August 8, 2001
World premiere at the IAA
Opel Corsa Eco: Extreme Economy, No Compromises
First gasoline-powered car in class with consumption below 5 liters per 100 km
Rüsselsheim. The refined aerodynamics and the innovative Easytronic transmission are the two key factors that make the new Corsa Eco the most economical gasoline engine in Opel's history. It is also the first car of its class with a gasoline power unit to break the five-liter barrier, consuming only 4.99 liters per 100 km (MVEG combined cycle). CO2 emissions of 120 g per kilometer match the standard set by its successful diesel brother, the Astra Eco 4. The new Corsa Eco, which will celebrate its world premiere at the International Frankfurt Motor Show (September 13 – 23) and is due to be launched in spring 2002, achieves this minimal consumption without making any compromises on comfort, safety or driving enjoyment.
The Corsa Eco combines the highly efficient ECOTEC 1.0-liter engine (43 kW/58 hp) – which of course meets the Euro 4 exhaust standard – with the innovative Easytronic transmission. The automated manual gearbox with no clutch pedal, which was formerly only available in combination with the 1.2-liter engine, leaves it up to the driver to decide whether to adopt an active driving style, changing gears himself, or to relax, leaving the gear changes to the electronic brain of the transmission – and saving fuel at the same time. For the Corsa Eco, the automatic mode has been programmed in such a way that the engine always runs in the lowest fuel consumption range, but in certain situations like overtaking, a kick-down function immediately releases the engine's full power. The somewhat wider spread of the five gears also has a favorable effect on consumption. From 2002, Opel will offer the Easytronic transmission for all Corsas with the 1.0 12V engine.
The second decisive factor for the more than 10 percent reduction in consumption and CO2 emissions compared with the Corsa 1.0 – which is already very economical with MVEG consumption of 5.6 liters per 100 kilometers – is aerodynamic fine tuning. The designers have succeeded in lowering the drag coefficient from the exceptionally good value of 0.32 for the present Corsa to what, for a small car, is a remarkable 0.29. The main contributing factors to this were the use of paneling for most of the underbody and the engine compartment, a roof spoiler from the Corsa GSi, smooth wheel covers and reduced airflow through the engine compartment. Other minor alterations have also played a role. For example, the Corsa Eco runs on 175/65 R14 tires with optimized rolling resistance and with the recommended air pressure increased to 2.7/2.5 bar (front/rear). By modifying the springs and shock absorbers, the Opel engineers also managed to lower the body by about 15 millimeters. The reduction in the idling speed also had a positive effect, particularly in urban traffic.
There is plenty of evidence to prove that, for Opel, economy does not mean sacrifice. The Corsa Eco, which will be available as a three and five-door model, still has a full-size spare wheel, for example. No compromises have been made with the equipment either, as an air-conditioner is also available. The performance of the latest Corsa is further proof that Eco drivers are not saving money at the cost of enjoyment: The new model actually has a top speed of nearly 160 km/h, which is 5 km/h more than the Corsa 1.0 with five-speed manual transmission.
"With the Corsa Eco, we have shown for the second time after the highly successful Astra Eco 4 that we can produce a highly economical car which – typically for Opel – has an attractive purchase price and makes no compromises in everyday use. This time, instead of the diesel unit we used in the Astra, we have taken a gasoline engine to demonstrate that we take the continual lowering of fuel consumption – and thus of CO2 emissions – in our vehicles very seriously," says Hans H. Demant, Executive Director of Opel's International Development Center, describing the philosophy behind the new model.
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