Special edition Corsa speeds into showrooms

VAUXHALL’S new Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition promises to be a fast-mover, as the first cars become available in UK showrooms this month. At the heart of the Nürburgring is a re-worked version of the Corsa VXR’s existing 1.6-litre turbocharged engine which now produces 205PS* at 5,750rpm (up from 192PS) and 250-280Nm of torque (up from 230-266Nm). A modified engine management and turbocharger system, sports exhaust with reduced back pressure - and the ability to run on 98-octane fuel - have all contributed to the rise in power.

To harness the Nürburgring’s new-found power potential, Vauxhall has fitted it with a mechanical, multi-plate limited-slip differential, ensuring that its 205PS doesn’t go up in a cloud of tyre smoke, and providing the car with optimum traction at all times. Understeer is reduced dramtically, to the extent that the more throttle the driver applies through a bend, the more the vehicle grips.

But perhaps the icing on the Nürburgring’s cake is its chassis, which received its final sign-off at the Nürburgring’s notorious Nordschleife, or North Loop. Vauxhall commissioned Bilstein to develop bespoke spring and damper units for the new model, allowing drivers an even higher degree of control and involvement. A visual clue of this work is a ride height which is reduced by 20mm at the front and 15mm at the rear.

With performance of 0-60mph in just 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 143mph, the Corsa Nürburgring will deliver all the driving thrills you’d expect from a car wearing the legendary track’s name. But just in case anyone was in doubt, the new model gets a raft of visual identifiers: a stainless steel dual exhaust, newly designed forged aluminium wheels in high-gloss grey, and Nürburgring logos on the B-Pillars and front spoiler lip. There are also two new colours available – apple green ‘grasshopper’ and red ‘henna’.

The Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition is on sale now, priced at £22,295.