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Don't be fooled by the name of this Vauxhall Astra. While GTC may sound similiar to GTE - the badge that was given to high performance versions of the Vauxhall Astra in the past - this is essentially the replacement for the Astra Sport Hatch - the three door version of the Astra. However, Vauxhall has injected some zest into the GTC, turning much more of a coupe.

While it’s still unmistakably an Astra, the GTC has a more exciting appearance and looks impressive in the metal. In fact, the exterior of the car shares only two components with the five-door model – the aerial and the door handles. The sloping roofline, exaggerated shoulder line, daytime running lights and boot lid spoiler all make for a purposefully styled vehicle, as do the large 18-inch wheels, which come as standard.

The cabin is less exotic than the exterior though, looking more or less identical to that of the standard Astra, albeit with a few neat touches here and there. It’s an enjoyable car to drive and feels extremely planted to the road. Thanks to sophisticated front suspension the GTC feels neutral through bends and is composed and reassuring.

There are six engines available – three petrol and three diesel – with power outputs ranging from 120PS in the entry level 1.4-litre petrol to 180PS in the range topping 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol. The 2.0-litre CDTi is the best of the bunch, with plenty of torque and good fuel economy of 58.9mpg. And a VXR version is on the way in 2012, with a turbocharged engine and the usual VXR aggressive styling.

6-3-2012 Geneva Motor Show: Vauxhall revealed its new Astra VXR which goes on sale in 2012. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 280PS and 400Nm of torque, the high performance hatch will be the fastest production Astra ever built.

The new model is based on the recently launched three-door Astra GTC and comes with a bespoke chassis and a newly developed mechanical limited slip differential, designed to give the VXR plenty of grip and traction. Hopefully it will be an improvement on the previous VXR which was certainly powerful, but lacked finesse.

Other changes include brakes developed by Brembo and Vauxhall’s fully adaptive FlexRide system as standard. In the Astra VXR, FlexRide has a Sport button and also a VXR button, which gives two, more focused stages of damper, throttle and steering control.

To make the VXR stand out from the standard Astra GTC, it comes with different bumpers, side skirts, a roof spoiler and dual exhausts at the back. Inside there are performance seats, a flat-bottomed VXR steering wheel and new instruments.

More details, including pricing and on sale dates, will be revealed early next year.