Part rabid pit-bull, part Andrex puppy | Car Reviews

| First Drive | Palma, Mallorca | Opel Corsa OPC / Vauxhall Corsa VXR |

Supercars, sports cars and even family-friendly rally replicas are all loved by us, but even car nuts have to admit that the upper echelons of the breed have plenty of practical limitations. Hot hatchbacks are different, though. They're real-world quick without being ludicrously fast. They're sporty looking without being too outlandish. They're expensive enough to be special, but not so costly nobody can afford them. They're as practical as the common-or-garden hatch on which they're based but above all, they're a lot more fun than stuffing an angry squirrel down someone else's pants...

Ford, Peugeot and Volkswagen have long histories of making (usually) fine hot hatches, but Vauxhall's record is a little patchier, mainly because its commitment to the genre hasn't been so resolute. Until now, that is. Its relatively new performance brand, VXR (Opel uses OPC in the rest of Europe), has made headlines recently by over-endowing its family cars with turbocharged power, but of the current crop only the Vectra VXR displays true delicacy and poise. The Astra VXR is an unruly beast, while the Meriva VXR understeers everywhere and the Zafira VXR is a brilliant way of making seven people quite nauseous all at the same time.

Which means, of course, that our expectations for the new Corsa VXR aren't exactly sky-high. Its architecture is no more sophisticated than that of the Astra VXR (both have basic torsion-beam rear suspensions), but its wheelbase is shorter and its power and torque figures are potentially high enough to make the Corsa VXR an utter pig to drive. Its 189bhp is surpassed only by the Renaultsport Clio 197 in the hot supermini class, but its torque figure of 170lb.ft (plus 27lb.ft more on overboost) wouldn't look out of place in a tractor. Before we even turn a wheel, I'm expecting the fastest Corsa ever to be another torque-steering, wheel-spinning, bowel-slackening handful to drive.

Naturally, the new Corsa VXR is very fast. The official 0-60mph time of 6.8 seconds is a scant reflection of this Corsa's pace - a more telling statistic is its ability to accelerate from 50mph to 75mph in just 6.7 seconds in fifth gear, and it's even faster if you're willing to work the 'box a little bit. Thankfully though, its incredible pace is where its similarity with other VXR models ends. For a start, the Corsa's little 1.6-litre four-pot is the best turbocharged engine I've ever experienced in terms of low-down responsiveness. From little above tick over it's surprisingly willing to pull hard, which means that, if you miss a gear or misjudge a corner you're not left flat-footed for a few seconds waiting for the turbo to wake up. Once there's about 1,200rpm on the Corsa's rev-counter, there's some muscle on offer, building progressively rather than arriving on your plate in one giant serving, dripping in understeer and wheelspin. This not only makes the Corsa devastatingly quick point-to-point, it also makes it relatively easy to drive hard. Second gear is pretty much unnecessary (even in hairpins) and only serves to create noise and unsettle the Corsa's balance. Best to swap between third and forth and let the engine do the rest.

Yup, that's right. I said 'balance' back there. Unlike any previous Vauxhall or Opel, the Corsa was designed from day one with the hot version in mind. That's why the styling kit is so well integrated (and even more appealing in the metal) and why it has gone on sale so soon after the basic Corsa was launched. And that's also why the chassis is so well sorted. Fine-tuned on the Nurburgring and with some of the DTM's best drivers involved in its development, the Corsa VXR has the feel of a thoroughly well-sorted performance car. Torque steer is present, inevitably, but only if you try to power out of a T-junction on full power. Charging hard over a favourite road, there's none of the mind-of-its-own discord of the Astra VXR. If driven with an ounce of finesse, the Corsa responds by delivering its power in a linear and controlled fashion and gripping with astonishing resolve. The Ford Focus ST is the only other hatch to gets its power down so decisively and completely, mid-corner.

Man, it's a fun little thing to drive. The steering is sharp and light and gives the VXR a distinct go-kart feel, but even so the aggressiveness with which the Corsa changes direction is quite astounding. The front simply bites into the road and with no drama or fuss you're off in a different direction. Turn off the ESP (something I'm very slow to do in any other VXR model) and lift off the throttle mid-bend and the rear end comes around nice and progressively, adjusting the line without ever threatening to come unstuck. Even flat-out on the track, the VXR's on-limit adjustability astonished and impressed us. This really is a proper little belter.

The brakes deserve special mention, too, offering ten times the feel and controllability of any other VXR model (bar the Vectra), as do the deep and comfortable Recaro seats. Indeed, the whole driving position is spot on; the small, flat-bottomed steering wheel and the pedals and gear lever are all exactly where you'd want them, allowing you to focus your attention one hundred percent on the task of scorching tarmac.

But before we go putting the Corsa VXR on a pedestal, there are a few issues with the car. The steering, for example, as fast as it is, lacks proper weighting. You can feel what the road surface is like under the tyres, sure, but you're never quite sure how hard the tyres are working, forcing you to rely on the car's movements rather than what the steering is telling you. There's also a small dead patch around the straight ahead, which means it can wander if you're not paying attention on the motorway. The gearchange is also a tiny bit longwinded and lacks the precision of the Golf GTI or Focus ST, while the car's wet weather handling is an unhappy mix of easily provoked oversteer and constant ESP intervention. It's a tyre issue, we suspect, but still something to remember if you're travelling apace when the skies open.

Still, despite the issues, the Corsa VXR looks to be a winner. It's properly fast, a really superb handler with looks that are part Andrex puppy, part rabid pit-bull. Add in generous equipment levels and a cracking sub £16k price (€29,000 in Ireland) and it's clear that the class best could really be up against it here. Consider our expectations shattered - the hot Corsa isn't just Vauxhall's best hot hatch ever -it could also be one of the best on the market today. We hope to confirm those first impressions on home soil in the near future on our own particularly testing roads.

2007 Vauxhall Corsa range overview

- Vauxhall Corsa Expression 1.0i 12v three-door: £7,495
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.0i 12v three-door: £8,600
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.2i 16v three-door: £9,000
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.0i 12v three-door: £9,100
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.0i 12v five-door: £9,250
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.2i 16v three-door: £9,400
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.2i 16v Easytronic three-door: £9,500
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.2i 16v three-door: £9,500
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.2i 16v five-door: £9,650
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.0i 12v five-door: £9,750
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) three-door: £9,810
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.2i 16v Easytronic three-door: £9,900
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.4i 16v three-door: £9,900
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.2i 16v three-door: £9,900
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.2i 16v Easytronic three-door: £10,000
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.2i 16v five-door: £10,050
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.2i 16v Easytronic five-door: £10,150
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.2i 16v five-door: £10,150
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) three-door: £10,210
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.2i 16v three-door: £10,300
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) three-door: £10,310
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.2i 16v Easytronic three-door: £10,400
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.4i 16v three-door: £10,400
- Vauxhall Corsa Life 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) five-door: £10,460
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.2i 16v Easytronic five-door: £10,550
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.4i 16v five-door: £10,550
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.2i 16v five-door: £10,550
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.2i 16v Easytronic five-door: £10,650
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) three-door: £10,710
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.4i 16v three-door: £10,800
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.2i 16v three-door: £10,800
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) five-door: £10,860
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.4i 16v Automatic three-door: £10,900
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.2i 16v five-door: £10,950
- Vauxhall Corsa Life a/c 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) five-door: £10,960
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.2i 16v Easytronic five-door: £11,050
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.4i 16v five-door: £11,050
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.2i 16v three-door: £11,050
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.4i 16v three-door: £11,300
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.3CDTi 16v (75PS) five-door: £11,360
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.4i 16v Automatic three-door: £11,400
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.4i 16v five-door: £11,450
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.2i 16v five-door: £11,450
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.3CDTi 16v (90PS) three-door: £11,490
- Vauxhall Corsa Club 1.4i 16v Automatic five-door: £11,550
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.4i 16v three-door: £11,550
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.2i 16v five-door: £11,700
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.4i 16v Automatic three-door: £11,800
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.4i 16v five-door: £11,950
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.3CDTi 16v (90PS) three-door: £11,990
- Vauxhall Corsa Club a/c 1.4i 16v Automatic five-door: £12,050
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.3CDTi 16v (90PS) five-door: £12,140
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.4i 16v five-door: £12,200
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.3CDTi 16v (90PS) three-door: £12,240
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.4i 16v Automatic three-door: £12,300
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.4i 16v Automatic five-door: £12,450
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.4i 16v Automatic three-door: £12,550
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.7CDTi 16v (125PS) three-door: £12,640
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.3CDTi 16v (90PS) five-door: £12,640
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.3CDTi 16v (90PS) five-door: £12,890
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.4i 16v Automatic five-door: £12,950
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.7CDTi 16v (125PS) three-door: £13,140
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.4i 16v Automatic five-door: £13,200
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.7CDTi 16v (125PS) five-door: £13,290
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.7CDTi 16v (125PS) three-door: £13,390
- Vauxhall Corsa SXi a/c 1.7CDTi 16v (125PS) five-door: £13,790
- Vauxhall Corsa Design 1.7CDTi 16v (125PS) five-door: £14,040
- Vauxhall Corsa VXR 1.6i 16v Turbo three-door: £15,625