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ON TEST Opel Corsa Colour Edition FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 11 A fter pulling up at the Opel showroom on a gloomy day last week, the three-door Opel Corsa shone out at me with its Casablanca white and contrasting black paint job, powder-coated alloy wheels and black roof that really distinguished it from the rest in the showroom. After walking around the car a few times, I was drawn towards it from all angles. From the front, looking straight on, the car sits slightly lower due to its sports sus- pension which offers a firm, sporty ride. Fog lights with chrome accents pop out of the bumpers and catch your vision. At its rear, I was met by smoked lights and a chrome exhaust. Every bit of the car accen- tuated its sportiness. The car is equipped with a 1.2- litre, 16v engine, outputting 85 bhp. It is only available as a three- door for the special edition model. I would have thought Opel would have given their colour edi- tion a slightly bigger engine with more power to suit its sporty looks. Sitting in the driver’s seat, I was thrilled. The cabin was very bright as the car I was driving was fitted with the optional panoramic sunroof. Shame I got to use it on a rainy day. Sporty, semi-bucket seats hugged me while I drove which kept me seated in the right posi- tion. The leather steering wheel felt well weighted and thick. When I got stuck in traffic I was able to look around the cabin in more detail. The air vents were the same colour as the exterior paint, adding a splash of colour to the cabin. Alloy pedals threw some more sportiness to the foot well. I really liked the gear change in- dicator when driving. This little piece of technology shows drivers when it is best to change up or down a gear. Another thing that intrigued me was the indicator stalk. It can be flicked up or down and the indica- tor will blink a few times to alert you when you intend to overtake. But then when you actually use it, the indicator remains on till you complete the turn. I was a little sceptical about driving the Corsa with its sports suspension and 17-inch alloys along most of Malta’s roads. Every time I hit a bump I thought it would rattle my spine, but I was pleasantly surprised. The car absorbed the bumps very well and I was amazed at its road holding. Don’t get me wrong, you will feel the bumps, but the car handled them very smoothly. If you were planning on park- ing this car without damaging the lovely alloys, I would highly rec- ommend digging a little deeper in to the pocket and opting for rear parking sensors, which unfortu- nately are not standard. In today’s world of ever increas- ing fuel prices, the look and drive of a car are not the only winning factors. Drivers are more aware of emissions and engine economy. The Corsa’s impressive 94 g/km and 3.4l/100 km mean this super mini can pull 69.2 miles per gallon for those using the im- perial system. The car is available in Casablanca white, yellow (sunny melon), magma red, oriental blue and black sapphire. NIKOLAI ATTARD Adding colour to life COMFORT Handled bumps in the road well with sports suspension. PERFORMANCE Needed a more powerful engine to match sporty looks. COOL Very cool with con- trasting wheels and roof. QUALITY Well built cabin felt more expensive than it is. TOP SPEED 172km/h. 0-100km 14.9 seconds. ECONOMY 3.5 l/100 km. C0 2 94g/km. ENGINE 1.2l 16v. POWER 85bhp. MAXIMUM TORQUE 115 Nm. STARTING PRICE €15,050. VERDICT AT A GLANCE “Every time I hit a bump I thought it would rattle my spine, but I was pleasantly surprised”
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NIKOLAI ATTARD COOL QUALITY 0-100km TOP SPEED The Sunday Times MOTORING 11 ENGINE Very cool with con- trasting wheels and roof. C0 2 Well built cabin felt more expensive than it is. Needed a more powerful engine to match sporty looks. Handled bumps in the road well with sports suspension. FEBRUARY 19, 2012 172km/h. 115 Nm. 94g/km. 85bhp. 14.9 seconds. 3.5 l/100 km. 1.2l 16v. €15,050.
Transcript of 011
ON TEST Opel Corsa Colour Edition
FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 11
After pulling up at theOpel showroom on agloomy day lastweek, the three-doorOpel Corsa shone out
at me with its Casablanca whiteand contrasting black paint job,powder-coated alloy wheels andblack roof that really distinguishedit from the rest in the showroom.
After walking around the car afew times, I was drawn towards itfrom all angles. From the front,looking straight on, the car sitsslightly lower due to its sports sus-pension which offers a firm, sportyride.
Fog lights with chrome accentspop out of the bumpers and catchyour vision. At its rear, I was metby smoked lights and a chromeexhaust. Every bit of the car accen-tuated its sportiness.
The car is equipped with a 1.2-litre, 16v engine, outputting 85bhp. It is only available as a three-door for the special edition model.
I would have thought Opelwould have given their colour edi-tion a slightly bigger engine withmore power to suit its sportylooks.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, I wasthrilled. The cabin was verybright as the car I was driving wasfitted with the optional
panoramic sunroof. Shame I gotto use it on a rainy day.
Sporty, semi-bucket seatshugged me while I drove whichkept me seated in the right posi-tion. The leather steering wheelfelt well weighted and thick.
When I got stuck in traffic Iwas able to look around thecabin in more detail. The airvents were the same colour asthe exterior paint, adding asplash of colour to the cabin.Alloy pedals threw some moresportiness to the foot well.
I really liked the gear change in-dicator when driving. This littlepiece of technology shows driverswhen it is best to change up ordown a gear.
Another thing that intrigued mewas the indicator stalk. It can beflicked up or down and the indica-tor will blink a few times to alertyou when you intend to overtake.But then when you actually use it,the indicator remains on till youcomplete the turn.
I was a little sceptical aboutdriving the Corsa with its sportssuspension and 17-inch alloys
along most of Malta’s roads.Every time I hit a bump I thoughtit would rattle my spine, but I waspleasantly surprised.
The car absorbed the bumpsvery well and I was amazed at itsroad holding. Don’t get mewrong, you will feel the bumps,but the car handled them verysmoothly.
If you were planning on park-ing this car without damaging thelovely alloys, I would highly rec-ommend digging a little deeper into the pocket and opting for rear
parking sensors, which unfortu-nately are not standard.
In today’s world of ever increas-ing fuel prices, the look and driveof a car are not the only winningfactors. Drivers are more aware ofemissions and engine economy.
The Corsa’s impressive 94g/km and 3.4l/100 km mean thissuper mini can pull 69.2 milesper gallon for those using the im-perial system.
The car is available inCasablanca white, yellow (sunnymelon), magma red, oriental blueand black sapphire.
NIKOLAI ATTARD
Adding colourto life
COMFORTHandled bumps inthe road well withsports suspension.
PERFORMANCENeeded a morepowerful engine tomatch sporty looks.
COOLVery cool with con-trasting wheels androof.
QUALITYWell built cabin feltmore expensivethan it is.
TOP SPEED172km/h.
0-100km14.9 seconds.
ECONOMY3.5 l/100 km.
C0294g/km.
ENGINE1.2l 16v.
POWER85bhp.
MAXIMUMTORQUE115 Nm.
STARTINGPRICE€15,050.
VERDICT
AT AGLANCE
“Every time I hit a bump I thoughtit would rattle my spine, but Iwas pleasantly surprised”
