General Motors European subsidiary Opel is to unveil a sports car concept called the Astra Coupe OPC X-Treme at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

This road-going two-seater Astra concept is based on the Coupe V8 racing car that last season successfully competed in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM).

With a four-litre V8 engine, rear-wheel drive and a sequential, six-speed transaxle gearbox, the engineers at the Opel Performance Centre motor sports department have borrowed racing technology from the DTM car for their study.

The engine provides the bright red concept with 326kW/440PS and maximum torque of 530Nm, taking it to a top speed of over 187 mph.

Production Opel Astra convertible debuts at Geneva alongside concept gullwing coupe

Among the concept’s many new features are gull-wing doors which swing gently upwards on gas struts.

The car has specially developed 20-inch tyres (245/25 at the front and 285/25 at the rear).

GM says the study demonstrates the “synergies that are possible between motor racing and series production”.

The concept coupe and DTM racing cars are based on the production Astra coupe, launched last year.

Also making its public debut in Geneva is the latest production model of Opel’s Astra convertible.