New Vauxhall Corsa GSE: EV hot hatch is faster and cheaper than an Alpine A290
The 276bhp Vauxhall Corsa GSE starts from £32,995, including the Government’s £1,500 ECG
Eight years since the petrol-powered version of Vauxhall’s hot supermini went off sale, orders have now opened for the all-electric Vauxhall Corsa GSE, with prices starting from £32,995 – including the Electric Car Grant.
The Corsa GSE is the sister car to the Peugeot E-208 GTi and undercuts it by around £500; both cars qualify for the base Band 1 Government grant of £1,500. The spicy Stellantis superminis are also key rivals for the likes of the new Volkswagen ID.Polo GTI, Cupra Raval and Alpine A290 – the high-performance version of the top-selling Renault 5.
Quick to quash any concerns that it might have gone soft in the transition to zero-emission power, the Corsa GSE sends 276bhp and 345Nm of torque to its front wheels. That’s 70bhp more than the old second-generation Corsa VXR and, perhaps more importantly, roughly 60bhp more than all of its key non-Stellantis rivals. The 0-62mph sprint takes just five-and-a-half seconds and if you keep your right foot planted to the floor, the Corsa GSE will accelerate onto a top speed of 112mph.
As in the E-208 GTi, all of this is powered by a 54kWh (51kWh usable) battery. Vauxhall claims an official range of up to 232 miles on a single charge, although this will likely be a lot less in reality if you drive the GSE as it was designed to be driven. Plug into a 100kW rapid charger and a 0-80 per cent top-up should be possible in exactly 30 minutes. Vehicle-to-Load functionality of up to 11kW also means you can use the hot Corsa to power anything from a laptop to a washing machine, although this requires an adaptor, which is sold as an accessory.
Vauxhall is keen to ensure its electric hot hatchback isn’t merely a ‘point and squirt’ machine. The GSE gets bigger brakes than the standard car (355mm, to be exact), plus four-piston Alcon calipers painted in a lurid yellow. There’s also a Torsen mechanical limited-slip differential, as well as 9mm lower, stiffer suspension. Engineers have also tweaked the Corsa’s steering to make it more engaging, but don’t expect fake engine sounds like those emitted by the GSE’s mechanical sibling, the Abarth 600e.
In contrast to the Vauxhall Corsa’s boy racer heritage, the GSE is surprisingly understated in its appearance. Other than flashes of yellow and GSE decals on the front doors and front bumper, there’s little obvious difference between this and the standard Corsa. Carbon Black is the standard colour, but Voltaic Blue, Crystal Silver, Graphic Grey and Contour White (shown here) are available for £650 extra.
Arguably the biggest visual change are the wider wheelarches, which allow for a roughly two-inch wider track width. These house 18-inch alloy wheels, which are reminiscent of the three-spoke rims fitted to the Vauxhall Nova GTE of the eighties and come wrapped in grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. Slightly more aggressive front and rear bumpers complete the look, but there’s no gaping spoiler or lairy diffusers in sight.
Vauxhall has upped the wick slightly on the inside, because the GSE gets neon-tartan bucket seats, which are another throwback to the old Nova. We found the GSE’s seats particularly cosseting, with Alcantara trim on the heated steering wheel and doors further bolstering the sporty feel.
The rest of the cabin is typical Corsa, although the 10-inch touchscreen does have GSE-specific performance gauges (plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), and a GSE sticker on the dashboard again drives home that this is indeed the performance model. Standard kit includes a reversing camera, matrix-LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a wireless phone charger and keyless entry.
Vauxhall Corsa GSE rivals
Peugeot E-208 GTi – from £33,495
Sister car to the Corsa GSE, the Peugeot E-208 GTi will share many of the Corsa’s fundamental elements, including its 276bhp e-motor, limited-slip differential and lowered suspension. Where the two will differ is in the driving position; the Corsa’s more traditional steering wheel and dial arrangement could well make it the preferred choice if you’re not a fan of Peugeot’s tiny steering wheels and ‘i-Cockpit’ layout.
Alpine A290 GTS – from £34,245
The Alpine A290 might offer less bang than the Corsa, with ‘just’ 217bhp, but the high-performance brand has already proven that it’s worked wonders with the chassis and driving experience of its supermini-sized hot hatchback. To match the car’s engaging driving experience, Alpine has also given the A290 a premium feel inside the cabin, especially on high-spec GTS variants.
Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI – Price TBC
Not to be outdone, the new ID. Polo GTI is another hot electric supermini that’ll take a more premium, yet also nostalgic approach to the genre. Under the bonnet lies a 228bhp electric motor powering the front wheels, putting it ahead of the Alpine, but still behind the Corsa and E-208. It also features lowered suspension alongside other performance-orientated chassis upgrades, plus synthesised engine sounds for enhanced engagement.
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