Opel Astra IRC Is A Fusion Of Rally Spirit And Touring Car Performance

Meet Irmscher's Astra IRC, a design study for the Opel Astra. We think this Opel Astra IRC is more akin to a touring racecar, although the manufacturer claims it was inspired by the World Rally Championship.

For starters, an updated front bumper with bigger air intakes and a sizable splitter are standard on the Astra. A third brake light and two tailpipes are housed in a broad diffuser at the rear, carrying on the same motif. The enormous rear wing with swan-style mounting is immediately noticeable.

Although Irmscher did not specify any chassis modifications, the bigger tires and lowered springs of the Opel Astra IRC are readily apparent. The company's objective of 256 horsepower puts it in the same ballpark as the refreshed Volkswagen Golf GTI but much below leading hot hatchbacks like the Audi RS3 Sportback and the Mercedes-AMG A45 S.

We assume the construction is based on the Opel Astra GSe, the range's current flagship, based on the anticipated output. A turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and one electric motor make up the plug-in hybrid powertrain of the warm hatch. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends the 222 horsepower and 265.5 lb-ft of torque to the front axle.

The Astra does not come with the Opel Grandland GSe's more potent 296 horsepower AWD plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it would be a fantastic alternative. Although Irmschrer did not provide specifics, our best assumption is that they will go forward with the development if enough potential customers express interest.