Vauxhall will make its return to motorsport by fielding a factory backed car in an all-electric rally championship next year.
The British brand will enter the ADAC GSE Rally Cup and it will see aspiring Welsh rally star Ioan Lloyd pilot a Vauxhall Mokka GSE Rally car.
Formerly known as the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, the ADAC GSE Rally Cup is a European competition launched in 2021 solely for all-electric cars, with the new Mokka GSE Rally set to take over from the Corsa Rally Electric.
Next year the season will be contested over seven rounds, all of which will be announced before the end of 2025.
The series aims to promote young talent, with the championship winner promoted to the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. This is where they can compete in the Junior European Rally Championship (ERC) aboard a Corsa Rally4.
The Mokka GSE Rally is the first car currently being developed according to the FIA’s new eRally5 regulations and with a peak output of 281 horsepower, it is more than twice as powerful as the Corsa Rally Electric (136hp). It is expected to deliver a performance on a par with the current two-wheel drive Rally4 machinery.
This will be Vauxhall’s first motorsport adventure since it pulled its factory support from the British Touring Car Championship at the end of 2009. The car maker enjoyed success throughout the 1980s, ‘90s and 2000s, winning nine manufacturers’ crowns.
Vauxhall also built a reputation for success in rallying with the Chevette HS/R, which claimed the British Rally Championship title in 1979 in the hands of Pentti Airikkala.
The Nova and Astra models continued Vauxhall’s involvement in rallying through the 1980s and ‘90s, with the Nova offering a platform for the likes of future world rally champion Colin McRae.
Vauxhall’s managing director Steve Catlin said: "It’s a privilege to be able to announce Vauxhall’s return to its motorsport roots, not to mention representing a British entry with one of the most exciting young drivers in Ioan Lloyd.
“The ADAC GSE Rally Cup has proven the success of electric motorsport, and next season it’s going up a level with the new Mokka GSE Rally.
"With many components shared with the new Mokka GSE road car, Vauxhall customers can experience exhilarating rally-inspired performance and dynamics in their daily driving when it arrives in the UK early next year."
This is a valuable opportunity for 23-year-old Lloyd who, in 2024 clinched the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup title with co-driver Sion Williams.
The success secured a prized drive in the European Rally Championship, where he finished as runner-up in the 2025 Junior ERC class.
Lloyd said: “Joining the ADAC GSE Rally Cup is an exciting new challenge for me and I’m really looking forward to it.
“The all-new car brings a fresh edge to the competition as it’s faster, more powerful, and will be incredible to drive, both for the drivers behind the wheel and for the fans watching.
“Vauxhall’s history in motorsport has helped create legends like Colin McRae, and I’m excited to carry that legacy forward. I can’t wait for the new season to begin and to see what the Mokka GSE Rally can do.”
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