VAUXHALL CORSA

The importance of the Corsa to Vauxhall is difficult to overstate, as it has consistently been one of the UK’S most popular cars over the past five generations. The sixth-generation car goes on sale this year as the first all-new model under PSA Group ownership, with an electric ecorsa due not long after launch.

It makes use of PSA’S Common Modular Platform (CMP), an architecture that’s also set to underpin its mechanically similar Peugeot 208 sibling, which arrives before the Corsa. That platform is designed to house both conventional combustion engines and electrified variants, including the ecorsa’s fully electric drivetrain. The car’s range is likely to be around 250 miles, making it a true rival for dedicated EVS such as the Nissan Leaf.

The Corsa will appear first as a petrol model and is expected to make use of PSA’S three-cylinder Puretech unit. With striking similarities under the skin, Vauxhall’s supermini will carry a different exterior design from the next 208. The Corsa was due to be an evolutionary step until PSA took over, but now a radical departure, including Vauxhall’s new grille and an all-glass fascia panel, is mooted. There will also be no three-door version, ref lecting a wider industry trend.

What may be a concern for buyers is the Corsa’s unusually quick development time. PSA effectively ripped up the work Vauxhall had

done when the buyout occurred, so the supermini was rushed through from drawing board to reveal in just two years. But PSA is more experienced than most when it comes to small cars, and Opel-vauxhall boss Michael Lohscheller insists the new car “will not be compromised in any way”. We’ll find out if that’s the case towards the end of the year.