Opel’s CEO has hinted the next-generation Corsa OPC will benefit from some sort of electrification, with the little hot hatch set to gain “a new level in terms of sportiness”.

Speaking to Auto Express, Opel and Vauxhall CEO Michael Lohscheller said some “positive surprises” were on the cards.

“You can be sure that we will have some positive surprises in terms of having emotion as one brand pillar of Vauxhall .”

“I think the electrification point is important; most people think electrification is for green reasons, for CO2, etc. It’s not only that … it’s also fun. I think that’s what we’re thinking of and how we might bring that to more people – but it’s just in the thinking at the moment,” he told the British publication, which speculated an electrified Corsa OPC could arrive as early as 2021.

“We’re thinking about how we can bring electrification to a new level in terms of sportiness. This emotional aspect of electrification is important, so it’s not years away.”

Of course, as the report points out, the new-generation Corsa is expected to be unveiled at some point in 2019, riding on the same platform as the new Peugeot 208 (since the two brands fall under the PSA Group umbrella). And the Corsa OPC (or Corsa VXR in the case of Vauxhall) is likely to share its (possibly electrified) powertrain with the upcoming 208 GTi.

Back in February 2018, Opel announced its next-generation Corsa would be produced exclusively at the Zaragoza plant in Spain, furthermore confirming an electric variant of the hatchback would be built on the same production line starting in 2020.

Original article from Car