Opel Motorsport revealed their new Opel Astra TCR car at the TCR promoters meeting in Mettet, Belgium, with the manufacturer confirming that ten cars are planned to be sold to customers for the 2016 season.
Opel revealed the new Astra at the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Belgium, where the official launch of the TCR BeNeLux Series was taking place.
The five-door Astra is powered by a two-litre engine producing 330 hp, with a maximum speed of 250 kph. Crucially, Opel has made the new car with a 100-litre fuel safety car which complies with the FIA’s requirements for the 2017 season onwards.
The German manufacturer will thus return to touring car competition for the first time in a decade in 2016, when customer teams take the new car to the grid. The brand was last seen competing in touring cars in the 2005 season, when it raced in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM).
Opel have committed at least three cars to the TCR International Series, with the remaining chassis set to participate in the European National Championships, with the new TCR Germany Series being a key market.
“The positive feedback from our customer teams and the excitement shown by the fans demonstrate impressively that Opel and motorsport belong together,” explained Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott. “For 2016, we are targeting some good results with the Opel Astra TRC in the touring car sector. The challenges are multifaceted and we are looking forward to them.”