Tuesday 22nd May 2018

Corsa GSI engine confirmed

Yep, it's as we feared - 205hp VXR makes way for 150hp GSI...

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With 2018 seemingly being the year of the junior hot hatch - see Yaris GRMN, new Fiesta ST and Polo GTI just for starters - it would take a heck of a lot for the new Corsa GSI to upstage them. And that's before you consider the more affordable options in the shape of the Swift Sport and Up GTI.

So to hear that, as rumours predicted, the latest hot Vauxhall will use a 1.4-litre engine with 150hp - when its predecessor made 205hp from a 1.6 - is rather disappointing. Sure, this should make the Corsa GSI cheaper than a VXR, but it seems rather a backward step to replace a model with a considerably less powerful alternative.

Still, let's not be too hasty - many have praised the accessibility of lower powered sporty stuff like the Up, so this could actually be a shrewd move for the Corsa. With 162lb ft in addition to the 150hp, Vauxhall is claiming the GSI is capable of an 8.9-second sprint to 62mph - just a tenth behind the Up - and a 128mph top speed. With a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, the Corsa should return 47.1mpg and 139g/km.

As stated previously, this Corsa will inherit the chassis changes that made the VXR what it was, including its springs, dampers and brakes, with the familiar VXR 18-inch wheels and Recaro seats set for the options list. An IntelliLink infotainment system with CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus a bodykit and red calipers, will be standard.

Vauxhall expects the GSI to be in showrooms from September, with orders being taken from July. A price hasn't yet been announced, though for some context an Adam S with the same powertrain officially retails at £18,875 and a Corsa VXR at £20,185 - expect the GSI to slot somewhere between the two. However it would be a surprise if there wasn't some negotiating room in whatever the final price is; see this ex-demonstrator VXR, with just 100 miles on the clock, for sale at £15,990...

[Notanotherturbo]

That's a real achievement, making their 1.4 turbo slower than its smaller 1.0 rival!

[Kev_Mk3]

I had the original Corsa GSI and it was bloody brilliant. The VXR never really got me going but recently the mrs had a 1.4 turbo Corsa. It was horrible to drive due to the engine. Handling etc was great, just awful engine.


Well done Vauxhall for screwing another car up.

[Krikkit]

Presumably we'll be seeing a VXR replacement with a GPF engine shortly.

[a7x88]

Yea - surely GSi is a "warm" model as opposed to the "hot" VXR? Like S to RS Audi's or ST to RS Ford's?

[smiller147]

What’s strange is why move across the upgraded handling parts like the brakes to a car without the performance to warrant them? Pushes up the price when targeting VW Up! GTI buyers

[Mike1990]

Kev_Mk3 said:

I had the original Corsa GSI and it was bloody brilliant. The VXR never really got me going but recently the mrs had a 1.4 turbo Corsa. It was horrible to drive due to the engine. Handling etc was great, just awful engine.


Well done Vauxhall for screwing another car up.

Far from screwing another car up. Having the VXR’s Koni Suspension and the bigger front 308mm Brakes along with the 18’s wrapped in probably the Super Sport Tyres will make this good drive indeed, and being a Vauxhall they’ll be pumping them out at 15k with delivery miles.

[Mike1990]

a7x88 said:

Yea - surely GSi is a "warm" model as opposed to the "hot" VXR? Like S to RS Audi's or ST to RS Ford's?

Correct but it’s a Vauxhall so obviously will get panned for it.

[Mercury00]

8.9 seconds? I've had plants that grew quicker than that.

[LuS1fer]

This will be very competitive with the Fiesta ST.

Unfortunately, the 2005 version... which still looks better.

[Shiv_P]

150BHP? Is GSI the replacement for VXR or no?

[Dale487]

Mercury00 said:

8.9 seconds? I've had plants that grew quicker than that.

My Leon estate with the same power is nearly a second quicker - maybe the gearing is rubbish?

[ukaskew]

Bit confused by the response to this, I thought the press/public were wanting an end to the arms race and a bit of concentration on the neglected 'warm' market that used to be so popular.

The Sportka and Ignis Sport I've owned previously were an absolute blast but were well, well short of 200hp.

I have no interest in a Corsa but pleased they are making this.

[Teppic]

It's just a re-badging of the 1.4T Corsa Black / White / Red range, only they'll be allowing other colours and slapping a GSi badge on it.

[ZX10R NIN]

Not a strange move really why does Peugeot want to have a competitor for it's 208 GTI.

[Shappers24]

smiller147 said:

What’s strange is why move across the upgraded handling parts like the brakes to a car without the performance to warrant them? Pushes up the price when targeting VW Up! GTI buyers

Not sure those buying VW would even consider the Vauxhall to be honest.

[LuS1fer]

ZX10R NIN said:

Not a strange move really why does Peugeot want to have a competitor for it's 208 GTI.

Why would it want a competitor for its 208GT... there's always an equivalent but I imagine the lower models sell more so there is more possibility of losing sales to a GSi (not that that means diddly squat to me, I'm a Sport SL generation).

The 208GTI is hardly a big seller and I have certainly seen more VXRs about (it's Wales, no accounting for taste) though that may be down to the ubiquity of the Vauxhall outlets round here.

[RedneckPickup]

0-60 in 8.9 seconds, that's so slow by todays standards for any hot hatch, maybe in 1990.

[Mackofthejungle]

These smaller hatches with smaller engines are far more interesting to me. I was behind a new Type R today, and it was fking huge - it looked a joke to be honest. That whole segment of Golf sized hot hatches is pointless really - too big, too heavy.. They've more in common with 20 year old fast German estate cars than they do hot hatches.

Making hot hatches cars you can thrash within the boundaries of the law is clearly the way to go.

[832ark]

Wow! What a heap of st. They must’ve struggled to produce such a low power output.

[DoubleD]

RedneckPickup said:

0-60 in 8.9 seconds, that's so slow by todays standards for any hot hatch, maybe in 1990.

112 months on Piston Heads, epic lurking.