To be fair, Opel's OPC performance branding is still unfamiliar in Ireland. It doesn't have the instant 'power car' recognition which VW's GTI, or Ford's ST range enjoy. Opel Ireland's marketing people will really need to work here, to establish the products from the Opel Performance Centre.
OPC is on its way to this country with a bang, though. No fewer than three mainstream models which have been given the 'blue' treatment are set to arrive in very short order.
The Astra OPC will come first, in January, followed by Zafira and Vectra versions in February. The Astra will be priced at €33,995. There are no prices for the other two yet.
The Astra and Zafira OPC models are powered by uprated 2-litre turbo petrol engines, punching out 240hp through six-speed manual gearboxes. The Vectra comes with a new 2.8-litre V6 turbo and 255hp on tap.
The performances they offer are 6.4 seconds for the 0-100 km/h rush with the Astra, 7.8 seconds for the Zafira making it the fastest-accelerating production MPV in the world, and a far-from leisurely 6.7 seconds in the Vectra hatch and saloon.
You could figure the three provide 'boy racer' driving opportunity for every age: the young lad goes for the sexy Astra, the married and two kids person can get a scorchy Zafira without losing face, and the mature executive with a power wish can opt for the Vectra. But that's not really how things will pan out in the Irish context anyhow. Not least because of the pricing structure here.
The three-door Sport Hatch is the basis for the Astra OPC and, as director of design for GM Europe Mark Adams says, they've 'dialled up' the presence of a car that already had a sporty look.
There are special side sill mouldings, a more aggressive grille and lower front spoiler treatment, suspension lowered even further than the Sport Hatch's, and large uniquely-styled wheels.
At the back, from where it will mostly be seen, you will know it by its central trapezoid-shape exhaust pipe and a deeper rear valance. It all works, but it isn't flash, and that's why the actual buyer in Ireland will be rather older than the target 25-35 years-old in Germany, for instance. The Vectra gets an updated IDS Plus2 that adds a few new elements to further improving driver control.
We got the chance to try all this on motorways and twisting mountain roads in Sicily. The route included some of the old Targa Florio road racecourse.
The extra 40bhp in the Astra compared to the Sport Hatch Turbo makes a significant difference on its own, to the point that pushing the pedal will induce an unexpected degree of torque steer which prompts one to pay a bit more respect to the power pulling the car along.
Unfamiliar mountain roads are not places to let a powerful car out to its limits, at least not until you get the chance to learn what is around the next corner. But in general terms the Astra OPC is an eager and gripping drive.
The Zafira is perhaps the most fun, because nobody expects what is a competent compact MPV to have sports car aspirations. Thing is, aspiration meets reality here, and within sensible limits it can be made to progress very quickly indeed in exacting conditions. Whether the school run passengers would want you to is another matter. Opel Ireland expects to sell about 200 OPCs next year, most of them Astras.