New GTC Paris Pics Give Inside Line On Upcoming Astra 3-Dr

LUTON, UNITED KINGDOM – Sept 24, 2010: Following Vauxhall’s recent announcement of its stunning GTC Paris concept at this year’s Paris Motor Show, the company has now revealed first pictures of the car’s interior.

Echoing the GTC Paris’s exterior design cues, the cabin features sweeping lines and shapes, and a bold and unique use of fabric. Creating a ‘positive/negative’ effect across the front of the cabin, the driver’s seat is trimmed in red with black highlights, while the front passenger’s seat has black trim with red highlights.

Each of the front buckets seats is bespoke to the GTC Paris and has aggressively shaped contours to complement the car’s sporting intent. The GTC logo appears on each seat-back facing, along with titanium inserts that mirror the design cue seen on the front wheel’s carbon fibre inserts.

The small black leather racing steering wheel has metal inserts, while on the dashboard Vauxhall’s recurring ‘wing’ and ‘blade’ motifs can be seen. In this application, the blade appears in details like the polished chrome door grabs and the gearshift moulding. The wing design cue is evident in the wraparound instrument panel that embraces front seat occupants and arcs across the cabin into the tops of the door mouldings.

Vauxhall’s design team has used micro-fibres and leather for the seats, a textured black material for the instrument panel and plush carpeting throughout the cabin’s flooring.

The GTC Paris gives the strongest hint yet at what buyers might expect from the next Astra 3-door when it’s unveiled at this year’s Paris Motor Show on September 30.

Designed by Brit, Mark Adams’ design team, the concept’s lines are radical and svelte, yet restrained enough to suggest that the car is tantalizingly close to a production offering. Mark has described the concept as, ‘bold, pure and iconic’ in its appearance, yet it will still offer ample space for five people and their luggage.