Vauxhall quit doing things halfway and built a sporty hatchback, which was not just a 3-door version of the same 5-door Astra.
Vauxhall, the British arm of the GM, built the same vehicle as to the Opel Astra GTC for the European continent. Both vehicles were based on the Astra 5-door platform, but with completely different styling.

At the front, the design of the eagle-like headlights looked sharp, and, along with the wide grille from the apron, it created an aggressive image. The windshield was raked even more than the regular Astra, followed by a short roof sloped toward the back. A long tailgate with a big windscreen covered part of the trunk. Viewed from the profile, the high shoulders over the rear wheels and the small rear side windows emphasized the sporty look.

Inside, there was the regular Astra dashboard. The four-dials instrument cluster featured an LCD display between the tachometer and speedometer. On the base version, the seats were regular, but a pair of bucket-type was on the options list. There was hardly room enough for two adults in the back, but the bench’s back seat could have been folded to expand the trunk space.

For the drivetrain, Vauxhall offered the Astra GTC with a choice of gasoline and diesel engines paired to manual or automatic transmissions.