In a response to The Citizen following the model’s showing on the Rüsselsheim automaker’s Instagram page, Public Relations Manager Lise Holloway stated that the importer is working with Opel in Germany “on bringing the new Corsa to South Africa with an expected late 2020 introduction”.
The latest model after the Crossland X, Grandland X, Combo and Combo Life, Vivaro and Zafira Life to make use of parent company PSA’s platform, in this case the Common Modular Platform (CMP) that also underpins the new Peugeot 208, the Corsa, in Europe, comes powered by a choice of three internal combustion engines and one all-electric, though the latter, known as the e-Corsa, is unlikely for local market introduction.
In electric form, the Corsa-e’s 50 kWh battery pack produces 100kW/260Nm, the most powerful in the range, but speculation is that South Africans will only be privy to the 1.2 PureTech three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 74kW/205Nm and 96kW/230Nm with the former offering the option of a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox, while the latter is equipped as standard with the self-shifter.
Although pricing for the Corsa kicks-off at €17 850 (R300 806) in Germany and at the £15 500 (R283 629) in the United Kingdom for its Vauxhall badged sibling, final pricing and spec for South Africa will only be announced closer to the model’s launch date.
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