Brian Vertigen discovers the phenomenal fuel consumption of the Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi ecoFlex Life.

For the last 16 years, one of the country’s largest driving schools, BSM, has bought the Vauxhall Corsa, and as 70 per cent of new learner drivers buy the car they learnt to drive in as their first car, it has been good business for Vauxhall.

But that has now all come to an end. Instead of the Spanish-built Corsas, BSM has chosen to sign up with Italian car-maker Fiat and its new kid on the block, the very popular 500, agreeing to take some 14,000 cars over the next four years and even promising a £500 discount on a Fiat 500 to successful clients.

But has BSM made the right choice?

I recently spent a few hours driving one of the latest versions of the Corsa, the ultra-economical Corsa 1.3 turbo diesel ecoFlex Life, which is claimed to be the company’s most economical car it has ever produced in its 106-year history.

It boasts a staggering average combined fuel consumption of a fraction more than 70 mpg – and during my test drive, I had no reason to doubt that figure – the petrol gauge never moved.

Direct comparisons are never easy, but a Fiat 500 with a 1.2 litre petrol engine (BSM’s choice) is said to average around 55 mpg, and pushes out 69PS.

Vauxhall’s engineers have been quite clever with their car because they have managed to achieve their improved figures without really doing anything to the engine.

The three door ecoFlex model is now 13 per cent more fuel efficient than the outgoing model, and it shaves a remarkable 14g/km off the outgoing model’s emissions figure – it is now just 105g/km, meaning the VED ( road tax) is just £35 a year and the insurance group is a lowly 3E.

Performance is still quite respectable – while it is labeled a 1.3 litre car, it is really only 1.2 having a 1248 four cylinder engine pushing out a maximum power of 75PS.

This gives the Corsa a top speed of 104 mph and 0-60 mph time of a respectable 13.5 seconds.

So what has been done to the car to make it cleaner and more economical?

To start with, the five speed gear box has been altered to give a shorter second gear ratio which improves drivability around town, and it also allows the car to pull a taller fourth and five gear ratio giving a more relaxed cruising gait and better economy on long journeys.

The car’s aerodynamics have been improved by lowering the ride height by 20 millimetres and improved airflow through the front air intakes.

Also, the car now has the new, narrower, low-rolling resistance tyres fitted to lighter 14-inch steel wheels with new trims. All this has cut the car’s weight by 45 kgs to just 1,130 kgs.

The car is still well equipped coming as standard with air conditioning, lots of safety airbags, ABS brakes, plus emergency brake assist and cornering brake control (useful for learner drivers and their instructors), a CD player, power steering, electric door mirrors and, for an extra £105, adjustable driver’s seat height and steering column for reach and rake – well worth the money in my opinion.

On the road I found the car to be quite responsive bearing in mind its engine size and it handled well. Good use of the gears also meant that the car more than held its own in busy urban traffic and the fifth gear was good for motorway cruising.

Prices for this car start at £11,295, whereas the Fiat 500 that BSM is going to take with the petrol engine is just £8,300 which is of course quite a difference.

But the Fiat 500 1.2 litre diesel is virtually the same price as the Corsa at £11,260.

It will be interesting to see how the deal progresses.

There is of course still a question mark hanging over the future of Vauxhall which cannot help sales, and Fiat, once in a very sorry state has now turned the corner and is making some very interesting and well built cars.

By Brian Vertigen