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Opel Astra GTC takes the fight to the VW Scirocco and Renault Megane Coupe.

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During the height of the recession it looked almost as if Opel was set to disappear from our market, the range having dwindled down to a handful of Corsa models. Then hope came in the form of the new, and more upmarket, Astra hatchback range and the good news is that Opel's local footprint is set to grow further with the release of the Astra GTC and Meriva.

GMSA is not telling us exactly when they'll arrive in South Africa (except that they'll be here in the not-too-distant future) but South Africans will be able to see them in the flesh at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) next month.

ASTRA GTC:

JIMS will see the Astra GTC making its first international appearance since its debut at the Frankfurt show earlier this week and the strikingly-styled Opel will no doubt ruffle some feathers in the market currently hogged by the VW Scirocco and Renault Megane Coupe.

Despite its resemblance to the five-door Astra at the front end, the three-door GTC does not share a single body panel with its more practical counterpart. It also boasts an exclusive front-suspension layout, which Opel calls the 'high performance strutt' and this combines with the existing Watt's link rear axle to provide a sharper and more entertaining steer.

While the South African engine line-up has yet to be confirmed, Europe gets to choose between three turbopetrol engines (1.4 with 88kW or 103kW and a 132kW 1.6) as well as a 121kW 2-litre turbodiesel. The real excitement, however, starts when the OPC hits the streets next year.

Practical new Opel Meriva set to return to our mini-MPV market.

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OPEL MERIVA:

Besides the fact that it's styled rather elaborately by MPV standards, the Opel Meriva's party trick is innovative rear-hinged back doors that were designed to allow easier access into the cabin. What's more, the presence of a B-pillar allows these rear doors to be opened independently of the front doors.

As you'd expect, judging by the first-generation Meriva, the interior is very flexible and here Opel has refined the FlexSpace rear seating system (which allows you push the two outer seats inwards and then backwards for more rear legroom) by making it even easier to operate.

The European market gets a wide range of Euro5-compatible petrol and diesel engines that offer outputs of between 55kW and 103kW.

FIVE NEW MODELS COMING:

Commenting on the expanding range, GMSA's Malcolm Gauld said: "The appearance of these two exciting new models from Opel on our stand at JIMS underlines our continued commitment to the Opel brand in South Africa and likewise the commitment to our market by Opel in Germany.

"Opel has a specific role to play in the South African product line-up. It gives us an extra edge that caters for buyers with a preference for a vehicle with true European fashion and flair. "The Opel brand holds great appeal for many South Africans. It also provides us with the opportunity to cater for the performance-oriented buyer by offering OPC high-performance variants in all the main product lines.

"Both the Corsa and Astra, at the core of our current Opel range, are performing well within our expectations and we are on track to expand the brand to offer a wider range of Opel passenger vehicle products based on three latest generation platforms. In this process we will add five new models to the existing range in the near future."