OPC on Corsa

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Take it from me, if you fall anywhere between 25 and 40 years old and have a slight passion for motoring then the Corsa OPC will tick all your requirements admirably. If you're over 40 and still want a thrilling ride, the chances are it might even tick all your boxes.

Sure it's not a large barge and only has three doors but the OPC still manages a fair amount of space and practicality. I don?t want to bore with the interior dimensions and specs so I?ll summarise by saying it will take four occupants, some luggage and will keep you comfortable with air conditioner, electric front windows, seven speaker MP3 compatible radio/CD, steering wheel mounted satellite controls, on board computer, tyre deflation detection system.

My biggest gripe with the Astra OPC was the interior which, when compared to price contenders, looked cheap and dated. Thankfully I can?t say the same about the Corsa OPC. Hats off to the designers for the black high-gloss centre console, round silver-edged air vents and circular blue-lit speedo and tacho. I see some press pack pics show some over the top blue vent surrounds but thankfully there weren?t any of those versions on the launch.

The three-spoke steering wheel is a tasty mix of leather, gloss black and polished metal that not only looks but feels the part of an urban racer. Well-placed thumb indentations focus the driver and the chunky (without being obese) rim dimensions give a top-drawer feel. Good steering feel and feedback can also be attributed to a class-unique electro-hydraulic variable progressive steering system.

Aluminium pedals are also athletically looking while at the same time highly functional with some non-slip detailing. And the best part is that slipping in the odd heel-and-toe is easy thanks to well-spaced pedal position.

Opel has joined forces with legendary competition seat manufacturers Recaro. Featuring integrated head restraints and side airbags, the seats are up high in the safety department but also measure up well in the supportive and sporting ranks. Adjustment is good and coupled with the height and reach adjustable steering wheel a perfect driving position is achievable.

Opel has also upped the game in the exterior department and the aggro lines look more at home on the Corsa than the Astra. Younger target markets prefer three-doors and the OPC designers oblige, and then give more with a roof spoiler, deep front spoiler, side sills, rear diffuser and triangular tailpipe. Mirrors are also unique and bodybuilding 18-inch alloys are standard.

Strap in and fire up the 1.6-litre turbo-fed engine and the fun really starts. Idle is smooth and it is possible to pull of sedately. Hoof it and it pulls strongly thanks to maximum 1.3 bar boost, 141kW at 5850rpm and 230Nm of torque from 1980 to 5800rpm. We?ll have to wait and see how it performs at JHB altitudes but I?m pretty confident it won?t fall off the boil too much, and will more than likely trample some larger capacity normally-aspirated hot hatches.

For the number conscious claimed figures read as follows; 0-100km/h takes 7.2 seconds, 80-120km/h is done in 6.7 seconds and, if you want to pay the cops, a top speed of 225km/h will make sure you cough up handsomely.

Handling is responsive and taut without a harsh and choppy ride. The chassis sits 15mm lower than a run-of-the-mill Corsa and revised rear axle geometry increases stiffness and decreases the roll rate ? and it all works on track and on road.

Perhaps the most impressive OPC Corsa aspect is a front 308mm vented disc and 264mm rear brakes. Two days of solid belting around a track, where we slowed from 200km/h down to 60km/h, didn?t cause any overheating, fade or lack of feel.

I might sound like I?m blowing the Corsa OPC trumpet excessively, but I can?t help it. OPC has everything I want in a car, it is compact, has decent power, is nimble and predictable. I want to get in and drive it, and drive it hard.

At R229 000 it seems a bit heavy compared to competitors, but bear in mind the competition are set to raise their prices to keep up with the Rand/Euro exchange skyrocketing.