Just two engines. The 1.6 cost £2000 more new than the 1.4, but there wasn’t a big performance advantage. What you get for the money however, is extra equipment rather than extra performance. The 1.4 gets to 60 mph in just over 10 seconds, where the 1.6 is just under that time. The gearbox is not the slickest and at speed the engine noise can feel intrusive.

Nippy, quite entertaining; not that much difference between 1.4 and costlier 1.6; not particularly refined or smooth.

Tigra is big improvement over the original Corsa and feels surprisingly sporty. It remains composed on tight bends and the front wheel drive layout pulls the stylish coupe along very sweetly. But climb into the Fiesta-based Ford Puma immediately afterwards and you would soon notice the difference, especially Tigra’s lifeless steering. Lotus gave the Tigra suspension (and Corsa) suspension a once-over in 1997, which vastly improved the ride; earlier cars are much bumpier.