2011 Opel GTC Paris Concept review and pictures

Opel GTC Paris Concept review:

Opel at the Paris Motor Show: Emotion and Motion for the Future

• World Debut: GTC Paris, Opel's New Concept Combines Speed and Beauty
  
• World Premiere: Astra Sports Tourer, The Athletic All-rounder
  
• New Meriva: Expanded Diesel Line-up On the Flexibility Champion
  
• ecoFLEX Family: New Entries that Further Lower CO2 Emissions
  
• Ampera: Extended-Range Electric Vehicle On Track for 2011 Production

With two world premieres and several new exciting entries, Opel will bring emotion in motion and e-mobility to the Mondial de l'Automobile 2010 in Paris (October 2 - 17), the most visited motor show in the world.

Some 1.5 million visitors will get a chance to see the GTC Paris concept, the Astra Sports Tourer, a station wagon version of the successful compact; the new Meriva, with an expanded diesel range; and significant new entries in the Opel ecoFLEX line-up. And, they will learn about the latest development of the Ampera, Opel's revolutionary extended range electric vehicle.

World Debut: The GTC Paris, Opel's New Concept Combines Speed and Beauty

"And the speed was pure beauty." This simple line from Richard Bach's famous novel, Jonathan Livingston Seagull inspires the vision around Opel's newest concept car, the GTC Paris. The line is so integral that Opel has laser-etched the words in the upholstery of the seats.

The name, GTC Paris, evokes both the dynamic character of the vehicle and the fashionable city where it will have its debut. It is an expressive, sporty compact hatch with dramatic proportions and sculptural surfaces typical of Opel's design language.

World Premiere for Opel's Athletic All-Rounder, the Astra Sports Tourer

Launched at the 2009 IAA, the Astra five-door has been very well received with nearly 200,000 orders collected in less than one year. Now the Astra Sports Tourer model will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. This sleek station wagon features first-class practicality in an athletic and stylish shape.

While it shares the same Opel design DNA and Sports Tourer name as its larger counterpart the Insignia, the Astra Sports Tourer has its own dynamic yet practical appeal. Its good looks are combined with an ample flexible cargo carrying capability. An efficient trunk design and premium features enhance the functionality to effortlessly raise load space between 500 and 1550 liters. With the seatbacks down, the cargo load length is increased to 1835 mm, 28 mm more than the current Astra wagon.

The new Astra Sports Tourer has been designed for smooth loading, while the clean, flat wall linings of the carefully contoured cargo compartment optimize useable space by eliminating odd, hard-to-use corners. Opel engineers have taken great care to enhance functionality by incorporating features from premium station wagons with a rare sense of quality and precision.

They have developed a new FlexFold Rear Seat system, which allows each section of the 60/40 split-fold rear seatbacks to be folded forward at the press of a button located in the side walls of the cargo compartment: A spring is electrically released, automatically activating swift, remote folding of the seatbacks. The Astra Sports Tourer is the first compact wagon equipped with this convenience feature.

The Easy-Access Cargo Cover slides upward and out of the way with a simple tap. The cover retracts with a quick hand motion. Likewise, these two new features are borrowed from the luxury class.

Families and business professionals using the Astra Sports Tourer benefit from the same harmoniously sculpted cabin as in the five-door hatchback. The wraparound wing front fascia and the flowing forms of the cockpit provide a great sense of space and security.

The cabin is as practical as it is comfortable. Sports Tourer users wish to stow a range of items where they need them, not just in the trunk. To help achieve that, 25 liters of cabin storage space has been added, twice as much as in the previous generation wagon. For long distance driving comfort, customers can choose the only front ergonomic seats in the segment certified by independent back experts from the Aktion Gesunder Rucken (AGR).

The Astra Sports Tourer is presented with a high quality finish and incorporates exciting Opel innovations that make life more comfortable and driving safer. These include the adaptive mechatronic FlexRide chassis, the AFL+ adaptive forward lighting, the ergonomic front seating systems and the Opel Eye front view camera system that recognizes traffic signs and warns drivers when they inadvertently depart from their lane. In addition, Opel engineers are developing a next-generation FlexFix integrated rear bike carrier, which will be introduced for the Sports Tourer next year.

foto source:worldcarfans.com