Vauxhall Corsa VXR review

The headline stats are 205bhp and 180lb ft of torque. But deploying a gratuitous right foot kicks in an overboost function that sees torque swell to 207lb ft for five seconds. That's enough to see off 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 143mph: slower than a RenaultSport Clio but, importantly, faster than a Fiesta ST.

But thanks to a remap and slightly raised redline, that torque is spread thicker from 1,900rpm to 5,800rpm. This means you're not fighting lag, and, as you're in a juicier power band more often, there's no need to scurry through the new shorter-throw but still slightly stodgy gearbox.

Adding the PP delivers a more visceral, lairy driving experience, as the diff makes for an entertaining companion as it locks up and sniffs out grip like a traction-happy truffle. dog.