Opel’s Spicy Mokka: A Latte With a Kick or Just Froth?

Opel wants you to forget everything you knew about the letters GSE. Once synonymous with turbocharged engines and throaty exhaust notes, the badge is now being reborn under Stellantis as a new electric performance sub-brand. First to wear the revived emblem? The Opel Mokka—a pint-sized crossover with city manners and, allegedly, a new thirst for curves.

Here’s what we know so far. The Mokka GSE will sport a retuned suspension setup and, if rumors hold water, more muscle than the current 156-horsepower electric version, which already delivers a respectable 403 km of range. Whispers suggest tech trickling down from the feisty Abarth 600e, raising expectations of up to 280 hp and 345 Nm of torque. If so, this Mokka might just graduate from stylish car park décor to something that can hold its own on a winding B-road.

The GSE badge isn’t entirely new terrain for Opel—it’s already emblazoned on the Grandland GSE, a plug-in hybrid powerhouse with 300 horses and 520 Nm, hitting 0–100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. That may not spook a Ferrari, but it’ll make your neighbour’s Passat sweat.

For Opel, the challenge isn’t just engineering a hot electric Mokka—it’s injecting some long-missing adrenaline into a segment that too often feels like a padded cell. If they pull it off, they won’t just be serving up another crossover—they’ll be serving notice.

And if all that electricity and edge can be packed into a small SUV named after your morning caffeine fix, then by all means—pour us a cup. Just make sure it kicks harder than a vanilla latte.