The Corsa GSE waits patiently in front of the glass entrance of the Zaragoza plant. Inside are six generations of the small car. The Corsa has been built here since 1982, and by the end of 2021, 11 million units had already been produced in Zaragoza.
In the factory, the small Opel is more than a car. It belongs to the region. It is its baby. Our Spanish companion leads us through history with visible pride, presses the GSE key into our hands and says: “Have a good trip.” The mission is clear: From October 12, the Corsa GSE will be presented to the public for the first time at the Paris Motor Show. And we will take it there.
1,555 kilometres to Paris
Zaragoza shrinks in the rear-view mirror, the Pyrenees grow in front of us. On the first few kilometres, the GSE is relaxed. You could almost forget what’s under its shell: 281 hp, 345 Newton meters of torque on the front axle, lowered sports suspension, Torsen limited-slip differential and 18-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres. Then the first corners approach. Sport mode on, push the accelerator pedal – and the Corsa leaps forward.
The front axle is particularly impressive. 281 hp on the front wheels is normally an invitation to understeer. The Torsen differential holds up to this. The Opel attacks the curve instead of pushing outwards. It’s fun. And it shows: This is not just a more powerful electric motor put into a Corsa. Chassis, stabilisers, hydraulic bump stops and tyres are consistently set up for performance
The Corsa GSE attacks the curve instead of pushing outwards. It’s fun.
The Spanish side of the Pyrenees seems barren and lonely. First charging break in the middle of nowhere: In 20 minutes, the battery changes from 20 to 80 per cent. With the sun low in the sky, the Opel rolls through Pamplona. The charging stations in the central underground car park are brand new, but they are not convincing. On the other hand, the city’s bullfighting heritage is impressive. Shortly before midnight, we cross the French border. It’s downhill, which brings energy back into the battery. Recuperation instead of brake dust. Atlantic instead of Pyrenees.
The next morning, the waves of Saint-Jean-de-Luz crash against the coast. Instead of dry mountains, there are green slopes, the Atlantic Ocean and surfers. Biarritz goes one better: elegant hotels, cafés and dozens of surfers off the coast. California vibes! The Corsa scurries through the alleys and parks in front of a café. The coffee is good.
After a day full of mountain roads and spirited cornering, it becomes clear that the GSE can not only go fast. It can also go on a road trip.
North of Biarritz, pine forests line the road, with lakes shimmering in between. The Corsa fits perfectly: compact, clear and fast enough for spontaneous overtaking manoeuvres. At Biscarrosse, the Dune du Pilat awaits. Europe’s highest sand dune towers at more than 100 metres in height and separates the forest and the Atlantic Ocean. At the top, the view extends over the Bay of Arcachon and the sea.
After a day full of mountain roads and spirited cornering, it becomes clear that the GSE can not only go fast. It can also go on a road trip. There are three of us in the car and we have a lot of luggage with us. One side of the 40:60 split rear seat is folded down, the luggage is loaded forward. Not luxurious, but surprisingly practical. At the front, things get sportier: comfortable sports seats, GSE graphics, G-forces, acceleration values and battery data. Yellow decors add colour to the cockpit.
The roads are getting straighter, the kilometres longer. On the motorway, the GSE shows its relaxed side: stable, quiet.
803 kilometres to Paris
Unfortunately, we only get a glimpse of Bordeaux. The facades on the Place de la Bourse, small alleys and the Garonne make you want more. But Paris is waiting. Via Nantes, Angers and Tours, we have some distance to cover. The roads become straighter, the kilometres longer. On the motorway, the GSE shows its relaxed side: stable, quiet and with excellent assistance systems. 130 km/h is a good travelling speed. Charging is also surprisingly uncomplicated in France. Many charging stations can be operated directly by credit card. In terms of price, we are often around 49 cents per kilowatt-hour.
We spend the night in Tours. The slow charging station in front of the hotel earns us a blockage fee. Cheeky! As compensation, the early morning wraps the Loire in a veil of fog. A last quiet moment before the urban jungle begins. Paris awaits.
Narrow streets, heavy traffic, spontaneous lane changes – the Corsa immediately feels at home. Where every SUV sweats, the small Opel scurries effortlessly through the city. As usual, there is a lot going on at the Arc de Triomphe, hardly less at the Louvre. We collect a few souvenir pictures and circle the Eiffel Tower. Of course, no one needs 281 hp to drive from traffic light to traffic light in Paris. And yet it is precisely this combination that makes the Corsa GSE so interesting. It can be gentle and powerful.
Narrow streets, heavy traffic, spontaneous lane changes – the Corsa immediately feels at home in Parisian city traffic.
Mission accomplished
Our journey ends at the Porte de Versailles. This is exactly where the Corsa GSE gets its first public appearance. Opel will show the new electric sports car to the public for the first time at the Paris Motor Show from October 12 to 18, 2026. We have covered 1,555 kilometres and clocked up nine charging stops. In addition, the Pyrenees, Atlantic coast, sand dunes, French country roads, motorways and Parisian traffic chaos. On this journey, the Corsa was a sportsman, long-distance cruiser, city car and luggage transporter. Above all, however, it has shown that 281 hp in a small electric car can be more than an impressive number in the data sheet. When the road suddenly becomes curvy, the traffic decreases and the sport mode is activated, they are present. And you simply can stop smiling. That’s what GSE stands for.
October 2026