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Physical appearance plays a crucial role in the creation of first impressions. And more often than not, these traits lend a light into an individual's character. For that matter, the same holds true about cars too. Bulging wheel arches filled by equally large alloys, big air inlets - all these are perceptibly hints of the inherent performance.
Coupes for instance (less the more family-oriented ones in four-door guises), have always been imbued with the natural ability to make heads turn. Inevitably each comes with a different level of show-stopping prowess - but none could have made the mark without leaving an impression upon the first acquaintance.
That brings us to the GTC's abilities as a chick magnet.
The latest sports coupe from Opel has been fondly labelled as the Gran Turismo Compact (or GTC for short). There should be no denying that the GTC is by far one of the most exciting offering from the German marque in recent times.
The Opel GTC is like nothing we've seen before
So how do we assess if the GTC qualifies as a chick magnet? Arguably, there are countless attributes that the fairer sex look for, or for that matter get attracted to (women are complicated beings as you will or have already found out). There is one that has been pretty much popular, and that is to be different from the others. For starters, the GTC is nothing like what we have seen before. It may be closely associated with segment contenders such as the Volkswagen Scirocco or Volvo C30, but none of them carries the same kind of air blessed by the crisp creases running across the flanks. These would have made a differentiation, if not a statement.
Furthermore, wrapped in squat, hatched overalls, the GTC is nothing short of an eye-turner. The stance, propagated by the swollen wheel arches and cut-off rears, draws a sense of purposefulness and masculinity - akin to how a six-pack abs would have brought out the mettle in a man.
What is good to know is the distance Opel went to instil the GTC with its own unique character - the coupe does not share any body panels with its siblings in hatch and wagon guise. This should serve as a useful information nugget that will add that extra bit of uniqueness - a relative breeze, then, to make the fairer sex into believing that the GTC is not just a usual ride.
It's not just all about the outside. The cabin packs practicality too
Some may argue that essentially it is the substance under the metal that matters the most - not that the GTC lacks any of it, but you simply do not include things like 'my ride has a 1.4-litre turbo-charged engine which pumps out 140 horses' in your pickup lines. Or do you?
Well in the rare occurrence that hot & sexy, and technically-blogged & geeks are not mutually exclusive (think Megan Fox in Transformer), the fact that the force-induced powerplant that pushes out maximum torque from just 1,850 churns would be a good point to start with, not to mention the twist-beam suspension with Watt's linkage at the rear allowing the wheels to use more of the available grip. You get my drift.
Henceforth, with the potent ability to make a strong first impression, as well as the capability to extend its charms when given a hands-on opportunity, the GTC will serve well as an aide in the search for the better half. With the proper tool it is half the battle won. I rest my case.
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Ah yes, chicks dig cars like these... low-slung sporty two-door coupe that looks sexy enough to even triumph heart-throbbing soccer player David Beckham and Hollywood star Brad Pitt or for our case - beach babe Jessica Biel or Total Recall's psycho wife Kate Beckinsale.
The Opel Astra GTC that you see here is a handsome-looking alternative to coupes like the VW Scirocco, with its flared wheel arches, muscular rear haunches and a character lines on the sides. There is absolutely no doubt that the car exudes a sense of aggression. It's almost like a rebirth of sorts, especially for this car, which brings a familiar and respected nameplate back into the market, but under a new dealer.
Will the fairer sex appreciate its good looks or the badge?
As a result, chicks just turn away to something they don't recognise:
"Oh, is this a BMW? No wait, it's that Volkswagen car right?"
"No sweetheart, it's a GTC. It's Opel."
"Oh, right... What is it anyway? Is it American?"
That's when the awkward silence starts. And I start to wonder to myself if this girl I'm dating really wants me for me or for the car that she thought I owned.
To the casual female observer, they may think of this as a "VW"
For car freaks (like us) who have been following car trends, news and other write-ups about the automotive industry would have known that the new Opel Astra GTC's sculpted shapes with precise accents and dramatic proportions make it the ultimate expression of Opel's new design language.
But to the casual chick observer, it's just another car with another copycat design. And it's mostly due to the badge. If it's nothing like what they've seen before, it's a bad car. If it does resemble something they thought they've seen before, it's a BMW, a VW or an Audi (they can somehow recognise a Merc, mind you). To the guys, it's always about the jive. But to most ladies, it's about the brand, always have been.
So there it is now, parked below my house and appearing far from an American-made car. For style and presence, the Opel Astra GTC is going to win hearts that might have otherwise have headed to other German brands. In fact when it comes to pricing, this new kid from Opel could pose a very real threat to the VW Scirocco, Volvo C30 and even the Mini Cooper. After all, it is undoubtedly one of the most attractive and seductive cars ever to sport the Opel badge.
What can I say? Good woman is like good weather. It doesn't always happen and when it does, it never lasts.
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