Scoop: Is Opel Working on a Mild Refresh for its Opel Astra Range?

It has become something of a norm for automakers to update their vehicles after three or four years into the market, depending on their life span.

The fourth generation of the Opel Astra is nearing that phase as it was introduced in five-door hatchback form at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show with the estate model (called Tourer) following a year later at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and the three-door GTC being presented at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Our spy shooters caught up with a vehicle transporter in Germany loaded with a bunch of new Opel Astras, one of which was a Tourer model with its fascia partially masked in tape.

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Hot Opel Astra OPC with 276hp Storms the 2012 Geneva Motor Show

GM's Opel division is challenging both the 250-horsepower Ford Focus ST and the 267bhp (270PS) Volkswagen Golf R with its brand new Astra OPC that will be sold as the Vauxhall Astra VXR in Britain.

Revealed to the public for the first time at the ongoing 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the new Astra OPC is based on the sporty looking three-door Astra GTC hatchback adding to the mix a powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 276bhp (280PS) output and maximum torque of 400Nm (295 lbft).

A six-speed transmission and a mechanical limited slip differential on the front axle drive the front wheels allowing for a top speed of 250km/h (155mph). Opel has not yet confirmed acceleration times.

As with the rest of the Astra GTC range, the OPC model gets the GM/Saab sourced HiPer Struts (High Performance Struts) on the front axle while the company's engineers also made changes to the suspension, steering wheel and brake systems.

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