What's the news?
Once upon a time, 150hp was proper, undiluted, front-rank hot-hatch power, but these days it merely qualifies as a 'warm' hatch - rapid, but not quite the full escaped mental patient.
Hence Opel is introducing the 150hp Corsa GSI to its range in Ireland, designed as it is to sit above the hoi-polloi Corsas that most will buy, but without the running cost nor insurance expense of the the 190hp OPC model.
That engine, a 1.4-litre turbo, also packs 220Nm of torque, and returns claimed fuel economy of 6.2 litres per 100km (45.5mpg) and has CO2 emissions of 143-147g/km, depending on how it's specced.
Performance is brisk, without perhaps putting your blood pressure at risk. 0-100km/h comes up in 8.9 seconds, while the 80-to-120km/h run takes 9.9 seconds. Top speed is 207km/h.
There's a short-shift, close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, and Opel says that it has tweaked the engine to keep peak torque on tap from 3,000rpm to the 4,500rpm.
It is related to the OPC, slightly. Some of the chassis mods, which include lower, stiffer suspension, are lifted from or inspired by the OPC version, and the brakes get bright red callipers, which can be seen behind the optional 18-inch alloys, with their 215/40 tyres.
There's also an OPC bodykit, which includes bigger air intakes, a more muscular-looking bonnet with a prominent extra 'nostril', a rear spoiler, and bigger side-sills. You get a honeycomb grille, carbon-look door mirrors, and a chrome exhaust pipe too.
Inside, there are optional Recaro high-back bucket seats, sports steering wheel, leather gearshift knob, and aluminium sports pedals.
It's designed to sit alongside the sporty Insignia GSI in the Opel range (more or less) and sales will start in Ireland in the third quarter of this year. Hopefully we'll have a price by then, too.