Opel Astra DTM

The Opel Astra DTM was a purpose-built touring racing car that Opel constructed to compete in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, the German touring car series, and it was used between 2000 and 2003. Despite the Astra name it was not a road car fitted with a racing kit but a specially made competition machine, built on a tubular steel space frame with rear-wheel drive. Its power came from a naturally aspirated 4.0 litre 90 degree V8 of Cadillac Northstar origin, prepared for Opel by Spiess and sending about 462 horsepower through a six-speed sequential Xtrac gearbox. It ran under the Opel Performance Center banner with the Phoenix Racing and Holzer teams, made its debut at the Hockenheimring in 2000, and was followed in the series by the Opel Vectra GTS V8 DTM.