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New 2019 Vauxhall Corsa: Official testing images revealed


Vauxhall/Opel boss Michael Lohscheller has previously told Autocar that the new Corsa will not be compromised in any way.

“It’s true that we had a version ready to go, and you can’t just stretch a design to fit a new platform,” he said, “but the teams have done a fantastic job in record time to ensure that the car is on schedule.”

The new Corsa will be based on PSA’s Common Modular Platform (CMP), a front-wheel-drive architecture. The Corsa will also dip into PSA’s engine line-up and is likely to adopt the turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol unit in a variety of power outputs.

Comment: PSA plans for a better Vauxhall Corsa

Despite the switch to a new platform, the Mk6 Corsa’s dimensions are understood to closely match the outgoing model’s. Vauxhall chose to launch the current Corsa in 2014 with near-identical dimensions to its predecessor, because the company felt it was the ideal size for customers. This strategy is expected to continue. The current Corsa is 4021mm long, 1736mm wide and 1479mm tall, dimensions that make it slightly longer and taller, but narrower, than the existing 208.

The design of the Corsa was set to be evolutionary before the plan for a GM-derived model was axed. Now, to mark a new era for the model under PSA ownership, the styling promises to mark a departure from its traditional look. However, if the Grandland X SUV is anything to go by, its relationship with PSA will result in a design less radical than the new 208. 

The three-door Corsa will be axed, reflecting an industry trend to discontinue such bodystyles, which are less popular with buyers. Producing only a five-door Corsa will also help Vauxhall/Opel’s drive for greater efficiency and increased profitability.

Inside, the Corsa will receive PSA’s familiar touchscreen infotainment system, but the overall feel of the interior is expected to be distinct from that of its French siblings. Vauxhall’s new grille and lights design and all-glass fascia panel are expected to be introduced.

Not long after the debut of the standard Corsa this year, an electric version will be launched, named eCorsa. Although the Peugeot 208 will get an electric variant first, it and the Corsa will be among the select few in the supermini segment to adopt electrified powertrains. Key rivals such as the Ford Fiesta are not expected to go electric for many years yet.

The electric range of the eCorsa is likely to be about 210 miles, in line with zero-emissions rivals such as the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf.



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