OPEL is counting on the Corsa OPC snaring baby hot hatch buyers with to its rorty performance, manual gearbox and keen pricing., , Kicking off from $28,990 plus on-road costs and on sale in late March or early April due to delays with obtaining Australian Design Rule approval for an optional 18-inch tyre, the Corsa is also the most powerful car in its class., , Along with the 132kW Volkswagen Polo GTI ($27,790), 132kW Skoda Fabia RS ($27,990) and upcoming 134kW Ford Fiesta ST, the Spanish-built baby is expected to lure customers away from the $25,990 100kW Suzuki Swift Sport, $29,740 115kW Citroen DS3 Sport and $36,490 147kW Renault Clio RS 200 – even though the latter is not officially in the OPC (for Opel Performance Centre) Corsa’s class due to not having a sub-$25K model as per VFACTS’ categorisation rules., , Available only in a single, three-door OPC model, the hottest Corsa is fitted with a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 141kW of power at 5850rpm and 230Nm of torque from 1980 to 5800rpm to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox., , An extra 30Nm of torque is available if needed on short-term overboost., , Far from suffering for not offering an automatic or dual-clutch gearbox, Opel Australia managing director Bill Mott believes the Corsa might benefit from the omission. , , “Frankly, we see it as an opportunity,” he told GoAuto at the OPC launch in Sydney this week., , “Most people in this class prefer to change gears themselves.” , , To help attract customers, the hatch gains a unique OPC body kit comprising revised bumpers with a different air intake in the front and a new diffuser in the rear, a roof spoiler, side sills, 17-inch alloys, triangular motifs for the side mirrors and fog-light surrounds, and a central exhaust outlet., , Tipping the scales at 1280kg, the Corsa OPC takes 7.2 seconds to reach 100km/h from standstill, on the way to a 225km/h top speed. The combined average consumption figure is 7.5 litres per 100km, while the carbon dioxide emissions rating is 175g/km., , With Lotus Engineering helping out, the OPC differs from the standard Corsa by sitting 15mm closer to the ground, boasting a revised rear axle geometry with increased stiffness and decreased roll, and retuned springs and dampers for the MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension., , The stability control system can be fully turned off, uprated disc brakes are fitted (308mm vented up front, 264mm solid in the rear, while the electro-hydraulic rack and pinion steering features variable ratio response., , Standard wheels and tyres are 215/45 R17, with a $1000 optional 18-inch package expected to enjoy a high take-up rate., , For safety, buyers receive six airbags (front, front-side and curtain), ABS anti-lock brakes, hill start assist, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, cornering brake control, traction control, a pedal release system to minimise feet injury in a severe frontal impact, and active front headrests., , Additionally, the OPC includes climate control air-conditioning, auto-on/off headlights and wipers, a trip computer, powered front windows, remote central locking, cruise control, steering-wheel mounted controls, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with reach and rake adjustability, Recaro sports front seats, leather trim, a sprinkling of aluminium highlights and powered mirrors. , , Besides the 18-inch alloys, the only other option is $595 metallic paint. White is standard red, yellow, black and blue cost extra, and the latter is specific to this model in Corsa., , While Opel is confident the OPC will find a market (especially among young and single males), it won’t reveal volume expectations – except to say that sales may account for around 20 per cent of total Corsa volume., ,
, , | , Opel Corsa OPC pricing*,
, , | Corsa 3D OPC | , $28,990 | ,
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, , *Plus on-road costs
