IT MUST be tough for Opel in Australia – an upstart brand tasked with fighting in one of the world’s most competitive new car markets.

But the German arm of General Motors has an ace up its sleeve in the form of its hot OPC (short for Opel Performance Centre) range – music to the ears of sports-mad Aussie buyers.

The jewel in that crown is the Astra OPC, a white-knuckle front-drive uber-coupe that blends head-turning styling with rocketship turbo thrust and Euro cache.

We’ll say it now – it’s great – but is it great enough to leap over the great elephant in the room: Renault’s RS 265 Megane?

Click on Our Opinion to find out and read the full review...