It"s the latest 4x4...

It"s the latest 4x4 that’s promising to take Vauxhall on a journey into uncharted territory... These are the first pictures of the eagerly anticipated four-wheel-drive Corsa, a supermini SUV which is set to follow in the wheeltracks of the Antara when it goes on sale early in 2010.

We first revealed plans to produce the go-anywhere model in Issue 964, but we’ve had to wait until now before we got to see it in the flesh. The rugged-looking newcomer, spied in prototype form on this Spanish transporter, is set to join a growing band of similar cars – including still-secret rivals based on the Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 207.

Our pictures reveal the new machine’s beefed-up width and elevated ride height. These are expected to give greater off-road ability without ruining the standard car’s nimble, secure manners on the tarmac.

However, as our original scoop shows (below), the production version of the vehicle will also get tough looks, including rugged bumpers and body armour. There will also be under-body protection, along with a unique alloy wheel design.

All of this is unlikely to come cheap. The newcomer will sit at the top of the firm’s supermini range, next to the replacement Meriva, which was unveiled as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Despite the new Corsa’s SUV tag, bosses are keen to ensure that it is viewed as a frugal, low-emission car, rather than a gas-guzzling 4x4. As a result, it will bring together the firm’s most efficient powertrains, including a new diesel and a range of low-capacity, high-economy petrol turbos. In addition, the firm’s excellent 1.3 and 1.7-litre CDTI oil-burners will be tuned for low-down torque and refinement.

What’s more, the car may be among the first to offer GM’s long-awaited hybrid technology. Although this could make it expensive, a ‘mild’ system that combines a stop-start facility with regenerative braking and a small electric engine could improve economy and emissions.

The set-up could also be used to support the new car’s innovative transmission. Vauxhall insiders have revealed that engineers and designers want the car to deliver genuine off-road ability, with a proper 4x4 gearbox. While a cheaper front-wheel-drive variant will be available, flagship versions should carry this all-wheel-drive technology.

Such an arrangement would be too expensive to fit to a simple derivative model, so it may be shared with at least two other cars to help control costs. The first to get to grips with the system is likely to be the new Meriva. But a spokesperson hinted that sister brand Chevrolet will also use the set-up, in a 4x4 model based on the T2X concept.

Meanwhile, GM bosses have revealed that both the Corsa and Chevy could be built in the manufacturer’s state-of-the-art factory in Antwerp, Belgium. They have also said that buyers should expect a first glimpse of the Vauxhall model at a major motor show in 2009, before sales start 12 months later.

The vehicle should soon become a familiar sight on UK roads, as it is thought GM would like to sell 120,000 units annually.