- Opel’s Corsa GSE has been spied ahead of a debut later this year.
- It’s expected to get a single 278 hp motor with limited-slip diff.
- Visually and mechanically it shares much with Mokka GSE SUV.
Opel’s famous hot hatch badge is back on a GTI-type subcompact, and this time it doesn’t need a turbocharger or fancy ICE breathing to make trouble. Fresh spy shots confirm the Corsa GSE is on the way, giving the long retired Opel OPC and British Vauxhall VXR bloodline a fully electric reboot with considerably more zap than before.
We already saw a teaser last week, zoomed in tight on a wheel like it was hiding state secrets. Now the prototypes are out stretching their legs, wearing camo but not bothering to disguise the yellow brake callipers and chunky wheels that scream performance model.
Related: The Stellantis Hot Hatch You’ll Never Buy But Can Still Drive At Home
Visually, expect something close to the Mokka GSE SUV that debuted last year. That means dynamic-looking wheel rims, plenty of moody black detailing and a lower stance resulting from uprated springs and dampers. The body panels appear largely unchanged from the facelifted Corsa, but sharper bumpers and extra cladding should help it stand apart from lesser trims in supermarket car parks.
Close To 280 hp
Baldauf
Under the skin, the smart money says it’ll also mirror the Mokka GSE and its Stellantis cousins. Expect a front-mounted electric motor pushing out around 278 hp (281 PS / 207 kW) and 255 lb-ft (345 Nm) of torque, plus a Torsen limited slip differential and stiffer suspension are expected to keep torque steer tantrums in check.
Opel claims a 5.9-second zero to 62 mph (100 kmh) time for the Mokka, so the lighter Corsa should knock a couple of tenths off that, matching the 5.7 seconds Peugeot quotes for the Corsa GSE’s French brother, the 208 GTI.
Baldauf
Power will likely come from the familiar 54 kWh battery pack fitted to both the Mokka and 208. But the driving range will come in closer to the 208’s 217 miles (350 km) than the 201 miles (324 km) Opel says the taller, heavier Mokka can deliver between charges.
Competition Hotting Up
The 208 GTI marks the first time Peugeot has dropped a GTI badge on an EV, but it won’t the £35-40k Corsa GSE’s only competition. Alpine and Mini already have hot hatch EVs on sale and VW launches its first electric GTI this year, the ID. Polo GTI.
From what we’ve seen the Polo is going to have the upper hand when it comes to design, both inside and out, but with only 223 hp (226 hp / 166 kW), it’s not going to have the firepower of the Stellantis duo.
