Opel GTC

The first official images of Opel/Vauxhall's new GTC Paris concept have been revealed ahead of the car's official unveiling at the forthcoming Paris motor show. The three-door Astra-based concept previews the Astra Sport Hatch's successor and showcases the company's design evolution.

Mark Adams, Opel's vice president of design, has described the GTC Paris concept as "bold, pure and iconic" in its appearance. The bodyside features the brand's now signature ‘blade' first seen on the Insignia, which is also repeated in the head- and taillamps. Designers maximized tension though the flanks and in the shoulder to convey a greater sense of dynamism, which is also apparent in the upwards sweeping beltline and brushed aluminum trim that accentuates the DLO.

Opel claims that the production version will not stray far from the rakish lines of the concept, and if the GTC moniker were to be adopted, it would be the first time that a Vauxhall has been so named. We'll bring you our own exclusive photos and our opinions of the concept once we see the car in the metal in Paris.