Opel Mokka GSE: A touch of rally racing
With the Mokka GSE, the Rüsselsheim-based company is launching its fastest series-production electric car onto the market. This version of the small crossover not only looks sharp, it drives that way too.
For quite some time now, Opel has been striving to transform itself from a wallflower into a rock star within the vast Stellantis Group. This change of character does not seem to have fully resonated with the public yet. The new Opel Mokka GSE is now set to change that. This sporty version of the all-electric crossover brings a touch of rally flair to the road, building on the lightning brand's past successes in motorsport.
Opel has dispensed with the four-wheel drive typical of rally cars, but with an engine output of 207 kW/281 hp and 345 Nm of torque, the front-wheel-drive Mokka GSE is just as powerful as the actual rally version of the electric car, which will soon be competing in motorsport. A Torsen limited-slip differential on the front axle ensures that the 4.15-meter-long SUV does not run out of traction too quickly, especially when accelerating out of corners. With a sprint time of 5.9 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h and a top speed of 200 km/h, the civilian GSE is also Opel's fastest fully electric production model to date – so this version has a few tricks up its sleeve.
Agile lightweight
The drive power is not always transferred to the front wheels in full. The power depends on the driving mode: in normal mode, 170 kW/231 hp is released to the wheels and the top speed is limited to 180 km/h; in the economical Eco mode, it is 140 kW/190 hp and 150 km/h. Only in Sport mode – and this is how the Mokka GSE is primarily intended to be driven – is the full power unleashed. With a battery capacity of 54 kWh, the Mokka GSE has a standard range of 344 kilometers, which shrinks significantly with a sporty driving style. The advantage of the small battery is the low unladen weight of less than 1.6 tons – which in turn fully benefits the driving performance.
Stylish 20-inch wheels with sporty Michelin tires and Alcon brakes with yellow-painted calipers at the front ensure an athletic appearance and adequate power transmission and deceleration. Various components reminiscent of rallying are more for show than for driving performance, such as the flat-bottomed steering wheel, Alcantara sports seats with integrated headrests, aluminum sports pedals, and the optional black hood. The overall package is sure to appeal to GSE fans. Whether the base price of CHF 42,990 will do the same remains to be seen.
