THESE are the first official pictures of the 2007 Opel – Vauxhall Corsa that holds a strong resemblance to the Astra while the interior seems to follow that of the Antara with the circular air evnts.As with the Astra, the rear bodywork of both versions vary significantly, in a bid to make them appeal to different types of customer. The five-door Corsa will have a longer wheelbase, which will also underpin the next-generation Meriva, scheduled to arrive in 2008. Spin-offs from the three door platform will include the eventual replacement for the coupe-cabrio Tigra TwinTop, although this is not expected to happen before 2010.
The new Corsa is set to debut at this year’s London Motor Show in July, and will hit the European market in October. It will share many of its mechanical components with the new Fiat Grande Punto, which is built on the same platform. Other shared parts are likely to include the suspension systems, steering and braking components, as well as the much lauded 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine, which already appears in the current generations of both cars.
Opel’s petrol units will differ from Fiat's, though, and will start with an updated version of the 1.0-litre three cylinder engine fitted to today's entry level Corsa’s. Other options will include the 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre Twinport units, along with an updated version of the 1.7 CDTI diesel from the Astra.
The Corsa range will also include an OPC version (Vauxhall VXR) with Opel’s latest 1.6 Turbo engine that pumps out 180 hp –first seen on the Meriva OPC. All motors will be compliant with Euro IV emissions rules.
Opel also hopes to make the Corsa one of the safest superminis in its class, with airbags all-round, electronic brakeforce distribution and other driver aids. These improvements will come at a cost, however, as the newcomer is expected to be slightly more expensive than the model it replaces.
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