Reader Scoops 2010 Opel Astra Test Car in Michigan

This past weekend, eagle-eyed Carscoop reader Thomas Czarny picked up these shots of a heavily disguised 2010 Opel Astra hatchback prototype in a shopping mall parking lot in Traverse City, Michigan. The test car was fitted with manufacturer license plates and sported a GMPT (General Motors Powertrain) Engineering Vehicle sticker on the front windshield.

We're fully aware of the fact that new cars go through all sorts of tests in various places around the world including markets where they will not be sold, but we also know that GM is preparing an Opel Astra based small sedan for Buick which is scheduled to go on sale in the States by the end of 2011.

Earlier this year, our spy photographers snapped the Buick four-door sedan along with a five-door Astra prototype sporting Buick's corporate waterfall grille while undergoing testing in Germany.

Although the five-door model is said to be under development for Buick's Chinese market line-up, we can't entirely rule out the possibility that GM may also be considering the hatch for the U.S. where it would compete against the VW Golf and Mazda3.

This naturally brings us to the question, in addition to the sedan model, should GM also enhance Buick's U.S. range with a rebadged version of the 2010 Opel Astra hatchback?

Kudos to Thomas Czarny for the Scoop!