Tuner Tuesday: Steinmetz tweaks the Opel Corsa OPC
Click above for a gallery of the Steinmetz Corsa OPC
The Opel Corsa is small, cool, and like most other neat U.S.-automaker Euro offerings, unavailable to us -- at least for now. As good as the current car would look wearing Saturn badges and slotted beneath the Astra, we'll have to wait a good while until the next-gen Corsa arrives to see it in Saturn stores. Nifty though it may be in standard guise, it's the OPC performance variant that really strikes our fancy. 192 horsepower, a 6.8-second 0-60, and fuel economy in the neighborhood of 30 mpg is a compelling combo.
Longtime Opel tuner, Steinmetz, has unveiled a suite of mods for the butched-up Corsa OPC. The factory hot hatch gets a new exhaust that adds ten horsepower, bumping its peak output to 202 ponies. Next comes a suspension upgrade that drops the car 30 millimeters, giving it a more athletic stance. Finally, Steinmetz closes the deal with a new front spoiler, replacement grille, side stripes, aluminum gas cap, and an upgraded wheel/tire package. Looks like fun to us.
Gallery: Steinmetz Corsa OPC
[Source: Steinmetz]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Torrent 7:20PM (4/29/2008)
This would be a great Saturn. Too bad some of the best cars aren't in America.
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TriShield 7:22PM (4/29/2008)
Too bad if those cars came over we wouldn't buy them anyways, like the Astra.
The grass is always greener you know.
GM is planning to sell the next Corsa here as a Saturn though, and I'm sure it will be built here.
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Aprime 7:26PM (4/29/2008)
Because Americans like their car bland and boring, unless they have over 300HP to work with.
ugg.tryptophan 8:54PM (4/29/2008)
i wouldnt buy an astra because it looks too big, america isnt buying it because its not big enough
Rick 5:22PM (4/30/2008)
That's because when they bring these hot cars over, they dumb them down leaving America with yet another boring, expensive car option. If they brought this over with just a badge switch, it would be a different story. They soften the suspension, give it bigger tires and smaller, uglier wheels, etc. They destroy anything cool about the car and wonder why it doesn't sell.
Punkcrisis 7:43PM (4/29/2008)
The only part I dont like is the grill kinda makes it look like a PT Cruiser argh! not cool. Other then that Sign me up for one when Saturn finally gets it years to late.
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ToMiTa 8:10PM (4/29/2008)
GM ought to get this to the states pronto!! It could easily compete with the hot selling MINIs. As a MINI owner, I might be swayed to GM!!!
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Duders 8:24PM (4/29/2008)
Anyone know the weight on this car? It seems like a compelling machine. The only question is what the real world mpg is though. If this 30mpg figure is experienced mileage or some EU test.
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why not the LS2LS7? 9:34PM (4/29/2008)
It's an EU test, and it's before the upgraded wheel/tire package.
nagmashot 5:34AM (4/30/2008)
sportauto had the Opel Corsa OPC in their last supertest...
driven hard on the race track the Corsa reached a average of 12.8l/100km (18.4 mpg) looks high..
to compare other sportauto supertest average consuption numbers..
Honda Civic Type R 13.5l/100km = 17.4mpg
Nissan 350Z 14.5l/100km = 16.2mpg
e92M3 16.3l/100km = 14.4mpg
C6 Z06 17.4l/100km = 13.5mpg
consuption numbers of perfromance car driven like perfromance cars not like eco boxes..
But you get the consuption into perspective it is slightly lower in average as on a Civic SI in the USA
Lawrence 10:07PM (4/29/2008)
Pocket rocket...for sure!
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len simpson 10:19PM (4/29/2008)
prolly has holes in the floor , like the astra.
unbelievable noise level.
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Azrael4h 10:51PM (4/29/2008)
Try closing the windows. Oh wait, you're paid by Toyota to bad-mouth everything not built by them. I doubt you've ever actually looked askance at an Astra, much less sat in or *gasp* driven one.
And yes, I have. If I wasn't a stickler for researching cars I'd probably have a 5 door in my driveway right now. And a stickler for getting a stick shift. Darn dealers not stocking cars with a proper transaxle.
nagmashot 5:35AM (4/30/2008)
LOL
len simpson 11:03PM (4/29/2008)
drove 125 miles just to test Astra , was ready to buy. suitable specs, gorgeous 3 dr, they both lack any sign of sound insulation. as I said, holes in the floor! Been a wrench for 50 yrs, wanted a sporty performer quieter than my HHR , drove 20 new or nearly new cars (incl HHRSS)of all brands in the last month. Tricking & keeping my 06 HHR