The new Corsa, previously owned by General Motors, was unveiled to members of the press at the launch held in Magaliesburg.
Stellantis Group, which is the fourth biggest motor manufacturer in the world with 400 000 employees, can be proud of its marketing strategy that has borne dividends in this tough economic times.
Corsa looks set to outmuscle any opposition in the B segment with this sixth generation variant, in SA.
The styling leans towards the conservative side with elements of the Opel Wing design that would appeal to more to buyers considering it for their garage space.
In the range-topping Elegance spec the black roof adds an extra bit of class to a package that already looks good.
The interior immediately gives an impression of quality and while it’s pretty much standard in the segment with a fair amount of soft-touch surfaces as well as hard-wearing plastic components, the build quality feels solid and hard wearing.
The Elegance model seats get leatherette upholstery and there’s lots of storage space in an interior that’s neat and uncluttered with a seven-inch digital cluster.
Rear legroom has been increased by 20mm and boot space comes in at 309 litres and with the split folding rear seats down, 1081 litres.
Under the bonnet you get two options. In the base model Corsa and mid-spec Corsa edition there’s the award-winning 1.2 litre PureTech three cylinder normally aspirated engine producing 55kW and 118Nm of torque paired with a five speed manual gearbox with a claimed consumption of 5.8L/100km..
In the turbo-charged Elegance there’s 96kW and 230Nm on tap which is powered by a very smooth six speed automatic transmission and weighing in at under a ton will get to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 207km/h. Those are not bad numbers at all for a tiny three pot motor.
It features safety and tech features not often found in this section. 180⁰ view reverse camera, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, forward collision alert, front pedestrian detection and Collision Mitigation Braking come standard as do heated seats and LED headlamps and high beam assist.
The seven-inch touchscreen is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
According to the owners, it has a dealer network of 35 with more in the future.
As for Magalies and its hills and mountains- Corsa took off with ‘military precision’
Pricing for the new 2021 Opel Corsa range:
Corsa 1.2 55kW five-speed manual: R274,900
Corsa Edition 1.2 55kW five-speed manual: R294,900
Corsa Elegance 1.2 Turbo 96kW six-speed automatic: R386,900
Also models come standard with a three-year/120,000km warranty and a three-year/45,000 km service plan.
Image (The all new turbo-charged Corsa that was unveiled in mzansi last week).
