Opel reveals all-new Corsa (with electric power)

Published May 24, 2019

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Rüsselsheim - Opel has lifted the lid on its six-generation Corsa and to say that it’s all-new from the ground up would be an understatement.

Not only has it shifted to a Peugeot platform, sharing its innards with the new 208 following PSA’s purchase of the German brand in 2017, but it’s also the first generation to offer an electric version of the compact hatch.

In fact, it is this fully-electric version of the Corsa that Opel is unveiling first, but if you can’t afford to take that leap (remember, electric cars come at a premium), fret not as Opel will also launch conventional petrol and diesel versions, although no further information on those derivatives has been released as yet.

As for the battery-powered Corsa-e, as it’s named, buyers can look forward to a relatively decent driving range of up to 330km between charges (a provisional figure based on the WLTP1 measurement protocol) and performance won’t be half bad either, with outputs of 100kW and 260Nm allowing for an 8.1 second 0-100km/h sprint.

If connected to a fast charger, the Corsa-e’s 50kWh battery can be charged to 80 percent of its capacity in 30 minutes, Opel says, while drivers can choose between three driving modes: Sport, Normal and Eco - logically the latter is the one you need to stick to if you want to minimise range anxiety.

The Corsa will be offered with a wider array of tech features, including glare-free IntelliLux LED matrix headlights, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist and a variety of parking assistance systems.

Inside the command centre is Opel’s Multimedia Navi touchscreen infotainment system, available in 17.8cm and 25.4cm screen sizes and offering a range of ‘Opel Connect’ telematics services in Europe.

Opel's local distributor Unitrans says it hopes to launch the new Corsa in South Africa by late 2020.

IOL Motoring

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