
Griebel takes podium in Corsa Rally4
Third place for the former Opel works junior at the opening round of the Stellantis Rally Cup France, held as part of the Rallye du Touquet in France.
CORSA RALLY4
Opel has opened a new chapter in its successful motorsport history with the Corsa Rally4.
The Corsa Rally4 is designed for national and international customer sport and follows the ADAM R2, with which Opel won four European Junior Rally Championship titles in a row between 2015 and 2018. In addition, since its homologation for the 2014 season, there have been more than 220 class victories and over 530 podium finishes, as well as 32 titles in national championships. And with the 2022 JERC title win by Frenchman Laurent Pellier, the Corsa Rally4 has seamlessly continued the success story of its predecessor.
The Corsa Rally4 is developed according to the regulations of the Rally4 category, which has replaced the old R2 class. Instead of the high-revving naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine from the ADAM R2, the Corsa Rally4 now has an extremely efficient 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine based on the production powerplant, with impressive performance figures of 212 hp and 290 Newton meters of torque. The power train between the engine, which is controlled via central electronics from Magneti Marelli, and the front axle is provided by a five-speed sequential transmission from Sadev. The differential can be individually adjusted using three different ramps. The rally suspension with Eibach springs and Öhlins shock absorbers is fully adjustable.
Opel rally representative and test driver Marijan Griebel draws an all-around positive conclusion: "The Corsa Rally4 is very easy to drive, reacts logically to changes in the set-up and is really fun to drive. I immediately had confidence in the car. Thanks to the longer wheelbase, the Corsa is more stable in fast corners than the ADAM R2 and yet very agile. The engine is great, has real thrust, which you feel not least uphill. Thanks to the higher torque and the much wider usable rev band of the turbo engine, the driver has to shift less than with a comparable naturally aspirated car. Traction is also very good. The Corsa Rally4 is an all-around fast rally car."
"Our customers can look forward to a fast, reliable rally car, just like they already know from the ADAM R2," says Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott. "The Corsa Rally4 was also consistently developed with the lowest possible cost of ownership in mind. This is easy on customers' budgets and ensures a favorable price-performance ratio."
The Opel Corsa Rally4 costs "ready to rally" 72,000 euros (plus VAT).
TECHNICALDATA
OPEL CORSA Rally4
Three-cylinder turbo, EB2
1199 ccm
75 x 90,48 mm
ECU Magneti Marelli, direct injection
approx. 156 kW (212 hp) at 5450 rpm
290 Nm at 3000 rpm
Front-wheel drive, Sadev sequential five-speed gearbox,
three-way adjustable limited slip differential, twin-plate ceramic clutch (183 mm)
Four-piston calipers with internally ventilated 330 mm front brake discs
(gravel: 283 mm), two-piston calipers with 290 mm brake discs rear,
hydraulic fly-off handbrake
Adjustable rally suspension with Eibach springs and Öhlins dampers
McPherson struts with uniball mounts in front
7 x 17 inch (asphalt), 6 x 15 Zoll (gravel)
Lightweight shell, welded safety cage
Underride guard for engine and gearbox
Electric fire extinguisher
Exterior: quick release catches on hood and tailgate, towing loops
XAP display with data logger, tripmaster, additional lighting
Length: 4065 mm
Width: 1727 mm
Wheelbase: 2550 mm
1080 kg (according to Rally4 regulations)
MOTORSPORTNEWS
Third place for the former Opel works junior at the opening round of the Stellantis Rally Cup France, held as part of the Rallye du Touquet in France.
The ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team will again compete in the Junior European Championship in 2025. Opel Motorsport enters two Corsa Rally4 for Luca Pröglhöf and Calle Carlberg. The two ex-champions of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup want to fight for the title.
Registration is now open for the fifth season of the world's first electric rally one-make cup. Seven attractive events, many services, high prize money, unique chance for promotion.