inch alloy wheels that are available in various designs and can be wrapped in 235/35 R20 tires. The new rims complement the tuner's styling package that was first introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and includes 18-inch alloys and a body kit with a new grille, front lip spoiler, rear apron with a diffuser, side skirts and a roof spoiler.

Buyers can also upgrade the new Astra with a sport exhaust system with two or four tail pipes and a suspension kit that lowers the car's ride height by 30mm for a sportier stance.

On the inside, Irmscher's offerings include a leather package for the seats, door panels and central armrests, matt aluminium door-locking pins and sport pedals.

First 2010 Astras Hit the Road Today in Britain

General Motors' UK arm Vauxhall is celebrating the retail launch of the all-new 2010 Astra today as the first customers who placed their orders soon after the model went on sale in September received the keys to their cars.

In Britain, the new Astra hatchback is available with five petrol engines ranging from an 87PS1.4-litre to a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit producing 180PS, while diesels span from 110 to 160PS in either 1.7 CDTi or 2.0 CDTi form. Prices start from £15,675.

The company said that initially, Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant will build the new Astra for all European markets. The UK will take the biggest share with around 25 per cent of all production headed to British buyers.

It is believed that the still under development four-door sedan version of the new Astra will come to North America as a Buick within the next two years.

Buick Previews Official Sketch of Premium Compact Sedan [With Video]

During Buick's Los Angeles Auto Show press conference for the unveiling of the Opel Insignia-based 2011 Regal saloon, the company's product marketing director, Craig Bierly, showed a teaser sketch of the next addition to the Buick range, a premium compact sedan.

"And now, I have more exciting news to share with you; the first public showing of a rendering that includes our entire future sedan portfolio," Bierly said at the presentation.

"In addition to the new Regal, which you see on your right, you see our LaCrosse in the center and at the far left, an all-new premium compact sedan with the styling and craftsmanship of Enclave and LaCrosse plus the European-inspired driving dynamics of the Regal - and at a price that will make this Buick our new entry point to the brand.

"Is Buick's transformation complete? No … but we believe we're making steady progress," Bierly added.

While Bierly did not give out any specific details on the car, it's safe to assume that, like the Chinese market 2011 Buick Excelle hatchback, the four-door saloon will also be based on the new Opel Astra (sedan version), which shares the same Delta II platform with the new Chevrolet Cruze.

Our spies have already captured Buick's compact sedan testing in Germany, though at the time, it wasn't clear if GM was developing the car exclusively for China or also for the North American market.

In the States, the new Buick compact sedan will most likely be offered with a similar engine range to the Cruze including a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot, and quite possibly, the Astra's more powerful 1.6-liter turbo unit with 180 ponies.

Opel Releases Full Details on 2010 Astra Engine Range, Includes New 140HP 1.4-liter Turbo

Given that we're getting very close to the first public debut of the new Opel Astra at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, GM's European division decided to confirm the engine range for its Golf-sized hatch that will go on sale later this fall. At launch, the 2010 Astra will be offered with a revised line-up of eight diesel and petrol engines ranging from 95 HP to 180 HP with Opel claiming gains of over 12 percent in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions across the range compared with the current generation model.

The initial gasoline range comprises of four engines that include two naturally aspirated four-pots, a 100 HP 1.4-liter and a 115 HP 1.6-liter, and two turbocharged units, a 1.4-liter with 140 HP that replaces the old 1.8-liter engine, and a 1.6-liter that makes 180 HP.

There will be three diesel engines available at launch, a 1.7-liter CDTI with 110 and 125 HP plus a 2.0 -liter CDTI producing 160 HP. An ecoFLEX model powered by a 1.3-liter CDTI with 95 HP and an average fuel consumption of only 4.2 lt/100 km (56mpg US) will be added to the range in spring 2010.

According to the German automaker, the average fuel consumption of the four diesel engines, which are expected to represent almost half of the new Astra cars sold in Europe, is 4.6 lt / 100 km or 51.1 mpg US, and for the four petrol units, 6.1 lt /100 km or 38.6 mpg US.

All Astra models meets the Euro 5 emission norms with most being equipped with six-speed manual transmissions as only the naturally-aspirated 1.4 and 1.6-liter gasoline and the 1.3 turbo diesel come with five speeds. Opel will also offer an optional six-speed automatic transmission on 1.6, 1.4 Turbo and 1.6 Turbo gasoline models and with the 2.0 turbo diesel motor.