Vauxhall Corsa 1.4i Special Edition Cabriolet

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

Launched in Europe as the Opel Corsa in 1982, this well-engineered supermini wasn't sold in the UK until a couple of years later as a replacement for the Chevette, and was renamed here as the Vauxhall Nova, the marketing bods being none too keen on the potential connotations of ‘coarser’.

By the time an updated ‘B’ version was launched in 1993, it had proved such a success with the British public that Vauxhall felt no qualms in reinstating the original Corsa name and the new model continued to sell well until replaced by a ‘C’ version in 2000. Cheap and cheerful, it was nippy to drive, cost peanuts to run and even became a favourite with the ‘Lax Power’ MacDonald’s car park brigade who liked nothing better than to bling it up with big wheels, slammed suspension and an exhaust that was nearly as loud as the stereo (who said anything about coarser?).

This is no ordinary Corsa though, hence its inclusion in this catalogue. For what we have here is a Corsa 1.4i Special Edition Cabriolet, no less, a joint venture between Vauxhall and several of its larger UK dealers which was introduced in 1998. Based on the standard three-door hatchback bodyshell of the time, its ingenious two-piece roof comprised a detachable targa panel above the front passengers and a foldable hood from the B-post back.

A proper four-seater, the Cabriolet was equipped with power steering, central locking, five-speed manual transmission and a 1.4i Hi-Torq engine as standard. Options included alloy wheels and black or metallic paint. Mindful of buyers' safety concerns, the car also benefited from a padded roll cage, lockable glove box, electronic engine immobiliser, seatbelt pretensioners and side-impact door bars.

Keenly priced at £11,845, the 1.4i was capable of 93 mph, 0-60 mph in 14 seconds and a combined 38.2 mpg. Yet for all its advantages the Corsa Cabriolet proved to be such a slow seller that Vauxhall pulled the plug on it in 1999. Hence, according to Ron Goddard of the Vauxhall Convertible Car Club, 'only 100 or so were ever offered in the UK'. Needless to say, this rarity value now makes the model positively fought over by collectors.

The UK market Corsa Cabriolet on offer was manufactured in 1999 and is finished in black with a grey cloth interior. Its specification includes: five-speed manual transmission, power-assisted steering, central locking, alloy wheels, immobilizer and RDS radio/CD player.

Said to be in good condition throughout and to drive “exceptionally well”, it has covered some 127,000 miles but comes with a reassuringly large history file, a long MOT and even some original sales brochures. The icing on the cake is the number plate, which is sure to appeal to all those Taras out there in Burberry cap land.