ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS ON THE OPEL CORSA GSE

The Opel Corsa, badged Vauxhall in the UK, remains one of the most popular small cars and it has been that way since it first entered the market in 1982. The Corsa was once the best-selling car in the world in 1998, recording 910,839 sales. At that time, the Corsa was assembled on four continents, marketed under five different marques and offered in five body styles.

Nothing stays still in the world of motoring though, and now enter the Corsa GSE to the electric highway. The newcomer revives the tradition of sporty Corsa models with 281bhp, 345 Nm and rest to 100kph (62mph) in 5.5 seconds. From the GSi to the new GSE, each generation of the Corsa has delivered at least one dynamic version to buyers. A combination of being fast and powerful means buyers will get electrifying driving pleasure in its purest form. Above all, its performance figures speak very much for themselves as it offers as much electric power as the Mokka GSE.

The Corsa GSE is a high-performance compact package which makes it the most powerful production Corsa to date. Looking back the hot hatch fun era if you like, which began in 1988 with the GSi. The newcomer succeeds the Corsa OPC as the most powerful Corsa to date and takes the ‘hot hatch’ experience to the next level; after all, that is exactly what GSE stands for: Grand Sport Electric! Sophisticated technology also contributes to the exceptional performance, handling stability and direct feedback and the Corsa GSE with front-wheel drive with Torsen-multi-plate limited-slip differential and a lowered sports chassis with specifically designed axles, stabilisers and hydraulic shock absorbers. GSE-optimised steering and pedal tuning underlines the highly dynamic driving experience. And if necessary, four-piston performance brakes ensure immediate deceleration from high speeds. The newcomer confidently showcases its performance with numerous details, from the GSE-specific front and rear to 18 inch wheels, performance seats, yellow seatbelts to digital displays with performance data and much more. The GSE design with genuine wow-factor a demonstrates what emotional, all-electric ‘hot hatch’ driving fun is all about in its purest form.

No surprise at all to learn that the GSE was tested on the legendary Nurburgring with special attention to fine tuning of the chassis, The Nurburgring in the Eifel region of Rhineland-Palatinate has made a name for itself as one of the most beautiful and challenging racetracks in the world; therefore no surprise that Opel saw it as the ideal place to apply the final tweaks to the new Corsa GSE, which will be the next addition to the GSE family. Opel say that they want everybody to enjoy fully-electric hot hatchback performance and exciting driving dynamics. The reason why the German carmaker specifically travelled to the Nurburgring to put the final touches on the set-up. As can be expected from a performance model, the Corsa GSE will come with a sport chassis with specific throttle, steering and ESC tuning matching its power output.

While at the Nürburgring, the team focused on the fine-tuning of precisely these elements to ensure the perfect set-up of the series production vehicle which will then be the most powerful series Corsa ever built.

Ian Lynas