Vauxhall has revealed the new Corsa-e Anniversary Edition to celebrate 40 years of Vauxhall superminis. Featuring a unique design and enhanced specification, the fully electric model is limited to just 1,000 numbered units in the UK.

The Corsa-e Anniversary Edition includes a range of styling updates inspired by Vauxhall’s heritage, with the first Corsa (badged Nova in the UK) having been unveiled 40 years ago in 1982.

The Anniversary Edition is available exclusively in a new ‘Record Red’ metallic paint finish, inspired by the ‘Carmine Red’ from the original Nova, and comes with further exterior and interior upgrades.  A black grille with black front and rear Vauxhall Griffin badges is included on all Anniversary Edition models, alongside black ‘Corsa’ lettering at the rear – which is prominently centred across the rear tailgate, as first seen on New Grandland and All-New Astra – and 17-inch alloy wheels in gloss black, with matt grey inserts.

Inside, the Anniversary Edition features a modern interpretation of the classic Nova’s tartan seat fabric. The chequered front sports seats are accompanied by a presentation box with four pairs of socks that are inspired by the pattern found in the original 1980s Nova SR and the one found in the Corsa-e Anniversary Edition. Each pattern comes in both small and large sizes.   

Based on the GS Line version, the Corsa-e Anniversary Edition also benefits from a comprehensive list of standard equipment, including front and rear parking sensors, a 180-degree panoramic rear-view camera and blind-spot alert. For added comfort and convenience, the model is equipped with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as well as electric folding and heated door mirrors. 

Infotainment is provided via a 7-inch colour touchscreen with satellite navigation, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth® and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto™, while driving information is displayed via a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Driver assistance features fitted as standard include lane departure warning with lane keep assist, speed sign recognition, driver drowsiness alert and automatic emergency city braking. Priced at £31,000 OTR, the model will be available to order exclusively online.

Completing the Anniversary Edition’s transformation is a black dashboard strip and interior number plate highlighting the Nova and Corsa’s 40-year heritage in the UK. Approximately 500,000 Novas were sold in the UK from 1983 to 1992, before its successor, the Corsa ‘B’, was launched in 1993. Now in its fifth generation, more than two million Corsas have been sold in the UK to date.

Launched in 2019, the current Corsa was UK’s best-selling car in 2021 and leads the sales charts so far this year, while in May 2022 the Corsa-e was the UK’s best-selling electric supermini.

This success is due in no small part to the numerous technologies introduced across various generations of Corsa which were previously only available in higher vehicle classes. These include safety and assistance systems such as ABS, airbags, traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist and, most recently, adaptive IntelliLux LED® Matrix headlights.

The Corsa-e Anniversary Edition is powered by a 136PS (100kW) electric motor, allowing the 50kWh battery to provide up to 222 miles (WLTP test cycle) on a single charge. Capable of supporting up to 100kW rapid charging, an 80% charge takes just 30 minutes to complete.

The model forms part of Vauxhall’s comprehensive electrification offering. The British brand will offer an electrified variant across its entire model line-up by 2024 and will have a fully electric car and van range by 2028 – seven years ahead of the UK Government deadline. Vauxhall’s parent company, Stellantis, has also committed to becoming a carbon neutral group, globally, by 2038 – and to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 (based on 2021 data).