GM’s Opel previews Geneva-bound hot hatch

General Motors’ Germany-based Opel division has detailed the Astra OPC EXTREME that will greet the public for the first time at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

The Astra OPC EXTREME is billed as a follow up to the similarly-named Astra OPC Xtreme that bowed in Geneva in 2001. It will be loosely based on the regular-production Astra OPC but it will be significantly lighter thanks to the widespread use of carbon fiber panels including the roof, parts of both bumpers and the sizable roof-mounted spoiler.

Interior pictures were not published but Opel promises the car will pack sport seats with six-point harnesses and an integrated roll cage. The carbon fiber treatment will likely be extended to the cockpit and several key components will be crafted out of the lightweight composite material.

Opel is keeping official technical details under wraps until the car’s debut, but expect the Astra OPC EXTREME to pack a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that sends over 280 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque to the front wheels via a manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. The hot hatch will reach 60 mph from a stop in about six seconds.

Unlike its one-off predecessor, the Astra OPC EXTREME will join the Opel lineup as a limited-edition model shortly after its sdebut. Like all members of the Opel family, the Astra on steroids will wear a Vauxhall badge in the United Kingdom.