The new 277bhp Corsa GSE hot hatch is the fastest Vauxhall you can buy

This is the new Vauxhall Corsa GSE. It is a small car with big power that aims to channel the vibes of its ancestors and marks the carmaker’s return to small cars with big power.

How big, you cry? Two hundred and seventy-seven electric horsies and 255 electric torques, making it the most powerful Corsa ever built. It is also the fastest accelerating Vauxhall on sale today, capable of chalking off 0-62mph in 5.5s.

So, proper small hot hatch pace, then. This is achieved via a front-wheel-drive setup that includes a Torsen multi-plate limited slip diff, lowered springs and hydraulic dampers, and a tweak to the axles and stabilisers.

Vauxhall’s also tweaked the steering and pedals for this GSE to “underline the highly dynamic driving experience”, while big four-pot brakes will attempt to bring the Corsa to a halt. The battery is a 54kWh unit – it’s a small electric hot hatch, remember.

There are three modes available that run from Eco (reduced top speed of 93mph, focus on being… eco), to Normal (228bhp, focus on being… normal), and finally up to Sport (the full 277bhp and 112mph top speed). There’s a special battery temperature management system too.

There’s also a new front bumper, some black trim, wider arches, three-spoke 18s, some lettering, performance seats, Alcantara, and the ability to personalise the driver display. The 10in central screen is able to show up performance data like G-force, acceleration and battery management. All in, Vauxhall quotes a kerbweight of 1,554kg.

Oh right, about those vibes. “Corsa GSE proudly carries forward the legacy of models like Nova GTE, Corsa GSi and Corsa VXR, reimagined for a new electric generation,” said Eurig Druce, Vauxhall’s managing director. Hands up who remembers those old classics…