By 2005, the nine year old third generation Cheetah was rapidly losing sales, thanks to its round, Japanese inspired 90’s design and much newer designs from competitors. So, in '05, Corsica pulled the sheets off of the all-new fourth generation Cheetah. At launch, it was immediately praised for its muscular and retro look.
As always, two main engine options were available. A 4.0l V8 (once again borrowed from DMK) and a 4.5l V8. Both engines pulled the Cheetah from 0 to 60 in under 5.5 seconds. For the 4.0, the default gearbox was a 6-speed manual, while a Sequential 6-speed was standard on the 4.5 and later became an option for the 4.0.
2009 saw the launch of the CR version. This version used a 5.4l V8 and the same gearbox as the 4.5. The CR had a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds, thanks to its 460hp. The next year, the CR Ultra was released. Though it used the same engine as the standard CR, it was now equipped with AWD and a 6-speed Dual Clutch automatic. The electronically limited speed was increased from 250km/h to 280km/h as well.
Specifications
4.0 V6 Horsepower: 336 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5.5 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $35500 (adjusted for inflation)
4.5 V8 Horsepower: 375 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5.1 seconds Transmission: 6-speed Sequential Price: $39600
5.4 V8 (CR) Horsepower: 460 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 4.5 seconds Transmission: 6-speed Sequential Price: $41000
The 1990’s were the starting point of the SUV craze in America, and Sisten managed to step in early to that market with the 1993 Corsica Yosemite.
Two trim lines and two engines were available at launch. The El Capitan trim got a 2.8 DOHC V6, making 208hp and the Mojave trim got a 4.6 DOHC V8, making 276hp. Both engines were mated to a 4-speed automatic and all models had AWD as standard. Despite using the Corsica name, none of the models were exactly quick. The fastest model had a 0-60 time of 9.1 seconds.
In 1994, the Trailbrake trim was brought to the market. Using the same engine as the Mojave, it was specialized more for offroading. Increased ride height and a different differential were really the biggest changes.
Specifications
2.8 V6 Horsepower: 208hp Top speed: 205 km/h 0-62mph: 10.1 seconds Transmission: 4-speed auto Price: $36900 (adjusted for inflation)
4.5 V8 Horsepower: 276hp Top speed: 228 km/h 0-62mph: 9.1 seconds Transmission: 4-speed auto Price: $38400 (adjusted for inflation)
All models were discontinued in 1997, with the next generation Yosemite coming out in 1998. The current Yosemite has been on the market since 2012. Below is a print ad from 1993.
In 1996, Corsica decided to go through with a risky plan. They got rid of the best-selling and tough looking second generation Cheetah and replaced it with the Japanese inspired third generation model. Thankfully, the move went over well, with the Cheetah getting record sales numbers just a few months after the launch.
For the first two years, one engine was offered: a 3.8l V6 making 278hp and achieving the electronically limited top speed in 6.2 seconds. A 5-speed manual was standard. In 1998, the 5.0 V8 came out. It made 407hp and had a 0-60 speed of 5.5 seconds. This time, a 6-speed manual was standard. For the V6, a 4-speed automatic joined the range in 1999.
For 1999, the CR version was launched. Under the bonnet was a 5.7 V8 and a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds. The CR wasn’t actually a huge improvement over the 5.0 Supersport, with it being reflected in the pricetag. The CR was discontinued in 2003.
Specifications
3.8 V6 Horsepower: 278 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 6.2 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $34000 (adjusted for inflation)
5.0 V8 Horsepower: 407 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5.5 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $37800 (adjusted for inflation)
5.7 V8 (CR) Horsepower: 354 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5.2 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $38300
The V6 was discontinued in 2003 alongside the CR. The V8 made it into 2004, when it was replaced with the fourth generation Cheetah. Below is a print ad from 1996.
A surprise announcement was made by Corsica in 2016 at the Geneva Motor Show. They unveiled a mid-engined sports car with a 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds and a pricetag of just $35000. That car was the 2016 CSX, a spiritual successor to the earlier Zeta mid-engined sports car.
The rear-wheel drive CSX is currently available with just one engine, a 4.1 liter V10. It’s mated to a 7-speed Dual Clutch gearbox and in total makes 445hp with a top speed of 303 km/h.
A planned AWD version spotted testing in the summer of 2018. Some people have claimed that the AWD model caught testing is actually the upcoming CR version. Corsica has not commented on these rumours.
Specifications
4.1 V10 Horsepower: 445 Top speed: 303 km/h 0-62mph: 3.6 seconds Transmission: 7-speed Dual Clutch Price: $35100
Reception to the CSX has been mostly positive, with one of the criticisms being oversteer even at lower speeds.
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Corsica Cheetah (Gen. 2)
1988-1996
In 1988, Corsica launched the second generation Cheetah, a replacement for the model that started Corsica. Despite some concerns about the styling, the second Cheetah was met with praise over its engines and its muscular stance.
Unlike the first Cheetah, a V6 was never available for the second gen. model. For 1988, the lone engine option was a 3.5 V8. It made 216hp and was combined to a 5-speed manual. In 1989, a bigger 4.0 V8 was launched. Once again combined with a 5-speed, the 4.0 made nearly 300hp and had an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h, the first Cheetah to have such a thing.
This generation of the Cheetah is so far the only model not to have a CR version offered in its lifetime.
1991 saw the launch of the facelifted Cheetah. The 3.5 V8 was removed from the lineup, leaving the 4.0 to be the only engine available for '91. In 1992, however, a 5.0 Supersport model was added to the range. The V8 under the bonnet made 303hp, helping it get from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. Once again, the only transmission option was a 5-speed manual.
Specifications
3.5 V8 Horsepower: 217 Top speed: 240 km/h 0-62mph: 7 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $34800 (adjusted for inflation)
4.0 V8 Horsepower: 297 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 6 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $36600 (adjusted for inflation)
5.0 Supersport Horsepower: 303 Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5.7 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $36900 (adjusted for inflation)
Both the 4.0 and the 5.0 were discontinued in 1996, being replaced with the third generation Cheetah.
After being on the market for just 4 years, the original Corsica Yosemite was replaced with the second generation model. In reality however, this was actually just a thorough facelift of the original, sharing the same chassis and even some of the smaller body panels.
The second gen. was not a huge sales success, thanks to its much higher price compared to the first gen.
El Capitan and Mojave were the two trim lines available. Both utilized the Torquepro 4.5 liter V8 engine and a 5-speed automatic gearbox. A modified version of the Torquepro would later be used in the 2006 Corsica Cheetah 4.5 Supersport and the third generation Yosemite.
The V8 made 361hp, capable of getting the Yosemite from 0 to 60 in 7.2 seconds.
While the El Capitan base model came standard with a cassette player and ABS, the Mojave trim added a CD changer and Electronic Stability Control. ESC became standard on the El Capitan in 2004, however.
Unlike the previous generation, the Trailbrake trim was not available.
Specifications
4.5 V8 Horsepower: 361hp Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 7.2 seconds Transmission: 5-speed auto Price: $47700, $50000 (adjusted for inflation)
Thanks to its high price, this generation ended up being the worst selling Yosemite. It was discontinued in 2005, with the next generation following in 2006.
Outdated, please click here to view the new lore post.
1981 saw the addition of a new brand to the Sisten Motor Company lineup: Corsica. Joining Sisten and Taluvec, Corsica was aimed at a younger audience of car buyers.
Corsica’s first car, the Cheetah was unveiled in 1981 at the North American International Auto Show. Sisten wanted to distance the Corsica brand from the rest of Sistens lineup for the general audience, so the Corsica event area was located much further away from the Sisten/Taluvec booth.
At the event, the Cheetah was very popular. The amount of pre-orders actually surpassed the amount of cars they were planning to build for the first model year.
A 3.0 V6 and a 4.5 V8 were the only two engines offered across two trims. The SE trim came with a 3.0l and a 5-speed manual. The more popular option however was the Supersport trim, coming with the 4.5l and a 5-speed manual. Other than the engine, the Supersport also had slightly wider fenders.
The very first CR model came out in 1985. It used the same engine as the Supersport and the same gearbox, as the biggest changes were the addition of a rear spoiler and the removal of the rear-seats. The CR did not stick around for long, with just 1103 units being made.
Corsica presented the Safety Concept I at the 1983 New York International Auto Show. Some features include black rubber bumpers, a big rubber pad on the bonnet, two metal bars on the roof for protection during a rollover and a back-up camera on the rear.
The car is thought to be forgotten today, with the only existing photos coming from the auto show and a couple pictures taken in the '90s, when it was briefly discovered in an abandoned warehouse formerly belonging to Sisten.
Specifications
3.0 V6 Horsepower: 209 Top speed: 207 km/h 0-62mph: 7.1 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $36900 (adjusted for inflation)
4.5 V8 Horsepower: 262 Top speed: 237 km/h 0-62mph: 7 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $42600 (adjusted for inflation)
4.5 V8 (CR) Horsepower: 262 Top speed: 229 km/h 0-62mph: 6.8 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $42800 (adjusted for inflation)
In 1988, the second generation Cheetah came along, with the first generation being discontinued a couple of moths earlier.
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By 1982, Sisten wanted the new Corsica division to have their own sedan in the range by the next year. However, due to problems developing the chassis for the new sedan, Sisten had to quickly rebadge another model and sell it under the Corsica name, until the problems could be sorted out and the model could go on sale.
The rebadged Corsica Oakwood went on sale in 1983 as Corsica’s second model. The car was not received well, with critics pointing out that the only changes made to the exterior were the additions of Corsica badges.
While the Oakwood was selling poorly, Corsica were rushing the production of the Solar. Eventually, the Solar sedan arrived on to the dealership lots in 1986.
This hideous, unreliable and overall terrible vehicle had three engine options. The VC trim was equipped with a 1.5l Inline-4, the VE trim had a 2.5l V6 and the Turbo trim had a 2.8l turbocharged V6.
The 1.5 was a hugely powerful engine, making 75hp and having the monstrous top speed of 158km/h. All models came standard with a 5-speed manual, a 3-speed automatic was available as an option. Oh, and all models were FWD.
A wagon version was spotted testing around 1987. The current whereabouts of this prototype are unknown, however, it’s believed that it once belonged to a former vice-president of Corsica.
Specifications
1.5 I4 Horsepower: 75 Top speed: 158 km/h 0-62mph: 12.8 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $20400 (adjusted for inflation)
2.5 V6 Horsepower: 152 Top speed: 200 km/h 0-62mph: 8.1 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $24900 (adjusted for inflation)
2.8 V6 Turbo Horsepower: 208 Top speed: 213 km/h 0-62mph: 6.8 seconds Transmission: 5-speed manual Price: $25300 (adjusted for inflation)
This amazing piece of automotive engineering continued onward until 1995, when it was killed off. Below is a print ad from 1986.
A trademark was filed on November 28th in Japan for a Corsica Apollo, further fueling rumours of a Corsica branded K-car being in the works. The filings were first noticed by the site Corsica Society.
Currently, the Sisten Group, which encompasses Sisten, Taluvec and Corsica, manufacturers just one Kei car, the Sisten Rush (pictured above). The Rush was introduced in 2017 exclusively for the Japanese market and the Corsica version is expected to be the high-end version of the model.
The Corsica version is most likely going to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October.
In 2013, American soccer moms watched in great excitement as the replacement for the best-selling third generation Yosemite was unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
Since the launch, two engines are available. The 3.0 V6 generates 244 horsepower and 291 Torques, the bigger 3.5 V6 makes 274 horsepower and 337 Nm of Torque. Both engines come with a 7-speed Dual Clutch automatic.
After the current, fifth generation Corsica Cheetah was discontinued last Friday, the sixth generation 2019 model was already spotted testing at the Hirochi Raceway.
These spy shots indicate that the Cheetah will indeed be returning to the classic 2+2 layout, after the fifth generation model, introduced in 2012, made a bold move by only being a two seater.
Further spy shots were later taken at a garage.
The 2019 Cheetah will most likely be revealed at the North American International Auto Show in 2019
By 1982, Sisten were developing an all-new sedan for their all-new brand, which would end up being the Solar. However, after numerous troubles and faults experienced when developing the car, Sisten decided to give Corsica a stop-gap model, until the Solar could go on sale.
The accountants quickly figured out that the best option was to rebadge an older model from the range. The car that was eventually rebadged was the Taluvec Gran Callahan. Within just a few months, the car was converted into the Corsica Oakwood, which went on sale at the beginning of 1983.
As the Gran Callahan had been on sale since 1975, the Oakwood was definetly not the most modern car when it came out. The exterior and interior styling were really starting to show their age and the V8 engine under the hood performed worse than most competitors.
Under the bonnet, the Oakwood used a 4.5 liter V8, previously used in the Taluvec Paradiso limousine. This engine is notable and legendary for how terrible it is when applied to a passenger car.
The 24-valve design makes 288hp and 381Nm of Torque, allowing the Oakwood to reach a top speed of 210 km/h. 100 km/h is reached within 7.7 seconds.
However, none of these numbers matter after you’ve read the gas mileage. The Corsica Oakwood 4.5 V8 Premium gets 11.4 MPG (UK).
Inside the car, there’s seating for six and a premium 8-track player came as standard.
Specifications
4.5 V8 SOHC-24 Horsepower: 288 @ 6000 RPM Torque: 381 Nm @ 4000 RPM Top speed: 210 km/h 0-62mph: 7.7 seconds Transmission: 4-speed Automatic Price: $50000 (adjusted for inflation)
After the Oakwood was discontinued in 1986, Corsica slowly started working on its successor.
Full development started in 1988 and the final design was frozen the same year. The chosen design was much rounder and more aerodynamic than the old Oakwood, the total coefficient drag went down from 0.57 to 0.39.
The all-new Corsica C900 went into production in 1991 as a 1992 model and lasted until 1998.
The C900 came in two trims: The DX standard model and the SE luxury model. Both versions were RWD and came with a 4-speed Automatic. As with the Oakwood, there were 6 seats on the inside.
The V8 made (when new) 311 hp and 385 Nm of torque. This propelled the C900 from 0-62 mph in just 7 seconds and made it do the 1/4 mile in just 15.4 seconds.
As with the Oakwood, the C900 did not perform incredibly well at fuel economy. The average fuel eco. was 16.7 MPG (UK)
The C900 was made available for fleet service a few months after the normal sales had started. Above is a police spec model.
All in all, the C900 still didn’t perform as well as Corsica had hoped. While old people didn’t want it because it was too fast for them and not comfortable enough, young people didn’t want it because it was a big American luxury sedan.
The fleet services weren’t big fans either, due to there simply being better options out there. In 1998, the last models rolled off the assembly line at the Sisten Hamilton Plant in Georgia.
In the 1990’s, Corsica was moving more towards being a true mass-market brand, with the launch of such models as the Yosemite SUV in 1993, the C900 full-size sedan in 1992 and even the Blitz coupe in 1995.
The youth performance part of Corsica was still being kept alive by the Cheetah and Zeta, but they were both constantly being overshadowed in sales figures by other models.
In 1998, Corsica launched their “Sport 2000” in-house project. The focus of Sport 2000 was to turn Corsica back in to the sports-oriented brand back to what it once was. One of the first cars to come of this project was the Vienna sedan, launched in 2005.
For 2005, the Vienna came with a single 3.5 liter V6, making 266 horsepower and 298 Nm of torque. All Viennas were Rear-Wheel Drive and all of them came with a 6-speed manual as standard, automatic transmissions were available to choose.
In 2007, two brand new engines were added to the line-up. The new Sport Plus trim came with a 3.7 V6, making 325 horsepower and 361 Nm of torque. Starting with the 2009 model year, the 3.7 completely replaced the 3.5 in the lineup.
The second new engine was the 4.0 V8, available in the new Supersport trim line. The V8 generated 402 horsepower and 413 Nm of torque, making it go from 0-62 MPH in 5.7 seconds.
The Vienna CR was brought to the market in 2010. Underneath the bonnet was the SC Super II 5.6 V8, which made 512 horsepower and 550 Nm of torque. Some other changes included a rear spoiler, a new differential and an upgraded suspension setup.
The first generation Vienna was discontinued from the market in 2013. A month later, the second generation model was announced.
Specifications
3.5 V6 Horsepower: 266 @ 7300 RPM Torque: 298 Nm @ 4800 RPM Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 6.7 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $30000 (adjusted for inflation)
3.7 V6 Horsepower: 325 @ 7100 RPM Torque: 361 Nm @ 4800 RPM Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 6.2 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $29000 (adjusted for inflation)
4.0 V8 Horsepower: 402 @ 7700 RPM Torque: 413 Nm @ 6300 RPM Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5.7 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $31500 (adjusted for inflation)
5.6 V8 Horsepower: 512 @ 000 RPM Torque: 550 Nm @ 4800 RPM Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited) 0-62mph: 5 seconds Transmission: 6-speed manual Price: $40000 (adjusted for inflation)
