New all-electric Vauxhall Corsa GSE to bring hot hatch performance
One of the UK’s favourite cars will receive the hot hatch treatment this year, offering 276bhp...
On sale Late 2026 Price from £33,000 (est)
If you were to sort all versions of the Vauxhall Corsa using the Nando’s spice scale, then the new Vauxhall Corsa GSE would be firmly in the region of ‘extra hot’. Indeed, this spicy new model is set to arrive this year as a range-topping hot hatch variant of the British brand’s all-electric small car.
Following on from the reveal of the Vauxhall Mokka GSE last year, the new Corsa GSE will likely borrow the set-up from that car – the same one also used in the Peugeot e-208 GTi. That means it would receive a 54kWh (total capacity) battery and 276bhp front-mounted motor, which should allow for a 0-62mph sprint in less than six seconds. For reference, the 217bhp Alpine A290 GTS has an official 0-62mph time of 6.4sec, while the Mini Cooper Electric JCW can manage it in 5.9sec.
That 54kWh battery is officially capable of travelling other cars between 209 and 217 miles on a single charge, so expect a similar official figure in the Corsa GSE. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that you likely won’t achieve that in real-world driving, and other rivals offer more on paper – the A290 has a maximum 236-mile range, while the Cooper Electric JCW can officially manage 250 miles.
We’ve driven the Mokka GSE (pictured below), and we found it to be much sharper in corners than the regular Mokka, but it suffered from a firm, jittery ride and wasn’t as playful as other hot hatch rivals.
Just one teaser image of the Corsa GSE has been revealed so far, but we can see it’ll get bright yellow accents, including yellow brake callipers, much like the ones on the Mokka GSE. It'll likely get more aggressive styling, and it could also take inspiration from the Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo concept that was unveiled last year, though the production car will be toned down quite significantly.
Inside, the Mokka GSE benefits from some sporty elements, such as a vegan leather steering wheel flattened at the top and bottom, aluminium sports pedals and ‘GSE’ stitching across the Alcantara seats. We can expect the Corsa GSE will receive similar treatment, while elsewhere it will likely resemble the regular Corsa Electric, with a 7.0in digital instrument display and 10in infotainment touchscreen.
The new Corsa GSE will be unveiled over the coming months and available to order later this year. Prices haven’t yet been revealed, but we expect them to start at around £33,000, which would make the Corsa GSE more expensive than the entry-level Alpine A290, but cheaper than the expected starting price of the Peugeot e-208 GTi. It could also qualify for the Government’s Electric Car Grant like the regular Corsa does, which would reduce the list price by £1500.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
