Automotive News, Media & Press - Hot Hatches We DON'T Get In The States

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Motorsports_and_Racing/The_Sport_Compacts_You_Cant_Buy.S247.A8900.html

Hot damn the Opel Astra OPC is hot. I believe it will be sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Astra VXR. Too bad they don't sell that sucker here as a Cobalt hatch. That thing is way better looking than the Cobalt and it packs more punch under the hood. I'm guessing that this is the same or close to the same 2.0L turbo that will see duty in the Solstice Turbo and Sky Turbo Roadsters. Seems logical to put this bad boy under the hood of the Cobalt and rename the TOTL model Cobalt SS Turbo in a year or two. Same thing with the Ion Redline but well... we all know GM. They'll water it down for the US somehow. Somehow we always get the crappier looking, lesser powered variants in the states with the same old lame interior. BOOOOO.

All of those are ugly as hell

Did I read that right, it article said it shares with Cobalt SS. Also the motor is a turbo ecotec with 240 HP. This may explain why the stock dyno curve posted arounfd for a Cobalt ss was 215 whp.

Did I read that right, it article said it shares with Cobalt SS. Also the motor is a turbo ecotec with 240 HP. This may explain why the stock dyno curve posted arounfd for a Cobalt ss was 215 whp.

Yep. The Astra is basically Opel/Vauhall's version of the Cobalt as it is built off of the Delta platform. It has been for the past few years a better looking, better performing small car than either Chevrolet or Pontiac's offering (Crapalier and the AWESOMELY HOT SUNFIRE... W00T). I'd be nice if the 2.0L turbo replaced the supercharged 2.0L in the Cobalt SS Supercharged and Ion Redline. GM has already decided to go with a turbo for the Solstice rather than a blower, and it wouldn't be too hard to fit this sucker into the Cobalt and Ion since it's already in the Astra. An extra 35hp is always weclome especially when an SRT-4 will easily walk either of the GMs.

All of those are ugly as hell:stupid:

Actually, the opel isn't THAT bad looking and for the performance and still have some functionality and economic personalities to it, with a little bit of b@!!s behind it, what's not to like??

Some of those are nice, but some are not.

The only european hatch that I have ever thought looked good is the audi A3 2 dr http://www.audi.co.uk/newcars/gallery.jsp?section=/models/a3/a3
James

The only hatch worth mentioning is the Audi A3. ;) That thing is quick, and it's AWD. :D

Saturn needs the Opel Astra line here to replace the ION, and fast.

I really like the 04 R32 myself. :secret2: I've never felt that VW/Audi and reliability went hand in hand though, so I'd have to pass on it.

I like the little Puegeot's sp? myself. They have pretty much dominated the World Rally Cup the past few years.

The Ford and the Opel are decent-looking.

With gas prices the way they are now, a little car like that might not be such a bad thing.

that 1 series BMW looks like somebody took a blowtorch to it... gross

1 word. FUGLY!

you must be on acid, they are just a bunch of mini-minivans

:givesfuck thoes cars are retarted looking and not just because i drive and am partial to the f-body. I dont think anybody should drive thoes cars! Glad thoes arent on the streets of the usa

:givesfuck thoes cars are retarted looking and not just because i drive and am partial to the f-body. I dont think anybody should drive thoes cars! Glad thoes arent on the streets of the usa

Well apparently GM disagrees with you considering that they discontinued your F-Body and gave us the Cobalt SS. None of the cars in the link are an F-Body replacement, but they sure as hell have more appeal than any of the hatches we get here in the states. If I were forced to buy a hatch, I'd definitely want to be in Europe, and you can't deny that. Would you really prefer an Ion Redline or a Cobalt SS over the Astra OPC/VXR?