Vauxhall Mokka GSE

Why not? That was the thought of Vauxhall's engineers when they discovered how easily rally car technology could be translated into a street car. Very little even needed to be changed on the exterior, as the rally car is not extreme in this respect either. The Mokka GSE is therefore recognisable only by GSE accents and 20-inch rims with yellow Alcon brakes.

The grey colour shown here is not unique to the GSE, which is unfortunate, because an exclusive version becomes even more desirable when it is finished in a colour not available on the regular versions. However, grey and black together make a striking combination that gives the GSE an unyielding look.

On the inside, it is bucket seats and alcantara upholstery that make the difference between an average Mokka and this GSE. The steering wheel has a flat top and bottom. The pedals are aluminium to save weight (the Mokka GSE weighs just under 1,600 kg). Like the regular Mokka, the GSE offers plenty of space only in the front. Space in the rear is moderate. However,compared to its direct competitors, the Vauxhall has a big advantage: the back of the seats are made of soft fabric, while the rear passengers in the counterparts sit with their knees against hard plastic.

Of course, the most luxurious equipment level served as a base. The infotainment system has a special GSE layout and is enhanced with racing features such as a g-force meter and a race timer. This is partly why the GSE does not feel like an old car, even though the Mokka has been on the market since 2021.

Engine

It was easy for Vauxhall to build the Mokka GSE because the parent company had an extra powerful powertrain on the shelf. That is a 280 hp / 343 Nm electric motor that transfers that power to the front wheels. The response to the accelerator is eager and aggressive, as it should be for a car like this. The driver always feels that a lot of reserve is available. Yet the power is easy to dose and the GSE can be driven as calmly as the standard Mokka if desired. When given enough space, the GSE's sprint power is impressive. This is not in the sprint time on paper (0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds), but mainly in the aggression and endurance. The eagerness persists right up to the electronically limited top speed of 200 km/h. For example, an intermediate acceleration from 170 km/h to 200 km/h is particularly rapid.

Because 280 hp is actually too much for a front-wheel-drive car, Vauxhall provides a limited slip differential. This distributes power variably between the left and right wheel to improve straight-line acceleration and prevent torque steer. This is extremely effective in practice, as early throttle can be applied with impunity in a corner without the Mokka breaking out.

To ensure long and intensive performance, Vauxhall equips the Mokka GSE with the same modified electric motor, inverter, battery and wiring as the rally Mokka. The brake discs are even larger than those of the competition car because the production model is on larger rims! The feel in the brake pedal could have been better, but the actual deceleration is fine.

During the test drive on a demanding route, with a smooth driving style under moderate weather conditions, consumption came  at 20.7 kWh per 100 km (factory specification: 18.5 kWh / 100 km). So with significantly better performance comes significantly higher consumption. The actual range thus came to 310 km (factory specification: 324 km).

Driving behaviour

It is easy to get an electric car to perform well. It is much harder to give an electric car lively and nimble handling. That is precisely why Vauxhall has changed the suspension considerably for the GSE. The suspension has been lowered 10 mm and an anti-roll bar has been placed on the rear axle to counteract leaning. The special racing tyres offer excellent grip, but create a lot of driving noise. On bad road surfaces and on open tarmac, the occupants even have to raise their voices to rise above the tyre noise!

The steering rack has been completely replaced, which makes the Mokka GSE distinctly lively. The suspension is nice and firm, but still offers just enough comfort for daily use of the GSE. The feeling with the car has been greatly improved, giving the driver/river a good sense of where the limits are. Thanks to the special tyres, the limits are far away.

The knowledge of the rally team has been used to make the Mokka not only dynamic, but also very capable. This sets Vauxhall apart from other brands in the Stellantis group that use the same components but did not have a rally team to handle the fine-tuning. The Alfa Romeo Junior and Abarth 600-e with the same technology are therefore much more demanding and tiring at high speed. The Mokka is at least as fast, but is much easier to drive.

Conclusion

The Vauxhall Mokka GSE was not actually planned at all! Vauxhall merely wanted to draw attention to its electric models by participating in competitions with an electric Mokka. The rally car was based on an extra powerful powertrain from its parent company (Stellantis) and since these are standard components, it was easy to build a production version of the sporty Mokka as well. The experience gained from the competitions is now being translated into the (fine tuning) of the Mokka GSE.

So gradually the roles have been reversed: what started as a rally version of a family car has become a family version of a rally car. The Mokka GSE is a dynamic, eager and highly capable sports car that makes every drive a celebration. At the same time, this speed demon is surprisingly easy to drive and enough comfort remains for daily use. The roles are reversed in that respect too: the Mokka GSE is firstly a sports car and secondly a family car.