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• Home of the small car bestseller since 1982: New Corsa GSE rolls off the production line at the Spanish plant in Zaragoza
• On a long journey: 207 kW (281 hp) electric car covers 1,555 kilometres with GSE driving pleasure
• Destination Paris: Corsa GSE is currently celebrating its motor show debut at the ‘Mondial de l’Auto’

Combined values for Opel Corsa GSE according to WLTP¹: Energy consumption 16.0-17.0 kWh/100 km, CO₂ emissions 0 g/km; CO2 class: A.

The new Opel Corsa GSE is currently making its exhibition debut at the Paris Motor Show and the most powerful Corsa so far is wowing the audience – with its striking design, performance and technology. While the GEN4 racing car for the upcoming Formula E season, the Opel GSE 27FE, represents the epitome of the GSE world, the Corsa GSE, as the new customer sports car for the road, brings ‘Grand Sport Electric’ to life in everyday driving. Accordingly, the journey to the ‘Mondial de l’Auto’ had to begin in its hometown, the Spanish plant in Zaragoza. After all, this is where the best-selling small car has been produced since 1982 – with well over eleven million units manufactured at this site alone to date. A travelogue that shows every GSE fan – and anyone who wants to become one – just what Opel’s new hot hatch, which is already available to order, is capable of.

Starting point Zaragoza: The Corsa GSE has 1,555 kilometres to go to Paris

While Zaragoza shrinks in the rear-view mirror, the Pyrenees grow in front of the Opel Corsa GSE. On the first few kilometres, the electric everyday sports car is relaxed. One could almost forget what’s under its shell: 207 kW (281 hp), 345 Newton metres of torque on the front axle, lowered sports suspension, Torsen limited-slip differential and 18-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres. Then the first corners approach. Sport mode on, push the accelerator pedal – and the Corsa leaps forward. After all, with a 0–100 km/h time of just 5.5 seconds, it accelerates faster than any other current production Opel.

The front axle is particularly impressive. No understeering – the Torsen differential holds up to this. The Opel attacks the curve instead of pushing outwards. This is pure driving fun! And it shows: Chassis, stabilisers, hydraulic bump stops and tyres are consistently set up for performance ensuring that the Corsa GSE sits firmly and securely on the road.

The Spanish side of the Pyrenees seems barren and lonely. First charging break in the middle of nowhere: In 20 minutes, the battery charges from 20 to 80 per cent². With the sun low in the sky, the Opel rolls through Pamplona. Shortly before midnight, the Corsa GSE crosses the French border. It’s downhill, which brings energy back into the battery. Recuperation instead of brake dust. Atlantic instead of Pyrenees.

The next morning, the waves of Saint-Jean-de-Luz crash against the coast. Instead of dry mountains, there are green slopes, the Atlantic Ocean and surfers. Biarritz goes one better: elegant hotels, cafés and dozens of surfers off the coast. California vibes in the battery-electric hot hatch! The Corsa GSE scurries through the alleys and parks. North of Biarritz, pine forests line the road, with lakes shimmering in between. The Corsa fits perfectly: compact, clear and fast enough for spontaneous overtaking manoeuvres.

One fits all: Lively sports car as well as smooth, comfortable cruiser

After a day full of mountain roads and spirited cornering, it becomes clear that the Corsa GSE can not only go fast. It can also go on a road trip, with driver, two passengers and a lot of luggage on board. One side of the 40:60 split rear seat is folded down, the luggage is loaded forward. At the front, things get sportier: Driver and co-driver sit in comfortable performance seats and the displays reveal everything sporty drivers need to know: GSE graphics, G-forces, acceleration values and battery data. Yellow GSE decors add colour to the cockpit.

From Bordeaux, the journey continues via Nantes, Angers and Tours. The roads become straighter, the kilometres ‘longer’. On the motorway, the GSE shows its relaxed side: stable, quiet and with excellent assistance systems. 130 km/h is a good travelling speed. Charging is also surprisingly uncomplicated in France.

Then, in Tours, the final overnight stop before the final destination. The early morning wraps the Loire in a veil of fog. A last quiet moment before the urban jungle begins. Paris awaits. Narrow streets, heavy traffic, spontaneous lane changes – the Corsa GSE immediately feels at home. Where every SUV sweats, the small Opel scurries effortlessly through the city – passing by the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Of course, one barely needs 281 hp to drive from traffic light to traffic light in Paris. And yet it is precisely this combination that makes the Corsa GSE so interesting. It can be gentle and powerful.

Mission accomplished: The new Corsa GSE is celebrating its show debut in Paris

The journey ends at the Porte de Versailles. This is exactly where the Corsa GSE is now celebrating its first public appearance – at the Paris Motor Show. To come here, the all-electric hot hatch has covered 1,555 kilometres including several charging stops. In addition, the Pyrenees, Atlantic coast, sand dunes, French country roads, motorways and Parisian traffic chaos, all of this with great driving pleasure.

On this journey, the Corsa GSE was a sportscar, long-distance cruiser, city car and luggage transporter. Above all, however, it has shown that 207 kW (281 hp) in a small electric car can be more than an impressive number in the data sheet. When the road suddenly becomes curvy, the traffic decreases and the sport mode is activated, they are present. In everyday life, on all kinds of routes and in all sorts of conditions, they are all about giving the driver goosebumps, speed and emotions! Because that’s exactly the driving experience GSE stands for.

^[1] The values of a vehicle depend not only on the efficient use of fuel by the vehicle, but are also influenced by driving behavior and other non-technical factors.

^[2] The charging power / charging time is influenced by several factors and can vary depending on the type and power of the charging station, the outside temperature, the battery temperature, the battery charge and aging status, the vehicle equipment a