Monday 3rd August 2015

Opel Astra TCR racer announced

First pics of new Opel touring car, hopefully previewing a fast road car too

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News that the next Vauxhall Astra will be seen for the first time at the Frankfurt show next month is not exactly PHey news. However, the confirmation of a new Astra racing car most certainly is. Especially one with 330hp...

Boo for five doors, yes for big exhausts

Now if that power figure sounds familiar, it should be. Both the SEAT Leon Eurocup and VW GolfTCR make the same 330hp, with the Astra set to race against them in next year's Touring Car Racer International Series (TCR). Compliance with the TCR regs will also make the Astra eligible for other national and international championships.

At present these renderings are the only images released, along with the affirmation that "Touring car racing has always been an important part of Opel" from the group head of marketing Tina Muller. But given how the other TCR cars look, the Astra reality probably won't be far from this. There's even the red arrow to the tow hook. Which looks good from here actually, big wheels and exhaust combining with an appropriately daft spoiler and Opel's familiar colours to create a pretty cool touring car. Shame it's five-door only. Testing will begin in October, with a price around 90,000 euros.

Moreover, the TCR Astra gives a clear look at the production car and what a VXR version could be like. It seems a shame the old Astra VXR Extreme never went any further but there's clearly some potential here. A roadgoing ride height, smaller wheels and a less ridiculous spoiler? It could be great. And what better way to link with the road car than with the 330hp version of the 2.0-litre turbo? Don't forget there's a Focus RS coming for a proper old fashioned Ford versus Vauxhall scrap as well...

 

[DCLXIV]

I bet Campos Racing are ecstatic since they've spent most of the season developing their own Astra: http://camposracing.com/tcr/