From then to now! The Opel Corsa still rocks

Our favourite from back then still impresses today. Why wouldn't it? It's kept in shape for the better part of 38 years.

After a free flow exhaust and banana branch manifold we managed to bring our 1998 Opel Corsa Lite up to a whopping 50kw - enough to humble a BMW 318i between East Rand lights. Aah, the late 90s.  

Fast-forward 21 years and the new Corsa produces 66kw off a 1-litre, 3-cylinder engine that sounds as suave as its sleek interior looks. 


Comparing this car to its ancestor is living an episode of Back To The Future. The dash and entertainment system trick you into believing you’re in a car that costs hundreds of thousands more, while still oozing the nostalgia of what it felt liked in our hands those many years ago.

It’s comfortable, with plenty of room - the boot’s sufficient size defies the logic of a hatchback! Jirre. But how?

Instinct would be to call this car an entry-level safe bet - something anyone would be proud to call their first car. GT MAG put this baby through peak traffic in Joburg for a full week, 32 km a day to be exact. Now, for those unfamiliar with the Jozi traffic - that’s two hours a day. On top of that, we used the car the way one would on a typical weekend - shops, leisure and all those boring things us adults do.

Alas, like an adult then, I'm rather excited to tell you then that it only used two bars on the fuel tank. That’s all we used in a full week of mixed use driving. This means Opel has come pretty damn close to their claimed mileage, which for us adults, is dreamy stuff.

Look. This is not a heavyweight world title contender. Heck, it’s not even a feisty bantamweight. But it’s an every day boxercise class, keeping you fit, lean and agile.  

What else do you need?  Oh yes.17s my brother! A free flow and a banana branch manifold. Now we talking...