RE: Corsa GSI returns!
Friday 16th February 2018
Certain anniversaries tend to make you feel rather older than others, so how's this to bring some despair to a Friday morning: the Vauxhall Corsa is 25 years old in 2018. A quarter of a century of Corsas, of first cars, modified cars, rally cars and project cars.
What it won't be doing, however, is replacing the VXR; instead the GSI will be the slightly sporty one, kind of how SRI used to be to GSI (in the pre-VXR days) if that isn't too confusing. GSI will be like VTR to VTS by the sounds of it, if we're sticking with 20 year-old hot hatch references. Or Peugeot XSI to GTI. You know, the good old days. Moving on...
Corsa GSI returns!
Scallywags of the UK assemble; there's a naughty new Vauxhall Corsa on the way
What tends to be forgotten about that 1993 launch is that the GSI arrived in the same year, with 1.6-litres and 110 rampaging horsepower. To mark both those anniversaries, Vauxhall has confirmed a new Corsa GSI will arrive later this year.
Details on the Corsa GSI are currently sparse, although we can likely expect a visual makeover along the lines of the new Insignia GSI and, naturally, less power than the 205hp Corsa VXR. It has been suggested that it may use the 1.4-litre turbo from the Adam S, hopefully with a bit more than the 150hp it offers; splitting the difference leaves 177hp, still a decent enough figure for a B-segment hatch when the old Fiesta ST had 180 (without overboost).
Given the precarious predicament of Vauxhall under PSA at the moment, further commitment to performance-orientated models should be welcomed. The Corsa GSI will face tough opposition though, from the new Suzuki Swift Sport, the sub-ST Ford Fiestas and the VW Up GTI, even if the latter is a smaller car. More news when we have it.
[Source: Autocar]
Discussion
My sister-in-law had an original on an L plate. It's still remembered in the family not for its thrill-a-minute driving experience, or dashing looks, but mostly for being a car that spent more time being fixed than being driven, and for a body kit that looked great when new, but literally started to bow and warp, and peel away from the bodywork after just a couple of years. Oh, and turn pink (the car was red)
In my view, it never really ran 100% right from new, and I don't think there was a component in the fuel injection/engine management system that wasn't replaced at some point under warranty. When it exited the warranty period, Vauxhall washed their hands of it, despite it still going into limp mode randomly. Then the engine threw its timing belt and had to have the cylinder head rebuilt, and a few months after that, suffered a complete electrical failure in a less than salubrious part of London, requiring recovery. It was patched up, and part-exed against a nearly new Fiesta.
In my view, it never really ran 100% right from new, and I don't think there was a component in the fuel injection/engine management system that wasn't replaced at some point under warranty. When it exited the warranty period, Vauxhall washed their hands of it, despite it still going into limp mode randomly. Then the engine threw its timing belt and had to have the cylinder head rebuilt, and a few months after that, suffered a complete electrical failure in a less than salubrious part of London, requiring recovery. It was patched up, and part-exed against a nearly new Fiesta.
I’m not sure what this is likely to achieve? An old aspirational badge, relit to be the not quite aspirational badge it once was. Probably save 1k on a car that cheap over the VXR, so... Surely anyone with a modicum of sense will simply purchase the VXR? Seems to me to be utterly pointless, it is merely a way to punt attention towards the brand and it’s heritage and or make an extra £20.00 on a pretty standard model for the badge. Tripe. Next.
Good to see the it return, really is. But i like Vauxhall’s so it’s a given really.
Least it sounds better than the -Line branded cars, but would insurance be higher if say the current Warm Fiesta was still called XR2 instead of ST-Line, the 208 XSi instead of GT-Line? and the list goes on...
Least it sounds better than the -Line branded cars, but would insurance be higher if say the current Warm Fiesta was still called XR2 instead of ST-Line, the 208 XSi instead of GT-Line? and the list goes on...
I had one of the first GSis on an L-reg. The cambelt pulley sheared "at high speed" and all that was reusable from the engine was the sump...
It was "fixed" (new engine) but it was a dog. It would either cut out, or more excitingly, the throttle would stick open. Eventually Vauxhall admitted defeat with it and swapped it for a new one on an M-reg. That stayed together long enough to go through an EGR valve every 4 months or so. In the end I swapped it for an Alfa 145 to get some reliability.
It was "fixed" (new engine) but it was a dog. It would either cut out, or more excitingly, the throttle would stick open. Eventually Vauxhall admitted defeat with it and swapped it for a new one on an M-reg. That stayed together long enough to go through an EGR valve every 4 months or so. In the end I swapped it for an Alfa 145 to get some reliability.
HardMiles said:
I’m not sure what this is likely to achieve? An old aspirational badge, relit to be the not quite aspirational badge it once was. Probably save 1k on a car that cheap over the VXR, so... Surely anyone with a modicum of sense will simply purchase the VXR? Seems to me to be utterly pointless, it is merely a way to punt attention towards the brand and it’s heritage and or make an extra £20.00 on a pretty standard model for the badge. Tripe. Next.
The VXR is about £19k, before any dealership discount. The base Corsa is about £10k. I suspect the GSi will be around £15-16k, representing a good saving over the VXR, even if its £17k that's 10% less than the VXR. So it will be bought by all those people who have £17k but not £19k to spend on a new car.
RemyMartin81D said:
Gsi used to be the range topping moniker for sporty vauxhalls.
See mk3 and 4 astras, the shape before the old vxr (1.6 gsi range topper) gsi2000 and gsi3000 in the cavalier and senator respevtively.
Confused indeed.
The senator never came in GSI form.See mk3 and 4 astras, the shape before the old vxr (1.6 gsi range topper) gsi2000 and gsi3000 in the cavalier and senator respevtively.
Confused indeed.
The top of the range Senator was a 3.0i 24v, the Carlton was the GSI3000.
Shakermaker said:
The VXR is about £19k, before any dealership discount. The base Corsa is about £10k. I suspect the GSi will be around £15-16k, representing a good saving over the VXR, even if its £17k that's 10% less than the VXR.
So it will be bought by all those people who have £17k but not £19k to spend on a new car.
£17k for a Corsa? WTAF?So it will be bought by all those people who have £17k but not £19k to spend on a new car.
Shakermaker said:
The VXR is about £19k, before any dealership discount. The base Corsa is about £10k. I suspect the GSi will be around £15-16k, representing a good saving over the VXR, even if its £17k that's 10% less than the VXR.
So it will be bought by all those people who have £17k but not £19k to spend on a new car.
Outright cost doesn't matter anymore, it will be for those that have X amount to spend on it a monthSo it will be bought by all those people who have £17k but not £19k to spend on a new car.
Shakermaker said:
HardMiles said:
I’m not sure what this is likely to achieve? An old aspirational badge, relit to be the not quite aspirational badge it once was. Probably save 1k on a car that cheap over the VXR, so... Surely anyone with a modicum of sense will simply purchase the VXR? Seems to me to be utterly pointless, it is merely a way to punt attention towards the brand and it’s heritage and or make an extra £20.00 on a pretty standard model for the badge. Tripe. Next.
The VXR is about £19k, before any dealership discount. The base Corsa is about £10k. I suspect the GSi will be around £15-16k, representing a good saving over the VXR, even if its £17k that's 10% less than the VXR. So it will be bought by all those people who have £17k but not £19k to spend on a new car.
That's why I have an Insignia 2.8 with Elite spec and not VXR spec.
R8Steve said:
RemyMartin81D said:
Gsi used to be the range topping moniker for sporty vauxhalls.
See mk3 and 4 astras, the shape before the old vxr (1.6 gsi range topper) gsi2000 and gsi3000 in the cavalier and senator respevtively.
Confused indeed.
The senator never came in GSI form.See mk3 and 4 astras, the shape before the old vxr (1.6 gsi range topper) gsi2000 and gsi3000 in the cavalier and senator respevtively.
Confused indeed.
The top of the range Senator was a 3.0i 24v, the Carlton was the GSI3000.
There's an original one of these lurking about in the corner of my parents' neighbour's farm. If it was worth anything, it'd be a real barn find, but alas, it's likely spun its last wheel.
As for this new model, I share the previous sentiment that this doesn't quite fit in the line-up. For me, if it was every bit a VXR, but with subtle and handsome styling, a-la 1990's, the n I could see its place. After all, I'd never own a VXR Vauxhall on the basis that they all look so flash. The last of the GSi models (think 2003 Vectra 3.2 and Astra Turbo) looked suitably subtle and, in the case of the Vectra, even handsome
As for this new model, I share the previous sentiment that this doesn't quite fit in the line-up. For me, if it was every bit a VXR, but with subtle and handsome styling, a-la 1990's, the n I could see its place. After all, I'd never own a VXR Vauxhall on the basis that they all look so flash. The last of the GSi models (think 2003 Vectra 3.2 and Astra Turbo) looked suitably subtle and, in the case of the Vectra, even handsome
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff