Spyshots: Opel Starts Testing 2012 Astra Twin Top

We just got our fill of Opel’s new “mid-size coupe” - the Astra GTC - yesterday, and it looks like the German carmaker has realized people still need that ‘wind in your hair’ experience. However, we still have some time left before the second generation of the Astra Twin Top arrives, most likely at next year’s Geneva Motor Show in March.

When it does arrive on the European market, it will be greeted by similar versions of the Ford Focus, Renault Megane and Peugeot 307, plus that ever-popular Volkswagen Eos. With so many models available, the marketplace will be quite cramped, so Opel will have to step it up a notch if it ever hopes to make an impact.

As you might expect, the new coupe cabriolet from Russelsheim will make use of the same hard top solution as the old generation. The only major difference we can expect is the retraction time that should be shortened. The convertible will feature a two-part retractable hardtop rather than a conventional canvas roof, but a more extensive use of glass surfaces could also be seen.

Despite the stiff competition, Opel is confident it can sell the new Twin Top, and we expect pricing to be lower than the competition from Volkswagen. The full range of engine from the five-door hatchback and the GTC should arrive under the bonnet. The base model will no doubt sport a 1.4-liter petrol engine with 100 hp.

We can’t say much about the design, as the first shots show the car fully covered up, but the bonnet looks longer and more fluidly designed than the previous generation, while the boot has a ‘V’ shape to it.