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| 2016 Opel Corsa OPC |
-Fast: From 0 to 100 km/h in only 6.8 seconds, maximum speed 230 km/h
-Stunning: Tested on the Nürburgring, sporty look, with performance package
-Coming soon: World premiere at Geneva Motor Show in early March
OPC design: Powerful appearance
Sticking to the OPC tradition the top-of-the-range Corsa can immediately be identified as a true member of the Opel Performance Center. Apart from the new, OPC-exclusive paint in flash blue the Corsa also boasts a new front-end design with new large air intakes. In particular, the aluminum-framed openings below the headlights create a visual link to the Corsa’s bigger sports brother, the Astra OPC. A small scoop is located in front of the distinctive hood giving the Corsa OPC an additional optical dash of athleticism. The dynamically modelled flanks with bold sill side trims create the appropriate connection to the rear end.
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| 2016 Opel Corsa OPC |
Under the hood, the 152 kW/207 hp turbocharged gasoline engine of the new generation Corsa OPC is only waiting to be kicked into action. The 1.6-liter OPC unit now offers maximum torque of 245 Nm between 1,900 and 5,800 rpm – an additional 35 Nm are available when required with the overboost functionality. Much attention has been paid to fast torque build-up and extending the torque plateau compared to the previous generation model (max torque was only reached at 2,250 rpm in the exclusive Nürburgring Edition), so that the car is much more responsive at low engine speeds.
The OPC power is transferred to the front wheels via a six-speed transmission with short and sharp shifting travels. Thus, the new Corsa OPC races to 100 km/h from a standing start in a mere 6.8 seconds. A maximum speed of 230 km/h is possible. Despite its sporting credentials, fuel consumption is a respectable 7.5 liters per 100 kilometers for the combined cycle (174 g/km CO2).
FSD sports chassis: Always the right frequency
In order to deliver the power to the road in the best possible manner the Opel engineers teamed up with the specialists from Koni to develop a chassis that can boast innovative damping. The new Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) technology enables the damping forces to adapt to the frequency of the car, thus enabling the balancing act between uncompromising athleticism and an adequate level of comfort. The other chassis component were also calibrated accordingly. The Corsa OPC is 10 millimeters closer to the road surface than its tame standard Corsa siblings.
A latest generation electronic control systems allows for various modes to be selected for the electronic stability program (ESP) and the traction control (TC). In ‘Competition Mode’ for example traction control is inactive while the ESP gives a Corsa OPC a slightly longer leash. Experienced drivers can even switch off the ESP completely when pushing the vehicle to its limits on racetracks.
Elsewhere, the steering has also been optimized. It reacts even more direct and precise and gives OPC drivers much better feedback. 215/45 R17 Michelin performance tires as standard ensure perfect grip. An OPC-optimized braking system with 308-millimeter braking discs on the front axle can be seen.