Opel Corsa: Opel claims the new Corsa "puts fun back into driving". That will certainly be true for the drivers at this year's MTV awards, where it's the official car for the ceremony.
The thought of Beyoncé and her diva entourage popping into the back seats of a three-door Corsa will certainly make for a fun drive for the poor souls who have to chauffeur the great and good of the pop world around and listen to the tirade of abuse from ego-maniac pop princesses.
Yet this deal and several others signal a belief within Opel that at last the Corsa can be cool. Their belief is based on new coupé lines for the small car and its ability to make a mark in one of the most competitive segments of the market. Opel needs the Corsa to be accepted not only by the traditional Corsa owner, but by image-conscious youngsters.
Opel's parent company, General Motors, has been going through a tough time of late and needs this new car to be a success. The only thing that can be said for certain about car firms, however, is that the key to success is in the product. Good product that's competitively priced will sell. It's not exactly inspired thinking but it's the foundation for any future success.
That's what's reassuring about the new Corsa. Whatever about its ability to woo the likes of Beyoncé and Pearl Jam, with this car, Opel signals its ability to take on a market where competition is cut-throat and come up with the goods.
Given that image is all-important these days, the most impressive feature of the new Corsa is not, as one would expect, in the design, which is a vast improvement on the previous three generations. The real improvements are on the road and in the cabin.
This car has not only increased in size but also in eye-catching appeal. Admittedly, given the boxy nature of some of the previous versions, that was never going to be hard. In particular the three-door version has got a significant makeover and is far more appealing than any of its predecessors. Yet the five-door version loses none of the sleeker new look. The Corsa follows the cue of the rest in this class in growing significantly compared to the previous model. It's bigger in nearly every dimension, partly to give more room to the interior and partly as a result of the growing safety features required both by the regulations and public.
The difficulty with the small car market is that it requires a car that is not only serving a populace of "A to B" motorists who care only for function, but also a group of younger motorists who care greatly about fashion.
There are some lovely touches in the car and though the exterior is not a million miles away from its predecessor, it's still a significant improvement.
However, for us, the real difference is in the interior. In particular the new-look central console is a world apart from the tower of buttons that has been the trademark of Opel's recent models. It loses none of its functionality but adds a serious degree of styling. Then there's the steering column stalks: short and stubby and perfectly to hand. Opel used to have spongy stalks that drove owners to dementia, but thankfully these have now been consigned to the silly idea parts bin. The plastics also deserve a mention: the soft touch dashboard is better than any of its competitors in this class.
Interior space is ample for four adults and the back seats offer decent support and good visibility, though the three-door version does suffer in this respect because of the sharp rake of the rear side windows.
Back behind the wheel and Opel deserve further plaudits for the car's handling. While it's not as nimble as the likes of the Suzuki and lacks the ultra-light city steering control of the likes of the Clio or Punto, you do feel in more control and it's well weighted.
We've tested several engine variants in the car and while the 1.2-litre is somewhat let down by the ratios on the five-speed gearbox - with some power lag at low revs - it feels better suited to the car than the heavier 1.4-litre petrol.
Last week our test car was the 90bhp 1.3-litre CDI diesel and with its six-speed gearbox it's the best choice for those with longer miles and less city driving. There's ample low-end torque for overtaking - though that's not something that happens frequently in a Corsa - and though diesel is not really a common feature of Irish sales in the small car segment, Opel is hoping to win some new oil-burning fans with this version and a 70bhp derivative that will feature in the lower specification models.
It is the best engine on offer in the range, but we still wonder if the extra cost - in particular for the 90bhp version - will deter many in this price conscious market.
Far more likely to sell well in Ireland is the entry-level 1-litre petrol engine. We haven't driven this yet and we have our doubts about its ability to push this heavier model along with any great gusto. Yet the decision by rivals Peugeot to pull its very popular 1-litre engine from the new 207 line-up should lead several buyers to Opel forecourts.
So how does it compare with the competition? The main rivals will undoubtedly be the likes of the Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Fiat Grande Punto, Peugeot 207, Renault Clio and the VW Polo.
That's a pretty long list of competent cars, and that's before you expand out to smaller selling Korean offerings. Yet Opel can be proud of the way it comports itself in such cut-throat competition.
The big difference with the Corsa and other newcomers like the 207 and Grande Punto is firstly a solid and direct feel to the steering, and secondly a seemingly better build quality than the other two. The Grande Punto is undoubtedly the best-looking car in its class, but we got the chance to drive the two cars back-to-back recently and in all other areas the Corsa excelled over its Italian rival.
Starting prices are in the mid-range of this market and the level of specification is very high. While the test car was a range-topping Design trim, the Club version with a 1.2-litre petrol engine is probably the best buy, with Corsa Club variants getting side and curtain airbags, an MP3 compatible audio system, the dualLoad boot floor, body-coloured door handles and side mouldings, and steering wheel audio controls. It's €600 more than the entry-level specification but over €1,600 cheaper than the Design version.
Opel has a winner on its hands with this new car. If it can maintain the quality fit and finish of these initial test cars then we'd have to push it to the top of the pile, challenging even our personal favourite in this class, the Suzuki Swift.
As we parked up the test car our lasting impression was of a well-built, stylish and nimble small car. If Opel can get buyers to come away with the same impressions then the future looks much brighter for the brand. We're still not sure, though, if many rock stars will be swapping theirFerraris for it.