Buick to Gain Opel Astra GTC Twin, Plus a Convertible Version
GM’s European Opel brand recently unveiled the new Astra GTC hatchback and according to the most recent reports this car will be sold in America, but under the Buick badge. The Buick brand has already had considerable success rebadging the Opel Insignia as the Regal on this side of the Atlantic.
This plan has been tried once before and failed miserably, when GM brought the Astra over as a Saturn. The new car is, however, larger and based on an all new platform is under the Buick brand is expected to offer a more premium interior with an overall improved build quality. The Buick ‘Astra’ (an official name has yet to be picked) will also receive more respectable powerplants, with the 177-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and 220-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines likely candidates.
In addition to the hatchback, Buick is also expected to gain a small convertible based on the same platform and which could compete alongside cars like the Volkswagen Eos.
GALLERY: Opel Astra GTC
[Source: Car&Driver]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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