Saturn Astra News

We ogled the curvaceous Opel Astra GTC at Frankfurt, but this is the one we've really been waiting for: The OPC version. Standing for Opel Performance Center, "OPC" is similar to the Honda "Type R" or BMW "M" nomenclature, although not nearly as well known. The 2012 Astra OPC could change that in a hurry. GM's European division has really done a number ...

A more engaging driving experience should always be considered a wonderful thing, and it's clear from the Astra GTC that Opel agrees. The compact hatchback has its sights set squarely on the Volkswagen Scirocco, and it's clear the two cars share a common design ideology. Low and sleek, the Astra GTC has been styled to provide enthusiasts with a sneak peek ...

The Astra is a car of many hats. It's sold as an Opel in Europe, a Vauxhall in the UK, a Buick in China and a Chevrolet in South America. The previous model was even sold as a Saturn in North America and as a Holden in Australia. Now that's versatility for you, and its body-styles are just as pervasive. The five-door hatch launched in 2009 has since ...

Different strokes for different folks. While Volkswagen chose to label its coupe-like Golf derivative as the Scirocco, rival automakers are keeping theirs in the family. Take, for example, the Renault Megane coupe, and this – the new Vauxhall Astra GTC. Compared to the already-sleek five-door Astra, the GTC retains only the door handles and ...

A staple product of General Motors' overseas subsidiaries, the Opel Astra has been a long time in the making. The five-door hatchback was revealed back in 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which was then followed by the GTC show car that previewed the three-door version in concept form (along with the production Sport Tourer wagon variant) a year later ...

From the likes of the Dodge EV to the Ford Cortina, Lotus has had its fingers in all of the Big Three's pies. But its strongest relationship has historically been with General Motors. The British engineering firm helped develop the engine in the original Corvette ZR-1, engineered the Vauxhall VX220/Opel Speedster, re-engineered the Vauxhall Carlton into ...

Opel is keeping busy, and aside from moving into a handful of new markets and pulling the sheets off of a hot concept, the German manufacturer has been whittling away on its wagon interpretation of the company's Astra. The 2011 Astra Sports Tourer wears the brand's trademark nose and sculpted sheet metal, but throws in an arching roofline for good ...

Vauxhall has beaten the speculating voices of the Internet to the Paris Motor Show punch by pulling the covers off of its GTC Concept well ahead of the main event. According to the company, what you see above is likely to have more than a little influence on the next Astra Sport Hatch. In classic concept style, the GTC rolls on epic 21-inch wheels that ...

Believe it or not, the Paris Motor Show is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Opel has already taken it upon itself to give the world a taste of what the company will show off at this year's show, including its new Astra Sports Tourer and a concept worked up just for La Ville-Lumière. Details are scarce on the showcar at the moment. So far, we know ...

Small wagons might not have much of a place in the United States, but overseas, they do very well, thank you. Take the Opel Astra, for example – its wagon variant accounts for around 25 percent of its overall sales. Thus, Opel hasn't wasted any time in creating the wagon (Sports Tourer) version of the new Astra, and while it will make its public ...