The Opel/Vauxhall Corsa is one of the brands’ best-selling vehicles. After 32 years of production and with approximately 12.3 million units sold, the Corsa has been a success for the German-British brand duo. And with the arrival of the Corsa E before the end of the year, here’s a look back at the Corsa’s successful past.
Corsa A
The history of the Corsa spans over five generations of the nameplate. It with the increase in size of the Opel Kadett during the 1960s and 1970s. The first generation of the Corsa, the Corsa A, was manufactured from 1982 to 1993. Measuring in at roughly 12 feet in length, the small body of the Corsa A featured flared wheel arches and boasted an extremely low drag coefficient of 0.36. The vehicle was powered by the 100 hp Corsa GSi and also had a diesel option. 3.1 million units of the Corsa A were produced.
Corsa B
The second-generation of the Corsa was sold between 1993 and 2000. The Corsa B was designed by the legendary Hideo Kodama, who created a much softer-looking body for the vehicle. With an increase in wheelbase of ten centimeters, the vehicle boasted a more spacious interior than its predecessor. The second-gen Corsa also introduced a host of safety standards such as ABS cadence braking, front airbags and side-impact protection. With over 4 million vehicles sold, the Corsa B also proved to be quite successful.
Corsa C
Hideo Kodama presided over the design of the third-generation Corsa C, which was produced from 2000 to 2006. While borrowing styling cues from the Corsa B, the third-generation Corsa grew by ten centimeters in length and had a wider stance. The introduction of four-valve ECOTEC gasoline and direct-injection turbo diesel engines propelled Corsa C sales to a total 2.5 million units.
Corsa D
The fourth-generation of Corsa is currently coming to the end of its production run, having been produced from 2006 to 2014. For the first time, the three and five-door versions have unique qualities. The three-door version has coupe-like styling, while the five-door becomes a family car, trading off a sleek silhouette for practical space. Defining characteristics of the Corsa D include its 13-foot body length and Opel’s ecoFLEX technology. Since its inception, the Corsa D has sold 2.8 million units.
And Finally…
Opel customers will be able to obtain the 2015 Corsa E, the fifth generation of the Corsa range, before the end of 2014. Just like its predecessor, the Corsa E will be available in three and five-door variations, with a high-performance model to boot. With a total of 12.3 million Corsas sold over four generations, the incoming Corsa E has large shoes to fill.
Through the years: Corsa A through Corsa E (left to right)
No Comments yet