Vauxhall is bringing the hot Corsa back – and it’s doing it without a petrol engine, a turbocharger or a noisy exhaust.
This is the new Vauxhall Corsa GSE, a fully electric version of Britain’s best-selling small car that arrives with 277bhp, 254lb ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of just 5.5 seconds. That makes it the quickest accelerating production Vauxhall currently on sale and puts it right in the thick of proper hot hatch territory.
It also means Vauxhall is dipping back into one of its most-loved back catalogues. Think Nova GTE, Nova GSi, Corsa GSi and, of course, Corsa VXR – the kind of cars that filled supermarket car parks, hot hatch meetups and plenty of teenagers’ bedroom walls. Only now the noise has gone, and instant electric shove has arrived instead.
The new hot Corsa is due to be launched later this year, with its public debut set for the Paris Motor Show in October. It follows the Mokka GSE, which kicked off Vauxhall’s new generation of faster, sportier electric models.
The Corsa GSE gets the same power output as the Mokka GSE. There’s a 54kWh battery, with 51kWh of usable capacity, plus an adapted battery temperature management system to help it keep delivering peak performance.
There are three driving modes. Sport gives the full 277bhp and the sharpest set-up, while Normal trims output to 228bhp. Eco mode is there for when you’re trying to stretch the battery rather than win the traffic light grand prix, with the top speed reduced to 93mph. Flat out, the Corsa GSE will reach 112mph.
Vauxhall has also added the sort of kit hot hatch fans tend to like. The Corsa GSE is front-wheel drive and gets a Torsen multi-plate limited-slip differential, lowered sports suspension, bespoke axles, stabilisers and hydraulic shock absorbers. Steering and pedal response have been tuned for the GSE too, while four-piston performance brakes are there to bring everything back under control.
Visually, it is not exactly shy. There’s a GSE-specific front bumper, sharper rear styling, black trim, wide wheel arches, a black roof and a black rear spoiler. It sits on 18-inch three-spoke alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres. Alcon brake callipers carrying GSE lettering behind them complete the dynamic picture.
Inside, Vauxhall has gone for a modern take on old-school hot hatch fun. The performance seats have integrated head restraints and are trimmed in Alcantara and cloth, with a black, grey and yellow chequered pattern said to nod back to the original Nova interior. There are bright yellow seatbelts, an Alcantara-covered steering wheel, yellow stitching, aluminium pedals and GSE graphics.
The driver gets a personalised digital display, while the 10-inch central touchscreen includes performance data, G-force readouts, acceleration figures and battery information. Heated seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and start, and a 180-degree reversing camera are also included.
There’s even vehicle-to-load charging, so the Corsa GSE can power external devices such as e-bikes directly from the car’s battery.
Eurig Druce, Vauxhall Managing Director & Stellantis UK Group Managing Director, said, “The new Corsa GSE marks a defining moment for Vauxhall as we bring the spirit of our iconic hot hatches into the electric era.
“Building on the blueprint set by the rally-inspired Mokka GSE, the new Corsa GSE combines exhilarating performance with everyday accessibility, proving that electric cars can be emotional, exciting, and great to drive.
“From its unmistakable GSE design to its class-leading acceleration, Corsa GSE proudly carries forward the legacy of models like Nova GTE, Corsa GSi and Corsa VXR - reimagined for a new electric generation.”
The new model lands 39 years after the Nova GTE first appeared in 1987, with 100bhp and a kerb weight of just 876kg. The first Corsa GSi followed in 1993, while the Corsa VXR arrived in 2007 with 189bhp. Later Nürburgring and Clubsport versions added more power and sharper hardware, before the second-generation Corsa VXR arrived in 2015.
Now the small, hot Vauxhall is back in a very different form. Prices, range figures and full UK specifications have not yet been confirmed, but Vauxhall says more information on the Corsa GSE will follow later in the year and closer to its on sale date.
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