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13.9.2002
The Opel Corsa celebrates 11 million built in 20 years

The world's most successful small car, the Opel Corsa celebrates a double event – its birthday and a production record!

The first Opel Corsa, delivered in September 1982 from the state-of-the-art production plant in Zaragoza, Spain opened up a whole new automobile class. After impressive worldwide sales of the first two Corsa model generations, the current model line, introduced in the fall of 2000, has now boosted total Corsa output to more than 11 million cars.

Like the first two generations, the current generation is attractive and offers a host of new technical features. In view of the relatively short total build time in automobile industry terms and the small number of model changes, a total output of eleven million cars to date is tremendous.

The success of the Corsa range is marked by three significant generations, Corsa A (1982-1992), Corsa B (1993 – 2000) and Corsa C (since 2001 - ). Significant highlights of the Corsa legend over the last 20 years include:

1982
-	World premiere of the first-generation Opel Corsa
-	Start of production at the new Corsa plant in Zaragoza, Spain
-	Opel Corsa A wins Golden Steering Wheel award
1984
-	Corsa's market share in its class rises to 24 percent in Spain
-	The European market share is over 10 percent
-	The 500,000th Corsa A is produced in November
1985
-	The Corsa 1.3i (with Germany's smallest fuel-injection engine) is the first car in its class to have standard exhaust emission control by closed-loop, three-way catalytic converter
1986
-	The first production record is celebrated: a million Corsa A from Zaragoza, Spain
1989
-	Total Corsa output reaches 2 million cars
1991
-	The first Corsa ECO generation with an average fuel consumption of only 6.1 liters per 100 kilometers, making these cars among the most economical in Europe.
1992
-	Ten years after its market debut, the Corsa reaches a total production figure of 3 million
-	The Corsa is increasingly more popular among young women - almost 63 percent of all German buyers are women, with about half of them aged between 18 and 29
1993
-	The second Corsa generation with a comprehensive safety equipment package is launched.
-	Plants in Azambuja (Portugal) and Eisenach (Germany) also start to produce the Corsa B.
1994
-	Launch of the Tigra Coupé
-	Assembly lines in São José dos Campos, near São Paulo in Brazil, start to produce the Chevrolet Corsa boosting worldwide output to 584,000 units by the end of the year.
1995
-	The plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico begins to manufacture the Chevy Corsa with total annual output goes up again to 796,000 units
-	The Opel Corsa Eco3, the first 'three-liter' car in the world, has its world premiere at the 'Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA)
1996
-	Corsa production starts in South Africa, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela
1997
-	Production of the Chevrolet Corsa starts in Rosario, Argentina
-	For the fourth consecutive time the Corsa captures 24 percent market share in Germany
1998
-	Production figures break the seven-digit barrier with approximately one million Corsas built annually.
-	Corsa is now available in 75 countries
1999
-	The Eisenach, Germany plant delivers its millionth Corsa
-	Zaragoza, Spain builds six-millionth car
2000
-	The Corsa "C" generation is introduced with the longest wheelbase in its class and the "Easytronic" automated-shift clutch less gearbox
2001
-	The Corsa C-based Combo models are launched
-	For the seventh consecutive time German Corsa sales figures are at the head of its market segment
-	With a top speed of 204 km/h, the fastest Corsa, of all time, the GSi is launched
2002
-	Corsa Eco is announced - the most economical gasoline engine car in its class (MVEG combined: 4.9 l/100 km)
-	Production of Corsa-based vehicles reaches more than eleven million units