Hot Vauxhall Corsa GSE teased – new Alpine A290 rival inbound
The hot Vauxhall Corsa is back, lacking a VXR badge and an engine. The new Vauxhall Corsa GSE will be a 276bhp EV
To the surprise of nobody, Vauxhall will soon reveal a hot GSE version of its Corsa, a car first hinted at by the Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo concept in August 2025. Vauxhall has now shown the first teaser for the production model and already, we can see it’s going to keep three-spoke wheels.
The design trope is known and loved well by Vauxhall fans from the Corsa B SRI and Nova SR models of the 1980s and 1990s. It teases what could be a more distinctive look than the handsome but reserved Mokka GSE.
What’s unlikely to change compared to the Mokka GSE is the powertrain, which will be the same one shared with other models in the Stellantis family, from the Abarth 600E to the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and yes, the Peugeot 208 GTi. Those cars get a front electric motor with 276bhp and 254lb ft, putting power to the front wheels via a mechanical limited-slip diff.
The Corsa will, however, be only the second of this family of cars after the Peugeot with true small hot hatch form factor and thus, is likely to deliver similar performance and range. The Peugeot is said to be good for 0-62mph in 5.7sec thanks to the equivalent of a shorter final drive, but that also limits it to a 112mph top speed. Though unconfirmed, weight of the Peugeot is expected to be c1600kg, while WLTP range is set to be 217 miles.
Vauxhall has referred directly to its fast small cars of the past, from the Corsa VXR to the Corsa GSI and Nova GTE, claiming the new GSE will be in that same lineage. This raises expectations for the GSE that it’ll be a thriller. We won’t have to wait long to find out. With order books for the Corsa GSE opening soon, a full reveal can’t be far away.
