Vauxhall Corsa-e

FIRST DRIVE Anniversary Edition EV marks 40 years of the Corsa

- Sean Carson

VAUXHALL bagged a big prize in the AE the best-selling car of 2021. But the brand has more than just that to celebrate, with Vauxhall having been at the sharp end of the supermini sales charts for 40 years, and this is the landmark milestone the Corsa-e Anniversary Edition celebrates.

This latest all-electric model pays homage to the car that was badged Nova in the UK but Corsa in European markets, with Record Red paintwork inspired by the original Nova's Carmine Red colour, plus tartan trim for the sports seats as a nod to the Nova SR. Limited to just 1,000 examples in the UK, each celebratory Corsa-e comes with special collectors' socks that feature both the heritage and modern versions of the special tartan.

The Anniversary Edition is only available to order online via Vauxhall's website and features plenty of other standard kit, but then, at £31,000 you'd expect so, even with an all-electric version.

Other standard kit includes 17-inch black alloy wheels, a contrasting black roof, more black exterior details and unique 'Corsa 40' plaques inside. The Anniversary Edition is based on GS Line trim, so boasts plenty of tech, including a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a seven-inch digital dash, all-round parking sensors plus a rear-view camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, and blind spot alert.

The special edition benefits from the same upgrades as the regular MY22 Corsa-e, with a new toggle drive selector replacing a more conventional gearlever, but the bigger improvement comes with the range.