281 HP, 0–100 in 5.9s: Mokka GSE Brings Rally Grit to the City

Opel used IAA Mobility 2025 to show where its small crossover can go when the engineers get a free weekend with the tool chest. The Mokka GSE arrives as the brand’s quickest series-production electric model, and you can feel the intent the moment you look at the stance, the wheels, and those bright GSE calipers.

Under the skin sits a single electric motor rated at 207 kilowatts, which equals 281 horsepower and 345 newton metres of torque. It sends power through a Torsen-type limited slip differential, a serious piece of hardware that helps the front axle put the power down cleanly when the road is anything but perfect.

Opel quotes 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 5.9 seconds with a top speed of 200 kilometres per hour. The suspension gets new double hydraulic dampers and retuned axles, a setup that draws know-how from the company’s electric rally program. The result should be that sweet mix of everyday comfort and the kind of body control that makes you take the long way home.

The look backs up the numbers. The Mokka GSE rides on 20-inch aero wheels wrapped in performance tyres sized 225/40, and behind them sit four-piston front brake calipers finished in GSE yellow. The steering wheel is flat at the top and bottom, the pedals are aluminum, and the GSE Performance seats are trimmed in Alcantara so you do not slide around when the road gets interesting.

Energy comes from a 54 kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery. For those who track efficiency, Opel quotes 18.5 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure. There are three drive modes—Sport, Normal, and Eco—so you can dial the response to the kind of day you are having.

The cabin tech is familiar but sharpened. You get a 10-inch driver display and a central touchscreen with GSE performance pages that surface useful data such as a g-meter, acceleration figures, and battery information. Comfort and safety kit include adaptive matrix headlights, active lane keeping, a speed assistant, a 180 degree rear camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, plus wireless phone charging for tidy dashboards.

In Germany, pricing starts at €47,300. Opel is also talking monthly access: leasing from €399 per month with no down payment and a subscription from €499 per month via partners. First deliveries are expected before year-end, which means you could be carving your favorite on-ramps sooner rather than later.

The bigger story is the attitude. Mokka GSE looks like a small crossover, but it is tuned to make commutes feel like quick detours and weekend grocery runs feel like excuses to explore. If this is the shape of Opel’s performance future, it is an easy one to get behind.