Opel Corsa OPC 2013 Review

For under $30K you get good bang for your buck with the Opel Opel Corsa OPC. Soon to be launched in Australia, the mighty midget delivers the sort of performance punch that was once reserved for hot hatches costing closer to 50 grand. Pumping out an impressive 141kW and able to stop and turn sharply as well, this car is officially a compelling new option for buyers seeking affordable fun.

Pint-sized hotties like the 132kW Volkswagen Polo GTI ($27,790) and Skoda Fabia RS ($27,990) are direct rivals for the Corsa OPC, as the new 134kW Ford Fiesta ST will be when it arrives in the third quarter of 2013. For the time being, I feel as though the Opel has the wood on its rivals.

Seizing bragging rights in the $30K hot hatch category with a powerful 141kW 1.6-litre turbo engine, the first thing the car (formerly known as Holden Barina) needs to do is find a point of difference to lure potential buyers -- and the hot-headed Opel does this with a unique aesthetic.

Simply put, the Corsa OPC looks like few other hotted-up compact cars out there thanks to an eye-catching triangular design motif. The funky aerodynamic mirrors, big alloy wheels and front fog light bezels would all make Pythagoras swoon, but the piece de resistance is the centrally-mounted, superbly integrated exhaust tip. Automotive art that turns heads? Yes thanks.

The car has been dropped 15mm closer to terra firma and together with deeper front and rear aprons and new side skirts the ground-hugging visual effect adds to the whipper snapper's nouveau-agro attitude. Top it off with a rear diffuser and a roof spoiler and you're in Boy Racer paradise.

Power for the German-built bottle rocket is via a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that loves a good rev. Peak power of 141kW at 5850rpm and 260Nm of 'overboosted' torque between 1980-5800rpm provides the car with loads of mumbo, enough to light up the front hoops should you find the stability control has somehow been switched off...

Opel claims the car's power gives it a top speed of 225km/h and 0-100km/h time of 7.2 seconds, which isn't too bad considering that car's none-too-light 1280kg kerb weight.

While the Polo GTI is an auto-only proposition, the Corsa OPC is manual only, but the six-speed cog-swapper is neat little unit that's easy to manage at both pedestrian and break-neck pace. It may put off buyers who want an auto, but those who pick this car won't be disappointed by its transmission.

The turbocharged engine features an aluminium cylinder head and intake manifold, while the turbocharger housing is integrated into the exhaust manifold, ensuring boost pressure builds fairly low in the rev range. The fiery four-banger really hits its straps between 2500-3000rpm and the red tacho needle's voyage to 6000rpm is rapid but linear.

It's an enjoyable accelerative journey, and though the plucky engine won't blow your socks off like a Ford Focus ST or a Renault Megane RS, the crafty Corsa is still quick and, importantly, feels more potent than Veedub's Polo GTI.

Perhaps the only downside to the car's lively power delivery is the lack of a slippery diff at the front end to smooth out its thrust on cornering exits, something that bigger OPC-badged siblings Astra and Insignia get.

Opel's sporty compact car is a lot of fun to thrash around town and though the chassis is just as happy blazing a trail along a snaking stretch of coast road, I think I had more fun hooking into roundabouts and lining up urban chicanes.

The car's suspension is firm yet compliant enough to deliver relaxed highway and arterial road driving. The bouncy bits have been tweaked not only by OPC (Opel Performance Centre) but also Lotus Engineering and the result is a car that can commute comfortably on a daily basis but also be thrown into corners with wild abandon.

Opel's entry-level hot hatch does get a little loose at times (with the stability control switched off, it should be noted) as experienced on a couple of tight off-camber corners in the 'burbs, which saw the rear end begin to wag when coming off the throttle.

While it could be said the chassis needs more work to level out at-the-limit response, I warmed to the car's slightly unhinged attitude, the odd screech of the car's tyres and it's predictable (if wayward) histrionics a welcome - nay, satisfying companion.

The car rides 15mm lower than regular Corsa hatchbacks and gets recalibrated rear axle geometry designed to make it less rolly poly. Indeed, it's not as soft and squidgy as most city cars and can generate impressive mid-corner speeds thanks to the front ends' firmer damper and spring rates.

The variable ratio electro-hydraulic power steering system is not bad, offering a degree of feedback, and the car's front end is well sorted, tipping into corners with enthusiasm and tracking through them predictably for the most part. The flat bottom steering wheel felt too big though, like I was driving a truck not a hyperactive micro car.

Bigger Opel-sanctioned brakes are good too, the 308mm front discs backed up by 264mm rear rotors ensure strong deceleration should you overcook your approach to a corner (or need to avoid a freeway driver who forgot to head-check when changing lanes). The ultra-sporty Recaro seats are a nice touch, meeting image, performance and comfort requirements.

The only complaints I will make relate to the interior. Don't get me wrong, all the major touch points feel good -- leather steering wheel, Recaro seats, leather gear shifter -- it's just the centre stack infotainment system looks dated, fitted with the same orange dot matrix info screen of an early '80s era Tulip PC.

That said, small touches such as the yellow-illuminated stereo/heater dials and electric window buttons are solid; and pragmatic. Plus the feature list is pretty good, with rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control and seven-speaker stereo fitted as standard.

Opel's Corsa OPC also boasts a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating (six airbags, brake assist, hill start assist, electronic stability control etc.), has split-fold rear seats, a handful of cup holders and very little rear seat room.

If you're looking for an entertaining, head-turning package that won't require massive monthly repayments, the Opel Corsa OPC will warrant a closer look. And as far as this driver is concerned it's a better performance car than the Polo GTI. It's angrier, it's a little less predictable but still ticks a lot of boxes. Micro fury hath a new name: Opel Corsa OPC.

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