New Vauxhall Mokka GSE: performance, range and prices from £36,995
The hottest Vauxhall Mokka yet packs 276bhp and a limited-slip differential, but will only do 209 miles on a charge
The Vauxhall Mokka GSE has been given a starting price of £36,995 in the UK ahead of its arrival into showrooms in the next month or so. However, as it slips conveniently under the barrier for the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant, consumers will, for now, only have to pay £35,495.
The popular small SUV has traditionally been a conservative option within Vauxhall’s range, but with a hot all-electric powertrain under the bonnet this new GSE variant might finally bring some fire back to the brand.
There are often big discounts to be had on the Vauxhall Mokka and our Buy A Car service currently has a number of pre-reg cars at UK dealers with £13,000 or more off the list price.
Return of the hot Vauxhall?
It also marks Vauxhall’s first all-electric GSE variant, and fills in the void left behind by the VXR and GSi models of yesteryear. Of course, the GSE branding has already found its way onto the current Astra and previous-generation Grandland, but these were little more than a range-topping trim level, with not much in the way of extra power or focus to the chassis.
This Mokka GSE is quite different, however, as it now produces a total of 276bhp, with 345Nm of torque sent through a mechanical limited-slip differential to the front wheels. These represent an increase of 122bhp and 85Nm over the most powerful existing electric Mokka.
The GSE’s battery pack has the same 54kWh capacity as other models in the range, but comes with upgraded internals to accommodate the more powerful electric motor, and thanks to its relatively small size helps keep the car’s overall weight down to less than 1,600kg. Vauxhall hasn’t released precise details, but this battery pack found in other sporty Stellantis models has a peak 100kW DC fast charging rate.
Performance is massively improved over the standard electric Mokka, with the GSE reaching 62mph in 5.9 seconds – 3.1 seconds faster than a standard Mokka Electric. But Vauxhall hasn’t just been working on the powertrain, it’s given the chassis a thorough overhaul too.
To fit the new differential, Vauxhall has tweaked the front axle and wheel hubs, while also fitting much larger 380mm front brakes with four-piston Alcon calipers in a contrasting yellow paint. The wheels are significantly larger, with 20-inch rims wrapped in high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres all-round.
The official range is rated at just 209 miles – similar to the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce with which the Mokka shares many of its parts. That’s around 50 miles down on the standard Mokka Electric.
Sporty drive and sporty design
The suspension has been firmed up all-round, with a 189 per cent increase in roll stiffness on the rear axle. What hasn’t been fitted is a more sophisticated independent rear suspension system; the Mokka instead retains a simple twist-beam rear axle as found on other variants. The electric power steering’s also been tweaked.
Vauxhall has also given the styling a sporty overhaul, including a more aggressive front bumper with a contrasting black beam across its face with GSE branding. The rear end also features some new black shrouding around the lower reflectors, but there’s no rear rear wing or lower diffuser section. What you will notice, however, is the lower ride stance and the aforementioned larger wheels, which are two inches bigger than the those currently available on a standard Mokka.
The cabin features new sports seats with Alcantara inserts and contrasting green stitching, plus a more aggressive steering wheel with a flattened top and bottom. The tech and digital interfaces are largely unchanged, but Vauxhall has included new performance features that show data such as power, battery temperature and torque management.
Configure your perfect Vauxhall Mokka through our Find A Car service now. Alternatively, check out the best deals out there on a new Vauxhall Mokka from stock or top prices on used Vauxhall Mokka models...
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