We"ve been tracking...

We"ve been tracking the development of the next-generation Corsa for months, but only now has the five-door variant come out into the open. As well as being big on style, the car is larger in every dimension than the current supermini. It seems this latest model will be a sizeable Astra understudy.

What"s more, with its stylish windows - ahead of the A-pillars, in the front wings - and well proportioned shape, the Corsa looks as good as Fiat"s forthcoming Grande Punto. But that should come as no surprise because, while the two competitors have been developed separately, they share the same platform.

As on the Astra, the company"s designers have deliberately chosen to give the three and five-door versions of the newcomer their own unique look. Where the less practical three-door features a sloping tailgate and sportier appearance, the versatile five-door will have a more conservative shape, topped off by a steeply raked screen at the rear.

Seen in this week"s mag in detail for the first time, the car adopts the same C-pillar design as the Astra. The high, swooping line of the back window not only lets more light in, but also means the door itself provides easier access. Passengers can expect a big increase in head and legroom in the rear, while there will be a significant improvement in boot space, too.

Both versions of the new Corsa are due to make their debuts at the British Motor Show in London"s Docklands in July, before going on sale in the UK in September.

However, one model which won"t appear at the same time as mainstream variants is the flagship VXR hot hatch. This 1.6-litre turbocharged three-door will develop more than 170bhp, giving it the pace to take on class-leading performance supermini rivals. Vauxhall"s engineers will also tune the range-topper in the UK to ensure it has a similar raw edge to the larger Astra VXR.