Review: 2015 Opel Corsa Sport

Despite the bloodletting on some showroom floors after the release of the July sales figures by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, it was good to discover it’s not doom and gloom for all manufacturers.

Take Opel, for example. January-June figures for 2015 have shown a 90% increase in sales compared with the same period last year. According to the Naamsa figures, purchases of new cars in July were down 6.1% on last year’s numbers for the same period. Opel had intended to double its sales in South Africa, so has fallen just short — but it’s an excellent result nonetheless.

Admittedly, the brand is coming off a low sales base, but Opel’s success highlights the need for manufacturers to constantly introduce new models and update existing ones. For too long in South Africa, Opel was a bit like a rudderless life raft bobbing about at sea. Today it appears the brand has a sense of direction and, equally importantly, vehicles to back up its slogan: “Wir leben Autos (We live cars).”

The new-product offensive began in earnest in January, with the introduction of the ADAM, followed a month later by the new Corsa range and then, in March, the unveiling of the Mokka. It is the introduction of these cars that has helped achieve something of a turnaround for Opel. And, to keep the momentum going in an increasingly hostile market, the manufacturer took us to George for the launch of a vehicle that rounds off the Corsa line-up: the 1.4 turbo Sport.

This five-door 110kW hatch sits on the top tier of the Corsa range and is a welcome addition for those who enjoy a — how can we put it? — more spirited ride. Without going over the top and making one look like a boy racer, the Corsa Sport has some nice visual touches to signal that it is a step up from its siblings. Subtle kit add-ons include front-and rear-bumper extensions, sporty exhaust tip, tinted windows, 17-inch titanium wheels and carbon look outside side-view mirror covers.

Technology shines through with the bi-xenon headlights with cornering light control and LED daytime running lights. Also standard are rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlight control. Step inside and the cloth covered Moonray Sports seats are designed for support when things hot up. As expected for a sports car from Germany, the list of safety features covers all bases. Electronic Stability Control, traction control, straight-line stability, brake assist, six airbags . . . It all adds up to a five-star NCAP safety rating.

Now, 110kW might not sound like much, but in a vehicle with a low centre of gravity and reduced weight thanks to the materials used in its design, the power-to kilogram ratio becomes vital. And this latest engine from Opel’s ECOTEC family actually makes the car feel a lot quicker than the claimed 9.6sec for the sprint from zero to 100km. Stomp the alloy sports pedal with some authority, drop the clutch on the six-speed manual transmission, and the car is out of the starting blocks pretty darn quick.

In no time at all you are waving goodbye to the national speed limit while tackling the radical twists and turns of the Outeniqua Pass, which was an excellent test of the car’s capabilities. Throw it into corners and it holds well and feels stable; point the Corsa straight on a long, open stretch and it was me who backed off way before the car hit its top speed of 204km/h. The Sport is aimed at younger motorists, so it boasts a few more modern features.

The TuneIn app provides access to a global network of 70 000 radio stations, and the Siri Eyes Free voice control enables the driver to make calls, play music, and send and receive messages and emails. And not to worry: any e-mails you receive are read out loud. The little Corsa Sport is definitely not cheap, costing R255 200, and will be compared with, for instance, the Suzuki Swift Sport. Of more importance to Opel, though, is whether this latest addition will help maintain the manufacturer’s upswing.

[specs]

-Bruce Fraser

[wzslider autoplay="true"]