New Vauxhall Corsa GSE revealed with 277bhp and hot hatch acceleration
The electric version of one of the UK’s favourite cars has received the hot hatch treatment...
On sale Late 2026 Price from £35,000 (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 borrows the set-up from that car – the same one also used in the Peugeot e-208 GTi. That means it receives a 51kWh (usable capacity) battery and a front-mounted motor which puts out 277bhp in 'Sport' mode, compared with 228bhp in 'Normal' mode. It allows for a 0-62mph sprint in just 5.5sec. That's quicker than the Alpine A290 GTS (6.4sec) and the Mini Cooper Electric JCW (5.9sec).
That 51kWh 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, 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.
Outside, the Corsa GSE gets GSE lettering on its bodywork and some bright yellow brake callipers, like the ones on the Mokka GSE. It also gets some more aggressive air intakes at the sides of the front bumper, compared with the regular Corsa Electric, plus a black roof and black rear spoiler.
Inside, the yellow accents continue throughout. You get sports seats with integrated headrests, furnished in Alcantara faux suede, with bright yellow seatbelts. The infotainment setup is largely the same as the regular Corsa Electric, with a 7.0in digital instrument display and 10in infotainment touchscreen. However, they'll display GSE-specific performance data.
Standard equipment includes heated seats and steering wheel, a 180-degree parking camera, keyless entry and start and vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality.
The new Corsa GSE will go on sale later this year. Prices haven’t yet been revealed, but we expect them to start at around £35,000, 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.
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