Chevy unveils a “muscle car for Europe,” and there’s a production-ready Opel Antara small SUV and sporty Corasvan concept.

GM Europe Opel Antara. Photo: Rod Hatfield“We wanted to explore the concept of a Chevrolet muscle car reinvented for Europe," says David Lyon, an executive director of design at GM, of the Chevrolet WTCC Ultra concept.

Accurately described by its design team as “wild,” WTCC Ultra’s short, high hood, tiny race-style door mirrors, huge air dams, slick tires, gigantic spoiler, electric blue paintwork, and bold 3D Chevy bow-tie badges answer the muscle car brief thoroughly.

And despite its quintessentially American badge, this car is also unmistakably European – in its hatchback body style, its common-rail turbodiesel power plant, and its World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) inspiration.

The WTCC is a fully operating, drivable car, with a sophisticated sports-tuned suspension, 190-hp common-rail engine and fully fitted interior complete with race-ready roll cage. But as a design exercise, it “bends the rules” of the WTCC race series, uses extensive carbon and glass fiber composites, and is certainly not a road-going vehicle. Nevertheless, it does show that Chevrolet understands what matters to European car buyers. Like the American Camaro muscle car concept from Detroit’s show earlier this year, it’s indicative of future models this increasing global marquee would like to make.