Hot on the heels of the Astra GSe’s reveal last month, Opel is doubling down on its “grand sport electric” offerings with the Grandland GSe. For the sake of accuracy, this isn’t a new model per se since we're looking at the Hybrid4 version with a new name. The plug-in hybrid crossover was Opel’s first production car to combine a combustion engine with an electric motor when it was launched back in May 2019 before a facelift followed in June 2021.
Going forward, it's going to be marketed as the Grandland GSe to sit alongside the Astra GSe hatchback and wagon. The compact crossover combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine with a pair of electric motors to deliver a total output of 296 horsepower. It's enough electrified punch to send the all-wheel-drive model to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a respectable 6.1 seconds before topping out at 146 mph (235 km/h). Driven in electric mode, the maximum speed is electronically governed to 84 mph (135 km/h).
2023 Opel Grandland GSe
Much like the Astra GSe, it gets a retuned suspension and recalibrated steering to sharpen up handling and deliver a more dynamic drive. The Grandland GSe boasts McPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear with stiffer springs and dampers benefitting from Koni’s Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) tech. The sporty PHEV rides on 19-inch wheels with a design derived from the alloys fitted to the rad Manta GSe concept.
To set it apart from the regular Grandland versions, the folks from Rüsselsheim can optionally paint the hood black to match the roof and side mirror caps. The GSe variant also gets a bespoke rear diffuser and special badging on the tailgate. Inside, the seats come wrapped in Alcantara and provide greater lateral support.
GSe is effectively replacing GSi as the German brand prepares for the inevitable electric era. It's coming sooner than you might think since parent company Stellantis has vowed to discontinue Opel/Vauxhall models with combustion engines in Europe by 2028. Just two years later, all of the automotive conglomerate's brands active in Europe will have EV-only lineups.
