Germany's Opel on Thursday unveiled a redesigned Corsa, its first car developed entirely post the brand's sale by General Motors to France's PSA Group in 2017.
The new Corsa represents the sixth generation of Opel's popular subcompact hatch and was presented in Corsa-e electric guise. The Corsa-e is one of three EVs Opel will launch by the end of 2020, the others being based on the Vivaro commercial van and next-generation Mokka X subcompact crossover SUV.
2020 Opel Corsa-e
The new Corsa rides on the EMP1 (also referred to as CMP) platform of PSA Group, which made its debut last year in the DS 3 Crossback, which also comes in electric guise. Not surprisingly, the two models' electric variants use the same powertrain. An electric motor delivering 136 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque spins the front wheels and draws its juice from a 50-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery.
For the Corsa-e, the range should approach 200 miles on a single charge, though only in its Eco mode setting. Leaving the car in its Sport setting will result in better response but a decrease in range. According to Opel, an 80-percent charge in as little as 30 minutes is possible and owners can expect 0-60 mph acceleration in about 8.0 seconds.
2020 Opel Corsa-e
Despite the Corsa being an econo car, Opel has loaded it up with technologies normally reserved for upmarket cars. These include matrix LED headlights, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist, park assist, and navigation with real-time updates. Furthermore, a 7.0-inch touchscreen serves as the infotainment hub and can be upgraded to a 10.0-inch screen.
The new Corsa goes on sale in markets where Opel operates late this year. Gasoline and diesel versions will be announced closer to the market launch, and hopefully hot GSi and OPC versions aren't far.
