Opel Corsa GSi: legendary badge, sporty spirit and a unique look

Opel has unveiled the new generation of the Corsa GSi, a model set to crown the range of the German city car.

The GSi badge has a long track record within Opel, and now the lightning bolt brand wants to bring it back, first on the Insignia and now on the Corsa.

The Corsa is one of the most important models in Opel’s current line-up. Since its launch more than 40 years ago, the German city car has enjoyed enormous success generation after generation, becoming an essential for both Opel and Spain, where its production at the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza has carried considerable weight in the area.

The German city car’s range consists of diesel and petrol versions with technological and sporty touches, but since the loss of the OPC version earlier last year, the Corsa line-up has lacked a more performance-oriented, sportier variant. That version now arrives, though somewhat toned down.

And while the new Corsa GSi reminds us of the OPC version in some respects, such as its styling and chassis tuning, everything suggests the Corsa GSi’s power will not match that of the now-discontinued OPC, instead offering good performance with a more balanced setup.

Opel has provided a couple of images of the model, in which we can see a very attractive look thanks to the sporty bumpers, a bonnet with an air intake, alloy wheels of specific design and exclusive body colours. In addition, the Corsa GSi will be sold as a 3-door body, a configuration clearly on its way out.

Inside, buyers can opt for Recaro-branded seats similar to those of the Corsa OPC, also featuring specific instrumentation and more sporty-looking trim. No mechanical details are known yet, although everything points to a petrol engine with a power output that will be around 150 CV. In addition, Opel has confirmed that the chassis tuning will be the same as that of the Corsa OPC.