Follow its commitment to go fully electric by 2028, Vauxhall has outlined plans for the future of its sports cars, with a new GSe sub-brand that will replace the old VXR.
The initials stand for Grand Sport Electric and the new versions will be at the top of their respective model lines. They will initially be provided by Dip into the mixture powertrain, before switching out the EV entirely to coincide with the brand’s 2028 deadline.
According to Vauxhall Acting CEO James Taylor, “The GSe will offer sporty handling and looks combined with the performance and accountability of an electrified powertrain. Sitting atop the newly simplified Vauxhall lineup, the GSe name is both a nod to the GSi performance models from our heritage and an addition to the GS versions in our lineup. us today. Vauxhall is committed to electrifying Britain, and the GSe shows that performance and driving pleasure are set to be part of our electric future. “
It is assumed that the company Astra The five-door hatchback and Astra Sports Tourer estate could be the first models to receive the GSe treatment. Astra already has a plug-in hybrid powertrain that delivers up to 222bhp, but this can be pushed further – potentially in excess of 300bhp by building on technology already available through parent company Stellantis.
The Astra is based on the EMP2 platform, which also underpins the 355bhp Peugeot 508 by Peugeot Sport Engineered. However, while the Astra is partially powered by the same 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, it remains unclear whether the car will inherit the PSE’s second electric motor on the rear axle to offers electronic four-wheel drive or not. traction an electrified hot shop with a focus on performance will need to compete. If it did, a 0-62mph time of under five seconds would be easily doable.
Vauxhall’s GSe treatment could go further with just Astra. In endorsing its GSe sub-brand, Vauxhall emphasized that Grandland The family SUV is also available as a plug-in hybrid, pointing to the fact that the facelift is ripe for performance tuning, based on the same platform as the Astra. There’s also a strong business case, with higher margins on performance SUVs.
The British brand has sold many all-electric models, with Corsa supermini and Mokka Both SUV models are available with a full EV powertrain. An all-electric Astra-e will also join the lineup next year, and it’s possible the three will be available in all-electric GSe form in the future.
Tease the GSe sub-brand with a badge with bright lettering and glossy black outline – a combination seen on sister company Opel’s Manta GSe ElektroMOD revealed last year – it’s likely these colors will become GSe’s signature, with accents applied to the cars to accentuate their aura status.
Vauxhall has confirmed that they will be announcing more information about the GSe sub-brand in the near future.
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