Wednesday 9th July 2014

Vauxhall reveals fourth generation Corsa...

... driving schools nationwide in a frenzy

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For the past two decades there's probably been a Corsa at some stage of a new driver's life. Taking lessons, a first car or perhaps that of a friend, the Corsa and learners are inextricably linked.

Hang on, this looks familiar

Now just two days after announcing a £99 insurance offer for 18-20 year olds on the current car, the latest Corsa has been shown.

Vauxhall are keen to stress it's 'new' but reading between the lines would suggest its a very significant facelift. Despite every panel being changed, the proportions are very similar to the existing Corsa. That's because it sits on a 'completely redesigned' rather than all new chassis but with a plethora of new components including a stiffer front subframe, revised dampers and new knuckle joints. The centre of gravity is also 5mm lower. Vauxhall states the emphasis for the chassis revisions has been on 'exceptional rolling refinement, ride quality, precise handling and stability'.

On first impression, the fourth-gen Corsa (are we onto Corsa E now?) looks an awful lot like the back of an Astra and the front of an Adam have been grafted on to the Corsa D. Too harsh? Others have suggested the Nissan Note from the front…

There's connectivity and things in here

The interior also draws inspiration from Vauxhall's city car with new displays and the IntelliLink infotainment system. Controlled through apps such as BringGo, TuneIn and Siri Eyes Free, it will surely prove very appealing to the Corsa's target market. It's compatible with Apple and Android phones, of course.

Though there's no news on a VXR replacement just yet, there is some PH interest under the bonnet. Vauxhall's new three-cylinder turbo makes its debut in the Corsa, Euro 6 compliant and producing either 90 or 115hp. Vauxhall claims it's the only production three-cylinder engine with a balancer shaft improving NVH. Can it match the famed 999cc Ford Ecoboost?

Paris showgoers will get the first look at the Corsa in October. Vauxhall will release full spec and price details nearer the time. Then possibly some very attractive finance deals a couple of months later.

[N3vins]

Minor facelift of an ancient car

[Beefmeister]

I'm not usually one to be a nay-sayer, but this has to be the least 'PH' story I've ever read.

Leave this sort of utterly boring blandmobile for What Car and Autocar, chaps...

[DanielJames]

Beefmeister said:

I'm not usually one to be a nay-sayer, but this has to be the least 'PH' story I've ever read.

Leave this sort of utterly boring blandmobile for What Car and Autocar, chaps...

Agree.

Car looks terribly boring, but then what else can you expect.

I'm sure it'll be as dreadful as the car it replaced.

Anyway, back to the barge thread.

[Chainguy]

Whats a 'Crosa'?

Proof reading. Trust me, it's the way forward.

[toppstuff]

Ignore the negativity above - this car will still be a vitally important part of the nations driving in the years to come. Learners will cut their teeth in these and thousands of them will be sold to young drivers on the back of cheap finance. It is what it is, no point in trying to deny it.

Turning to the car itself, it looks fine. I must say, though, that Hyundai will be miffed that GM appears to have copied them. The Corsa really, really, looks like a Hyundai / Kia. It is almost a facsimile. Which is ironic, given that the Koreans were once criticised for doing the same thing.

[Chainguy]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

You answered your own question there friend.

[pvj]

It must be a quiet news day at PH towers if you are covering a new Corsa

[dxg]

N3vins said:

Minor facelift of an ancient car

Yup, I did a double take on this video when they basically said it's the same platform: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQQT0Mn-CKY

And look at the DLO - apart from the c-pillar, the same as before, even if every panel is different...

(The new dash is quite nice, though).

[Beefmeister]

toppstuff said:

Ignore the negativity above - this car will still be a vitally important part of the nations driving in the years to come. Learners will cut their teeth in these and thousands of them will be sold to young drivers on the back of cheap finance. It is what it is, no point in trying to deny it.

I don't deny that the Vauxhall will (inexplicably) sell thousands and thousands of Corsas and that they will feature in drivers' lives.

But despite the 'Speed Matters' disappearing, the site is still called 'Pistonheads' - a site for people who love cars and driving. This is the automotive equivalent of a fridge. White goods. In no way could anyone ever get excited about this new Corsa.

[BritishRacinGrin]

I presume this'll continue the recent Vauxhall trend of looking pretty good but feeling like a low-rent Audi pretender to drive?

[toppstuff]

Beefmeister said:

This is the automotive equivalent of a fridge. White goods. In no way could anyone ever get excited about this new Corsa.

In fairness, I dont regard the average VW Golf or Audio TDI as any less of a fridge either, and PH covers them all the time.

This Corsa is no less interesting than a Golf TDI. PH seems to love them. I don't see any difference.

[mike-r]

How fantastically dull.

[okie592]

Can't wait too see all the 1.2 limited editions in white bombing about!
( i refer to them as the car version of clymidia )


Honestly this corsa must be the only small car on the same underpinning for this long. The fiesta has has a new model and then a facelift and so has the polo and it's family tree including a facelift.


I learnt to drive in a corsa. It was awful,

[dukebox9reg]

That look dreadful. Looks really tall and narrow. Interior looks like a rip off from the Citroen C3/DS3 and the Adam front just doesn't work for me. The Meriva rear even less so making it look like its been hit from the rear from a truck.

It looks dreadful, everyone thought the last Fiesta facelift was bad.

Interior though being a Citroen clone does look a lot better for it though.

Just looked again in profile it has a hint of C3 as well. Especially in the C pillar.

[beko1987]

I look forward to looking at them in 14-15 years when my daughter needs a first car, utterly shagged with 140k+ on the clock (if they last that long...)

[sleep envy]

Can I have mine in beige?

[BritishRacinGrin]

okie592 said:

I learnt to drive in a corsa. It was awful

And me. My Mum still has the one I used to practice in during 2007. Several of my friends had them too, but of course they didn't last long with 17/18 year olds at the wheel... even my Mums has needed a series of repairs despite only having done about 36k miles.

[dandare]

N3vins said:

Minor facelift of an ancient car

Hardly minor if every Panel and the interior has changed.

I find it pretty ugly and boring although the interior Looks ok, but it is just as worthy of being on PH as any VW, Audi, etc. It is a piston-driven car, after all.

[Hellbound]

Designed by a committee.

Essentially what you have here is a £3k car with a RRP of around £10-15k but will actually sell for £8k.

That's their business model.

[Antj]

Beefmeister said:

I'm not usually one to be a nay-sayer, but this has to be the least 'PH' story I've ever read.

Leave this sort of utterly boring blandmobile for What Car and Autocar, chaps...

its important as for the young readers the Corsa is probably the entry point into motoring. So sure it's a boring story but it has relevance tot he readership. PH left "performence motoring" sector when they sold out, a big backer would never want them to reduce readership for obvious reasons. Thats car journalism in 2014 I'm afraid.

Also please remember that the Corsa for the last 5 years has been in the top 3 selling cars in the UK every year and since its release the last shape Corsa has sold over 700,000 cars in the UK alone. Thats a massive number and makes the Corsa a very significant car to us whether we realise it or not.