Opel Corsa GSE schlägt Peugeot GTI mit eigenem Peugeot-Motor

New Corsa GSE delivers 276 hp and 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds.

Plaid bucket seats tip a hat to classic hot hatches from the '80s. Opel and its badged-engineered British sister brand Vauxhall are rediscovering their hot hatch roots, but with a charging cable this time. The pair dropped their Corsa GSE today, along with a zero to 62 mph (100 kmh) time that says it's faster than any rival electric hot hatch on the market.

That includes fellow Stellantis company Peugeot's e-208 GTI whose platform, powertrain and basic chassis setup the GSE shares. Under the skin is a single electric motor that sends 276 hp (281 PS 207 kW) and 254 lb-ft (345 nm) of torque to the front wheels through a limited-slip differential, though only in Sport mode. In Normal you make do with 228 hp (231 PS 170 kW).

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Zero to 62 mph (100 kmh) takes 5.5 seconds in Sport, versus 5.7 seconds for the e-208 and 5.9 seconds for the 1,550 kg (3,420 lbs) Corsa's mechanically identical, but 47 kg (104 lbs) heavier crossover brother, the Mokka GSE. That's pretty damn swift for a small, front-wheel drive hatch, and also makes the Corsa GSE significantly quicker than its key non-Stellantis electric rivals like the Alpine A290 and Mini Cooper JCW, which need 6.4 and 5.9 seconds respectively to hit the 60 mph mark.

Stiffer, lower suspension and uprated brakes with four-pot calipers are part of the chassis package, Opel claiming that both the steering and pedal responses are massively improved over what you experience from the regular EV. Rolling stock is Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 215/40 R18 rubber wrapped around alloy rims whose three-spoke design is there to evoke memories of the 1980s Opel Corsa GSE, which traded blows with the Peugeot 205 GTI almost 40 years ago.

Climb inside and you'll find the

Climb inside and you'll find the sports seats have plaid centers to carry on the 1980s hot hatch theme. Other GSE interior details on the 2027 car include Alcantara trim, aluminum pedals, and strong yellow accents, plus a performance data display showing acceleration stats and G-force readings. On the outside, in addition to those three-spoke rims you get a black roof, rear spoiler and sportier bumpers.

As for range, we don't have numbers yet, but we do know that the GSE uses the same 51 kWh (usable) battery as other Corsas and other Stellantis cars built on the same CMP platform. So we'd expect the GSE to roughly equal the e-208 GTI's 217-mile (349 km) range, which will be fine for blasting around town, but not so good on longer trips.

VW's ID. Polo GTI debuts any day, and should deliver more than 260 miles (418 km) of range, though with only 223 hp (226 PS 166 kW) it won't trouble the GSE in a race to 62 mph. Which one gets your vote?

Chris Chilton Senior Editor Chris is a seasoned automotive journalist with over two decades of experience. He has worked... Read full bio