Return of the Corsa GSi: Is Opel’s 3dr ‘warm hatch’ worth your time & cash?
DESPITE the heavy cost of purchase and ownership, there remains a fascination with smaller hot hatches.
They have always been symbols of difference for drivers, and of technological know-how for brands.
The fuss around them can raise a marque’s profile, though modest sales volumes reflect the expensive reality of ownership.
I’ve been driving a few small hot hatches over the past week. Some, such as the Ford Fiesta ST3 and Volkswagen Polo GTi, were adrenalin machines, prompting and teasing more verve and pace. It’s fair to say they’re true hot hatches.
I also travelled to Basel to drive Opel’s new Corsa GSi, which, by comparison, is more warm than hot hatch. It’s a case of getting what you pay for. The Fiesta ST3 costs from around €31,000 and the GTi kicks off at €32,395. The Corsa will start at €24,895 when it goes on sale here (special order) in October.
It’s a choice not many will have to make. These cars are dreamed about by many but bought by few. The Corsa is more affordable, but you pay the penalty with moderate, as opposed to major, performance. There is a case to be made for that. Saving yourself upwards of €6,000 for a car of this size (albeit with three doors as opposed to five) is a big consideration.
Let’s see if it’s enough to justify buying a GSi instead of the hotter, more established performance hatches (others include the Renault Clio RS, for example).
Some context. This Corsa further heralds the return of the GSi performance badge.
It’s another little show of strength (I’ve already reviewed the Insignia) for a manufacturer going through major change.
Just to be clear, the GSi is on the (truly hot) OPC chassis but tuned for medium performance. The threedoor, souped-up hatch is powered by a 4cyl 1.4-litre petrol. It develops 150hp (220Nm torque, 6.4-6l/100km, 138g/km to 147gm.
Road tax is €280/€390 depending on tyres, wheels etc. Emissions will be higher with the 18ins alloys (Michelin Pilot Sport tyres) we drove on than the standard 17ins wheels. The engine also gets GSi-calibration treatment for better response.
There’s a six-speed gearbox, set up in such a way I found third to be ideal for a wide range of speed over long stretches, though it was just a little too high for some of the corkscrew bends on our route near Basel and Mulhouse in the Alsace region.
It’s a free-revving engine without a hint of raucousness about it, even at 5,000rpm.
As is often the case with small cars such as this, it felt faster to 100kmh than its 8.9 seconds suggests. It wasn’t bad between 80kmh and 120kmh either (9.9 seconds). Top speed is 207kmh. The OPC chassis and brakes (red callipers) were set up on the Nurburgring by Opel’s performance team.
That chassis handled tight-curve driving well. It was not outrageously sporty, on the one hand, but it didn’t feel damped to rock-hard status either. It coped well with vertical (jolts) and horizontal challenges (bends, sudden changes in direction). I’d have liked a quicker gear shift from third to second as the twists demanded.
It was a sharp drive without setting the world alight, which is more or less what Opel set out to achieve. You could also possibly make a case for it being a special trim addition to the Corsa range rather than a standalone specific model, but the end result would probably be the same.
What I liked about it most was its chassis response under pressure. It was predictable and defined while letting me feel the energy of what was going on.
They have dressed it up, of course. There are large air intakes, sports steering wheel, aluminium pedals, optional Recaro performance seats etc.
The first Corsa GSi debuted in 1988 with 100hp. This one develops 150hp – a lot in a car of this size and weight. I wasn’t madly excited by it, and it is difficult to justify splashing €25,000 for a warm supermini, but it did exactly what is promised – it delivered a quick turn of foot, bolstered by a lively chassis, and was fun to drive without being taxing.
For anyone not looking for scorching performance, the GSi is a decent happy medium.