All-New Opel Corsa: Details

Press Release

World Premiere in London

• Exciting design with a smile on its face
• Clever ideas such as integrated carrier system “Flex-Fix”
• Fun factor: Agile handling in feel-good ambiance

Opel expects its innovative new Corsa’s career to be as spectacular as its first appearance in Old Billingsgate, near Tower Bridge on the banks of the Thames. The eagerly anticipated fourth-generation Corsa makes its world debut in London at the British International Motor Show (July 20 – 30). Over 9.4 million units of the popular Opel’s predecessor models have been sold in Europe since 1982. The new edition will be available at dealerships in October 2006 and is expected to again reach the top of its segment. It has everything it needs to get there: exciting design with sporty, athletic contours, a newly-developed chassis for safe and agile cornering, new high-tech features in this class, a new high-quality interior, generous space and a host of clever innovations such as the flexible integrated carrier system “Flex-Fix”, which makes its world premiere on a production car.

Following the same philosophy Opel successfully realized with the Astra and Astra GTC, the distinctively different three and five-door Corsa models are tailor-made for different types of customers. The new Corsa rolls off the production lines in Eisenach/Germany and Zaragoza/Spain. Both plants were extensively modernized prior to the start of production in July, also to meet Opel’s high manufacturing quality standards.

Living in Style: A Stunning Design to Fall in Love With

• Exciting combination of taut lines and vibrant surfaces
• Three and five-door models distinctively different
• Interior impresses with high-quality design elements

“The new Corsa builds on our commitment to offer dynamic vehicles regardless of the segment. The fashion conscious exterior coupled with a refreshingly innovative interior hope to exceed the target customers’ expectations. Chief designer Niels Loeb and his team can be very proud of their efforts!” Bryan Nesbitt, Executive Director Design, GM Europe

The sporty three-door Corsa’s body is stretched tautly over its technology like a muscle shirt on a bodybuilder, with athletic contours, muscular shoulders and a roof line reminiscent of a coupé. In the family-friendly five-door model, the long roof line and generous window surfaces indicate additional headroom and visibility for the rear passengers.

The new Corsa’s body was developed from the inside out. While both body versions have the same length and height (3999 / 1488mm), there is a small difference in their width (3-door: 1713 mm, 5-door: 1737 mm). The H-point and roof line are 40 millimeters higher than the previous model, enabling easier entry and better visibility. Thanks to the long wheelbase (2511 mm) and wide track (front/rear: 1485 / 1478 mm), both Corsa versions have distinctively sporty proportions. The up to 17-inch wheels are placed at the body corners leaving a very short rear overhang. Thanks to the designers’ skills, the front overhang has a remarkably short appearance despite elaborate pedestrian safety measures.Large, iconic headlamps mimic the Corsa´s suave, energetic personality, further enhanced by the design of the lower front bumper which articulates a friendly smile. The steeply raked A-pillars are extended forward, optically shortening the front hood and concentrating the bulk of the body between the axles. The exterior mirrors mounted on the body shoulder come with power adjustment as standard, enabling an additional small, triangular window in front that improves forward visibility.

The three-door Corsa only shares the five-door’s two front fenders, hood, bumper and headlamps. Its rear window inclines at a significantly steeper angle, coupled with an almost coupé-style roof line. This look is emphasized by the side-window graphics reminiscent of the Astra GTC, forming a large, stretched arch from the A-pillar to the rear. Pronounced fenders over the rear wheels highlight the Corsa’s powerful, sporty stance, while the rear window tapers downwards accentuating the characteristic V-shaped rear theme, a typical trademark of the Opel form language. The five-door Corsa´s window line resembles that of the five-door Astra, but has a unique C-pillar transition to the rear window.

The stylish interior design with high-quality materials and clever new features creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. Turn buttons for climate control, radio and lighting are backlit. Piano-lacquer finish used in selected equipment variants on the center console with a matching finish on the steering wheel spokes and air-conditioning vent rings is of a much higher quality than normal in this class. And the new Corsa’s high-quality interior does not just look great right down to the last detail, it is also very practical. The steering column is reach and height-adjustable, the angled center console is optimized for reach and visibility, and the many storage compartments offer plenty of space for small and large items.

Three and five-door Corsa: Body data at a glance

“That’s the one I want!”

• Opel again aiming for the top with new Corsa
• Distinctive cars for different buyers
• Four equipment lines for color and fun

“With the new Corsa, we want to head straight to the top of car buyers’ wish list. Market surveys often produced the spontaneous answer: That’s the one I want. And that’s exactly what we want to hear. For me, the Corsa is probably the best example of the ‘emotionalization’ of the Opel brand.” Alain Visser, Executive Director, European Opel Marketing

Two models with strong characters have set out to capture European customers’ hearts.

Stylish and sporty, with a roof line like a coupé, the three-door Corsa particularly appeals to customers that marketing experts call “progressive modern mainstream”: young adults up to their late twenties, with no children yet but with ambitious career plans – well educated, they want to move up the career ladder while living life to the fullest with plenty of sporty adventures.

While the five-door model shares its dynamic twin’s sporty genes, its longer roof line and larger side windows show how the fourth-generation of the Corsa has matured. This mirrors its buyers, who are often family-focused and frequently have children on board. They appreciate all of the Corsa’s practical features, including new innovations such as the flexible integrated carrier system “Flex-Fix”.

Both versions share the common goal of capturing a top position in the European small car segment together. Opel is committed to returning to the top of this segment, the second largest in Europe with over 20 percent of all passenger car sales. Customers can already look forward to equipment lines that not only boast highest quality standards, but also express driving fun and enjoyment with colors and exclusive finishes such as piano-lacquer surfaces.

For instance, the Edition equipment line breaks out of the class’s uniform grey. The fresh colors of the seat upholstery and door panels harmonize perfectly with the instrument panel’s colored surface in exciting red or elegant marine blue. Be it the entry-level Corsa, Edition, Sport or Cosmo – the only car in this class with piano-lacquer interior surfaces – the Corsa range has the perfect combination for every taste and budget. The Corsa can be further individualized thanks to special equipment packages, innovative options and many features that customers can choose from according to their tastes and preferences.

The Sport model interior features accessories including a matte-chrome console and perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel. The sportiest Corsa exterior boasts details such as dark-tinted headlamps, 195/55 R 16 wheels, and a chrome sports exhaust pipe. Its athletic character is further enhanced by the lower sport chassis, power steering with progressive variable feedback curve – used here for the first time – and shorter gear ratio.