Born to Turn Heads: New Opel Corsa GSE in Sporty Camouflage

• Striped and chequered decals: Modern tribute to the sporty Opel Corsa A of the 1980s
• Camouflaged and concealed: Electrifying design details of new Opel Corsa GSE still remain a secret
• Hot prospects: Sporty new Opel Corsa top-of-the-range model available to order this year

“OMG! What a stunning car is that?” This is probably what many Opel fans asked themselves when they saw the first spy shots of the new Opel Corsa GSE. Because Opel will soon be expanding its range of GSE models, as the manufacturer announced recently. The new Opel Corsa GSE will be available to order later this year.

However, there is still some time to go before the high-performance version of Germany’s best-selling small car is officially unveiled. This is why the new Opel Corsa GSE is currently still camouflaged; after all, not all of its hot design details are to be revealed in advance. At the same time, the sporty-looking wrap on the exterior is much more than just a practical disguise – it pays homage to the sporty Corsa A variants of the 1980s, thus, with a modern twist.

“With the camouflage for the new Opel Corsa GSE, we’re combining classic design with an exciting, forward-looking look that highlights the spirit of our GSE models,” said Andreas Kubis, who, as ‘Technical Lead Confidentiality’, is responsible for camouflaging Opel’s prototypes and pre-production vehicles. “Of course, the primary purpose of the camouflage is to prevent all the details of the upcoming model from being revealed too early,” explained the prototype protection expert. “With the Opel Corsa GSE, however, it was immediately clear to us that this ‘disguise’ should convey a message. Its sporty design with black, white and yellow accents whets the appetite for this hot hatch, whilst also paying homage to Opel’s motorsport heritage.”

At Opel, GSE stands for goosebumps, speed and electric emotions. The new Opel Corsa GSE was designed to embody all of this not just in its final production version, but right from the first glance as a prototype. Andreas Kubis and his team have done a sterling job here. Even the matt black base colour of the wrap conveys the vehicle’s performance character. The large yellow and white stripes, complete with GSE lettering, unmistakably herald the new hot hatch. The stripes have been arranged to resemble a sporty chequered pattern, complemented by white and yellow dotted double lines that look like finely stitched seams.

Opel fans will find all this familiar. The sports seats in the first Opel Corsa GSi, back in the late 1980s, already featured a very distinctive striped pattern. And the yellow and white stripes on the bodywork of the new Opel Corsa GSE, now arranged at different angles to one another, deliberately draw inspiration from the chequered design of the seat covers, which is inextricably linked to the Opel Corsa SR and Opel Corsa GT of the first generation of this best-selling small car.

The new Opel Corsa GSE is already whetting the appetite for powerful performance in its matching hot GSE styling. Opel will soon reveal which design details will make the new high-performance model even more striking. Visitors of this year’s Paris Motor Show (12 to 18 October) can already look forward to seeing the Opel Corsa GSE in the flesh as the hot hatch will celebrate it exhibition premiere in the French capital.

IAA Premiere: New Opel Corsa Meets Rare Opel Corsa GT

• Predecessor: rare first-generation Opel Corsa GT on Opel stand
• Time-travel: 1987 “young-timer” drives 2,700 km from Portugal to IAA
• World premiere: sixth-generation Opel Corsa in the spotlight at Frankfurt show
• In the tradition: from sporty Opel Corsa GT to battery-electric Opel Corsa-e Rally

New Opel Corsa meets rare Opel Corsa GT

Opel is celebrating three world premieres at this year’s IAA Frankfurt International Motor Show (public days September 12-22). New Opel Astra with high efficiency engines, Opel Grandland X Hybrid4 with e-All-Wheel Drive (WLTP fuel consumption, weighted, combined: 1.6 l/100 km, 37 g/km CO2; NEDC: 1.6 l/100 km, 36 g/km CO2) and the new sixth-generation Corsa in three versions. The best-selling small car (more than 13.6 million units) is going electric and with the Corsa-e Rally – also making its debut at the IAA – even forms the basis of an emissions-free competition car. At the IAA the new Opel Corsa will be joined by a special guest – a rare 1987 Opel Corsa GT in yellow, a testament to 37 years of fun and success. The not-so-old-timer was driven from its last home in Portugal to the Opel Classic Workshop in Rüsselsheim. From there it will drive to the IAA in Frankfurt, where it will contribute tradition and further excitement to the launch of the new Opel Corsa.

Opel the reliable: 2,700km from Porto to Rüsselsheim via Zaragoza

It took a while for Opel Classic to find a scarce first-generation Opel Corsa GT. This particular example, originally registered in Spain, was languishing, forgotten, in a garage in Portugal. Drive to Frankfurt for the small, unassuming Gran Turismo starts from a carpark at the harbour of Porto.

Opel offered the GT from April 1985 until autumn 1987. It was the successor of the Opel Corsa SR, with a 70hp 1.3-litre carburettor engine. Extra power and the subtle spoilers made the GT the sportsman of the first Corsa generation – until the more extrovert GSi arrived in 1988. A five-speed manual gearbox tamed the thirst and the rpm on longer trips.

Even today, keeping up with the traffic in the Opel Corsa GT is surprisingly quiet and effortless. There is no unnecessary firmness in the chassis, no slack in the steering and no superfluous information in the instrument panel: apart from the usual dials, only a rev counter and an oil pressure gauge. Fuel consumption matches the official figures of the time – more than six litres per 100 km is hardly ever burned. 750 kg kerb weight is a big help here, and also allows a power-to-weight ratio of 10.71 kg per horsepower.

On the way from Portugal to Rüsselsheim, GT drops in at Zaragoza, where it was built in 1987. The car is even allowed to visit the production plant. As the yellow Opel Corsa stops at the assembly line, lots of employees come over as if to greet a long lost friend.

Journey east goes past Barcelona, across France and from Basel along the Rhine. A total of 2,700km for a 32-year-old Opel Corsa that was ripped out of peaceful retirement in Portugal – without any repairs for the long road trip. As the GT pulls up in Rüsselsheim, the Opel Classic team is waiting eagerly.

Project “IAA 2019”: From plucky pensioner to show star

The warm sunshine in Spain and Portugal has been good for the Opel Corsa GT. A life without salty roads means no rust, no rot. Yellow oldie is still in good condition. TÜV agrees and after the check-up for German registration the inspectors put their precious sticker on the licence plate. But now comes the much higher hurdle: the experts from Opel Classic give the new arrival a thorough examination. Several pairs of beady eyes discover numerous more or less serious imperfections – dents in the roof, non-original badging, scratched glass, worn out seat cushions. Even the horn sounds wrong! In the end the car is taken apart completely.

Opel Classic team get together with their colleagues from the Service Workshop. “Project IAA 2019” is formed, under the leadership of Thorsten Götz and Dieter Eder. Piece by piece they rebuild the Corsa puzzle. First the reconditioned engine, followed by the suspension, shock absorbers and springs. Freshly painted body gets new trim and the correct GT badges. Then come the original light-alloy wheels. Finally the windows are installed, thanks to a friendly Opel dealer who has them in stock, of course.

Opel Corsa GT is now ready for its second life that will begin in grand style – at the 68th IAA Frankfurt International Motor Show. Visitors can admire the freshly restored Opel Corsa GT on the Opel stand D31 in hall 11.0. World premiere of the sixth-generation Opel Corsa is bound to benefit.