Due to be revealed at the Paris Motor Show in October before arriving in most European markets in early 2011, the new three-door variant of the Astra hatch follows in the footsteps of the outgoing GTC boasting a more rakish appearance than its five-door sibling.
Based on the most-powerful version of the new Astra, the 1.6 Turbo, the German tuner's engineers squeezed out an extra 20HP and 65Nm of torque from the four-cylinder petrol unit boosting output to 200HP and 295Nm or 217.6 lb-ft.
Irmscher's package also bundles a sport suspension that lowers the car's ride height by 30mm and a choice of 18- or 20-inch alloy wheels in beefier sport tires, which help give the Opel a meaner stance.
Scheduled to be shown for the first time this summer with a Paris Motor Show debut to follow in autumn 2010, the Astra Sports Tourer looks like a smaller version of the Insignia station wagon boasting a more raked roofline and a less boxy / conservative shape than the current model.
People get a little antsy in the pantsy, lose their concentration, and wreck their car. The real point of interest here is the potential costs involved (other than that of a damaged car and pride).
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.
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.
