Opel Corsa GSE Test: 280 HP Electric Hot Hatch vs Alpine A290

Opel confirms the Corsa GSE, a 100% electric hot hatch with 280 horsepower, expected before the end of 2026. A direct technical cousin to the Peugeot EE-208 GTI](/article/peugeot-remplace-le-puretech-par-le-moteur-turbo-100-sur-208-et-2008)article/peugeot-remplace-le-puretech-par-le-moteur-turbo-100-sur-208-et-2008) GTI and the Lancia Ypsilon HF, it borrows Stellantis's M2 motor with a Torsen limited-slip differential, and squares off against the Alpine A290 in the electric hot hatch segment.

"The mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential is a unique pairing on an electric front-wheel drive that only Stellantis currently offers." — L'Auto Journal

The Corsa OPC is dead, long live the Corsa GSE

The last truly nasty Corsa was the GSi from 2018 with its 150 hp and 1.4 turbo. Before that, the OPC had torn up rally stages and tracks, with naturally aspirated and later turbo engines that went toe-to-toe with the Peugeot 205 GTI and Ford Fiesta XR2i. Since Opel's acquisition by PSA in 2017 and the creation of Stellantis, nothing. A sporting void.

That changes in 2026. Opel made it official on February 24: the Corsa GSE is coming. For now, the Rüsselsheim brand has mostly shown a wheel. An 18-inch three-spoke wheel, with a yellow brake caliper and a GSE logo. Doesn't seem like much, but for brand fans, it's huge.

280 hp and a mechanical diff: the tech we already know

No mystery under the hood. Opel digs into the same toolbox as everyone at Stellantis. The M2 permanent-magnet synchronous motor delivers 280 hp and 345 Nm of torque, mounted on the front axle. The NMC battery of 54 kWh gross (50.8 kWh net) should allow around 350 km of range per Autoplus, under WLTP conditions.

What really sets this platform apart is the Torsen limited-slip differential, supplied by Japan's Jtekt. On an electric front-wheel drive with that much power, it's not a luxury. The 0-100 km/h sprint should dip under 6 seconds, per Caradisiac — the E-208 GTI does it in 5.7 s with the same hardware.

A body that flexes its muscles

In the first spy shots reported by Autocar UK in early March, the Corsa GSE doesn't look like a normal Corsa with a badge slapped on. The front has a pronounced chin spoiler, wheel arches are flared with extra cladding — same treatment as the E-208 GTI. The wheels poke out further from the fenders than on the standard version, touring car camber included. Through the windows, you can see one-piece bucket seats, identical to those in the Mokka GSE.

The front suspension has also been revised to make room for wider wheels, with modified arms. That's what Autocar UK calls "extra knuckles" on the Mokka GSE — an engineering solution to fit bigger tires without changing the base geometry.

When will it be available?

Opel mentions a presentat