One of the most popular small cars in Europe promises to be leaner and meaner as Opel/Vauxhall introduces the new Corsa range.
The vehicle has received a complete makeover and thanks to the introduction of a new powertrain line-up boasts fuel consumption that is 13 per cent lower than the previous models, as well as significant chassis improvements and a new steering calibration.
The powertrain line-up of the new Corsa offers a wide range of petrol engines from a 1.0litre three-cylinder entry-level version to a turbocharged 1.6litre engine. There will be diesel models available too, with outputs ranging from 55kW/75hp to 96kW/130hp. All boast fuel consumption of 47mpg or more and the Corsa ecoFLEX 1.3litre CDTI offers the range’s lowest carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 98g/km for the three-door variant.
It’s not just about the engines themselves, however, as the Corsa boasts a number of measures meant to improve fuel consumption. All of the petrol models come with a low friction oil pump, remapping of the engine thermostat and a shift up indicator that helps the driver to change gear for optimum fuel economy.
The diesel versions of the new Corsa meanwhile, are all Euro 5 compliant with engineers having developed an optimised combustion system by reducing the compression ratio and introducing a next generation fuel injection system that features up to eight injections per cycle. They have also switched to low voltage glow plugs that reduce the load on the generator and included a new, plastic intake manifold with a fully electronically controlled variable swirl system to optimise combustion and reduce weight.
