In Rüsselsheim, plans for a high-performance version of the Corsa had long been in the works. Back in 2002, at the tuning festival in Essen, the Corsa OPC concept with a 175-horsepower 1.6 turbo engine was shown to the public. An ordinary city subcompact, dressed in an aggressive body kit, with Recaro bucket seats and racing livery, caused a real sensation. However, despite the enthusiastic reviews, it never made it to the assembly line back then.
The ground clearance, reduced by 15 mm, doesn't cause problems in the city yet. Though, it's summer outside...
Fans of "hot" hatches had to wait until last year's Geneva Motor Show. But I got acquainted with the live Corsa OPC back in the fall, when I was testing diesel Opels. Then I managed to beg the powerful version for literally an hour.
That time, I only took a ride on the highway and stood in traffic jams — no particular impression was formed. So I was looking forward to meeting the car in Moscow with great anticipation. And when I saw the familiar three-door in the signature Arden Blue color, I simply lost my head. Forward!
Can this pirate be called a girl's car? Look at the aggressive bumpers, the playful rear wing, the 17-inch wheels, through the spokes of which you can see powerful brake mechanisms with blue calipers. One of the "eyes" just begs for a black eyepatch. However, the central exhaust is not the most original idea: the same pipe already adorns the rear of the Mazda RX-8, hinting at a rotary engine.
The regular Corsa looks surprised, but the OPC is displeased with something: either Moscow roads or the gasoline...
Under the hood of the Corsa, there's no rotary, but a regular inline "four" with a displacement of 1598 cc. But thanks to turbocharging, it produces as much as 192 hp and 230 N•m. And if you press the pedal to the floor, the boost pressure briefly increases, and the torque jumps by another 36 newton-meters.
The interior greets you with a somewhat gloomy atmosphere, fitting the pirate mood. The interior familiar from the regular Corsa with a massive dashboard and hard plastic on the doors. But the steering wheel is in line with the latest fashion: flattened at the bottom, with a zero mark, like in rallying. And the gearshift lever is an old acquaintance from the Astra and Zafira OPC. The main gem in the cabin is the excellent Recaro seats. True, they are upholstered in slippery leather, but you can opt out of that in favor of grippy fabric — the lateral support will remain exemplary in any case.
The lacquered center console looks rich, but the sound of the audio system leaves much to be desired. To set up the music, you need to figure out the confusing menu. You'll also have to fiddle with the "climate" and the onboard computer. The steering wheel is beautiful but uncomfortable. However, you get used to everything — for that kind of money...
It's the front seats that are the main problem for rear passengers: their knees press against the hard plastic backs. But who cares about the "ballast" in such a car? Let's go!
The Recaro seats look great and hold you well in corners. But it's not worth overpaying for leather. Rear passengers can only be sympathized with: their knees constantly touch the hard plastic backs. But in the trunk, due to the absence of a spare tire, a convenient underfloor compartment has appeared.
Phew, getting moving from a standstill is not so easy at first. The clutch is light, but long-travel and engages at the very end of the pedal. You don't expect that from a car with sporting ambitions. And the "square" gearshift knob is not the best helper for quick shifts. Plus, the turbo lag up to 2000 rpm reminds you that under the hood is just a 1.6 engine.
In dense traffic, I initially complained about the small mirrors: beautiful but impractical. But it turned out that the bright blue impudent Corsa is let through even by huge limousines and SUVs: changing lanes is a pleasure. And the non-latching turn signals, which are usually criticized in Opels, work as they should here.
In the evening, having escaped the traffic jams, the Corsa and I begin to wake up. Pedal to the metal! I believe in the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.2 seconds and the top speed of 225 km/h. The main thing is that there are no ruts under the wheels. The steering wheel doesn't tear from your hands as fiercely as, for example, in the Mazda3 MPS, but you still have to correct the course. The engine pulls excellently from 2000 to the limit of 6500 rpm, accompanying the acceleration with a loud and rough roar. Involuntarily, you recall the exhaust symphony of the Astra OPC! Only for the sake of the huge muffler did they have to sacrifice the spare wheel. There's not even a space-saver here! So, if you puncture an expensive tire, you'll have to fiddle with a useless repair kit or call a tow truck. Fortunately, I was spared that fate.
But why is the gearbox so "short" here? Second gear goes up to 85 km/h! Why would such a "torquey" engine need extra shifts? And the "ecology" also makes itself known: the revs rise and fall too slowly, so you can't do the usual quick rev-match downshift. You have to get used to it.
The brakes are the only thing with no complaints whatsoever. When the painted calipers bite into the 308-millimeter discs, the Continental SportContact 3 tires work to their full potential. The pedal is informative: during the entire test, it never gave me a reason to make a mistake.
And provocation is the element of the turbocharged Corsa. For the nervous system, it's like a slingshot at a balloon festival. It gets you going right away, and the blood starts rushing and pounding... Going home and going to sleep — no chance. So I headed to familiar winding roads. After all, I need to test the adaptive lighting...
The headlights of the menacing Corsa, unlike its civilian sisters, are slightly tinted. And at the rear, there's not even a badge: what kind of Corsa is this — for over forty thousand?!
The Corsa OPC handles magnificently! It responds sharply and nimbly to the steering wheel, provoking you to take the "special stage" even faster. The power steering doesn't deprive you of information. When you lift off the throttle, the little one tends to go into a slide, but the stability control delicately and unobtrusively holds it by the tail. The electronics, by the way, also know how to combat understeer. The tires are great! You can feel that the team of testers led by Manuel Reuter didn't work in vain at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
True, I don't know how Reuter felt during his record lap of the Nordschleife, but near Moscow, that very "crooked" steering wheel seemed very uncomfortable to me. What prevented them from putting a normal round "donut" without any frills?
And then there's the suspension. Yes, you can hardly fault the Corsa's handling, but at high speeds in corners, there's a diagonal rocking, and the body roll is a bit too much. Apparently, the Opel folks were afraid of criticism of the stiff Astra and Vectra OPC and chose compromise settings for the springs and dampers. A pity!
That is, it's a pity when you're "hauling ass" at full tilt. But as soon as you get onto the Third Ring Road, at the first expansion joint, you notice with surprise — your spine doesn't crumble into your pants. And the light clutch makes life easier in traffic jams. There's also a hill-start assist system here...
The main thing is to pay less attention to the fiddly "climate" control and the bland audio system. There's more interesting music here. The breath of 192 "turbo horses." Spur them on — and out of town, attacking corners. As befits a car with a Jolly Roger in its heart and three cheerful letters on the tail. And don't you dare smile — this is no laughing matter!
Technical specifications
Technical specifications
| Specifications | Opel Corsa OPC |
|---|---|
| Body | |
| Number of doors/seats | 3/5 |
| Length, mm | 4040 |
| Width, mm | 1713 |
| Height, mm | 1488 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2511 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1203 |
| Trunk volume, l | 285—1050 |
| Engine | |
| Type | Petrol, turbocharged |
| Location | Front, transverse |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | 4, in-line |
| Number of valves | 16 |
| Displacement, cm3 | 1598 |
| Max power, hp/rpm-1 | 192/5850 |
| Max torque, Nm/rpm-1 | 230/1980—5800 (266 in Overboost mode) |
| Transmission | |
| Gearbox | Manual, six-speed |
| Drive | Front |
| Chassis | |
| Front suspension | Independent, McPherson |
| Rear suspension | Semi-independent, torsion beam |
| Front brakes | Disc, ventilated |
| Rear brakes | Disc |
| Tires | 215/45 R17 |
| Performance characteristics | |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 225 |
| Acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h, s | 7.2 |
| Fuel consumption, l/100 km | |
| urban cycle | 10.5 |
| extra-urban cycle | 6.4 |
| combined cycle | 7.9 |
| Toxicity standard | Euro-4 |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 45 |
| Fuel | AI-95-98 |
Equipment of the tested car
Standard equipment
- Power steering
- Front and side airbags
- Inflatable safety curtains
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- ABS
- Stability control system
- Hill start assist system
- Tire pressure monitoring system
- Heated exterior mirrors with electric drive
- Fog lights
- Air conditioning
- Front sports seats Recaro with heating
- Steering column with height and reach adjustment
- Tire repair kit
- Central locking
- CD/MP3 audio system with steering wheel controls
- Immobilizer
Additional equipment
- Athermal windshield
- Climate control
- Rain sensor
- On-board computer
- Cruise control
- Adaptive headlights
- Anti-theft system
- Rear parking sensors
- Audio system with DVD and navigation
- Leather interior
- Metallic paint
Cost of basic configuration — 759,000 rubles ($31,780)
Cost of the tested car — 941,800 rubles ($39,433)
Technology
Safety
The current Corsa stands out not only for its attractive design, but also for its well-thought-out safety. The Euro NCAP exam was passed with flying colors — 34 points out of 37 possible.
Design
History
Competitors
Behind the scenes
The law of meanness. As soon as we took the “hot” three-door for a test, the cyclone that hit painted the capital in gloomy tones, and the photo session took place in truly terrible conditions. And only our Corsa OPC contrasted with the general mood of the city.