However, if you can reach corner to corner contact then you can probably use the 80p extra movement to line up front edge to the enemy edge. If so, then I think you would avoid the penalty.
no - you can only move into contact with your front edge, and you only get the extra 80p if you have moved into contact or are contacted or TZ-ed.
Corner to corner contact is contact isn't it?
To move into close combat you must contact with your front edge.
To get the 80p extra movement, the rules just say "contacting", not "moving into cose combat". Not all contact is an automatic combat, for example, side edge to side edge is a type of contact that does not lead to a close combat.
Contacting enemy with a front corner is not prohibited. The relevant paragraph on page 33 prohibits contacting enemy only with a rear corner or rear edge. It also apears to prohibit moving a flank edge into contact with a
friendly front or rear edge or corner, which I didn't expect.