For too long Opel fans have kept a dignified silence the Golf GTI and others left them in the weeds. Oh what bittersweet memories of the late 1980's when the Superboss ruled.
Now Opel is back! The Astra GTC 2.0 Turbo faces up squarely to the GTI with the same quoted power output (147kW) and 262Nm on tap after its SA debut was delayed for a year because of demand in Europe.
OK, so the Renault Mégane two-litre turbo has 165kW - but that's another story for another day.
The lines between coupés and hot hatches have become blurred with the Astra and Mégane having three doors each, thus technically being coupés, while the five-door GTI is a hatch.
But the Mercedes-Benz CSL has four doors and is called a coupé.
Number of doors notwithstanding, the Astra GTC, Mégane Sport and Golf GTI are each propelled by a fiery two-litre turbocharged petrol engine and are matched in performance.
But would I pay almost R5000 more for the three-door GTC, which is only four km/h faster than its identically powered Astra Sport five-door hatchback sibling? Darn right I would!
The GTC, on paper, is remarkably similar to the Sport but the coupé has cooler styling, lower and sleeker with a distinctly V-shaped front, revised front bumper and different radiator grille. Street cred is guaranteed by its big tailpipe.
The GTC has a typical coupé profile with an arched, sloping roof. Our test vehicle had the optional extended windscreen stretching right back to the B pillar for (in Opelspeak) "...a new experience in terms of a sense of space and visibility".
We tried driving with its sliding sunshield retracted during the day and found it to be impractical for our climate. Sitting in a microwave would be more fun than having the sun beating down directly on your head.
And the sun visor - attached to the retractable shield windscreen - was now situated directly above my head where my receding hairline starts so I could do nothing to lessen the glare - and it couldn't be flipped to the side to cut out glare through the side windows.
So we drove with it closed. It's an expensive option at R30 000, but it's cool at for driving at night and would come in handy at a drive-in cinema.
The GTC's interior holds no surprises for Opel owners with the usual array of mod cons such as audio controls on the steering wheel, power windows and mirrors, and air conditioning.
Getting comfortable
There are discreet, matt chromed accents on the door and fascia inlays, leather on the steering wheel and gear shifter, sports front seats and alloy pedals.
Getting comfortable was easy enough using the height and reach-adjustable steering wheel and adjustable seats but I found the lumbar support intrusive on long drives.
The GTC's roof is marginally lower than that of the Sport but lower seats ensure headroom similar to that of the five-door. Boot space is the same at 380 litres; the 60/40 split rear seats can be lowered of you need more.
Rear headroom is adequate but legroom is tight as in most vehicles of this size. It's also quite difficult (as with most coupés) to open and close the long doors in a confined space such as a garage - and it takes a contortionist to reach the seat belt as the B pillar is way back.
Sport button
Don't expect a spine-tingling roar when the GTC fires up; it's almost eerily silent at idle and provides little sound track to match its fiery performance. But punch the Sport button on the fascia and the exhaust emits a pleasant rasp as the throttle becomes more responsive, the steering wheel jerks in your hands as the 18" front tyres scrabble for grip and the Astra heads for the horizon.
The white coats at Opel have matched the chassis of the GTC perfectly with its power output. The result is a taut, highly responsive car that clings to the tar in traffic.
SUMMARY
Opel has infused the GTC with performance credentials while retaining sufficient practicality for everyday driving and achieved it without a steep price premium.
The GTC costs R230 920, almost R9000 less than the Golf GTI.