Sporty Opel Corsa joins range

The next addition to the new Germans is a derivative of the new Opel Corsa – a five-door 110kW hatchback aimed at the enthusiastic driver. The Corsa Sport slots in just above the three-cylinder one litre turbocharged Cosmo model and rounds off a Corsa line-up of five models – the 1.0T Cosmo, 1.0T ecoFLEX Enjoy, 1.0T Essentia and 1.4 six-speed automatic. The new model is a dynamic and versatile hatch equipped with a 1.4 turbocharged ecoTEC engine boasting a 110kW at 5000rpm and 220Nm of torque at 3000rpm. Combining both performance and efficiency, the engine propels the Corsa from a standing start to 0-100km/h in 9.6 seconds, with a top speed of 204km/h, it is claimed.

The 1.4 T Sport’s tested fuel consumption is 7.4 litres per 100km (urban cycle), 5.1 litres (extra urban) and 5.9 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, it is said. The Corsa Sport comes with a six-speed manual transmission with synchronised gears, including reverse, with short shift travel. The gearbox has a cable shift system for improved shiftability, sync reverse gear, hydraulic clutch actuation and uses low viscosity oil.

The Corsa Sport. Picture: Supplied

To further optimise the ride and handling performance of the Corsa, the front suspension geometry has been optimised via changes on the front knuckle to improve vehicle roll behaviour, steering response and understeer behaviour. The vehicle has a lower centre of gravity and front spring rates adapted to axle loads to improve vehicle ride and pitch behaviour.

The 2015 Corsa Sport comes with subtle OPC Line Kit add-ons for customers who want to show their sporty ambitions. The standard kit includes front and rear bumper extensions, side rocker mouldings, sporty exhaust tip and carbon look outside rear view mirror covers. The sculptural wing-shaped instrument panel (IP) top-pad is enhanced by the presence of an all-new leather covered flat bottom sport steering wheel with silver bezel, alloy sports pedals, leather gear shift knob from the Corsa OPC, OPC handbrake lever in jet black leather.

The Corsa Sport. Picture: Supplied

The cloth-covered Moonray Sports seats are designed for comfort and support during spirited driving with a pattern that adds to the ambience of the cabin. Additional features include 17 inch Dark Titanium wheels and a comprehensive range of 15 exterior colours – five solid and 10 metallic.

The comprehensive list of safety features found standard in the Corsa Sport includes an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system which is very progressive in operation. It reacts almost imperceptibly for the driver (sensitive ESC), according to the driving situation, thus avoiding negative effects on the dynamics as much as possible. Traction Control (TC) is standard in the Electronic Stability Control (ESC), as is Straight line Stability (SLS) and Brake Assist System (BAS) which is a braking technology that increases braking pressure in an emergency situation. BAS is designed to give the driver a higher deceleration gain than would be possible from the regular brake system booster.

The Corsa Sport. Picture: Supplied

Many of the Corsa Sport’s driver assistance systems are unrivalled in its class. These include 25W bi-xenon headlamps with cornering light control and LED daytime running lights. Opel’s new-generation Advanced Park Assist 2 (APA2) – available as an option on Enjoy, Cosmo derivatives and Sport – identifies suitable parking spaces at under 30km/h and automatically parks the vehicle, without the driver touching the wheel.

APA2 partners with Side Blind Spot Alert, which also uses the ultrasonic sensors to warn the driver of an imminent collision when changing lanes. The Corsa Sport has six airbags and a five-star NCAP safety rating. Opel’s award-winning IntelliLink infotainment system, which brings the connected world of smartphones and apps into the car, is available as an option on Enjoy and Essentia models and standard on Cosmo and Sport.

The Corsa Sport. Picture: Supplied

IntelliLink is fully compatible with the latest Android and Apple iOS-based smartphones.