There’s a reason Ford’s instant smile device came along and become a shining star in the subcompact market here in the U.S, and that’s because it’s a car they’ve been building in Europe for years, where the segment thrives. We’re pretty sure, though, that if the newly revealed Opel Corsa OPC came stateside, it would be a downer to the Fiesta’s party.
The new Corsa is the fifth version to come from the German automaker, which is a member of the GM family. OPC stands for Opel Performance Center and is its sport division where it juices up vehicles with a little extra spirit.
Under the hood lies a turbocharged 1.6-lter four-cylinder that gives the Corsa 207 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque thanks to some overboost functionality. For a quick comparison, thats more than the Fiesta ST’s 180 hp and 177 pound-feet of torque. Power goes to the front wheels by way of a six-speed manual, and claims a 0 to 62 speed of 6.8 seconds. Top speed? A sizable 143 mph.
For a car designed, essentially, to be a Nürburgring plaything, it’s got to be nimble, and the Corsa OPC attains this, first by dropping 10 millimeters lower than the standard model and by employing Frequency Selective Damping or FSD. This adapts the stiffness on the fly depending on how the car is being tossed around. A “competition mode” gives the car a longer leash when it comes to traction control, greatly reducing stability control and traction control interference.
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Would it be a “Fiesta-Killer” if it were to come stateside? Probably not, but a little competition in this segment would only result in better and more fun cars. Sadly, there’s no GM analog to be found on our side of the pond, but as the automotive industry continues to unify global products, much like Ford and FCA have been, it’s not a leap to suggest that maybe a version of the Corsa OPC will find itself on U.S. highways.
