Used Cars
New Cars
New Vans
Used Vans
Motability Cars
Used Cars
Payment Search
New Car Search
New Van Search
Used Van Search
Motability Cars Search
Save On Fuel Search
This new search will allow you to lookup your current vehicle's MPG, so when you search for any new or used vehicle we will tell you how much you will save per year. Just keep an eye out for the symbol below with the yearly saving next to it.

Enter your vehicle registration
MX-5 VENTURE EDITION FOR LUXURY AND THRILLS THIS SPRING
With spring just around the corner, Mazda has introduced a new special edition o...
New Mazda Takeri concept car to be shown in Geneva
Mazda will unveil its Takeri concept car for the first time in Europe at next mo...
Vauxhall Reveals Geneva Motor Show Stars!
Vauxhall is to unveil a brace of stunning new models and a groundbreaking concep...
North Yorkshire
, Acaster Selby, Acklam, Agglethorpe, Ainderby Quernhow, Ainderby Steeple, Ainthorpe, Airton, Aiskew, Aislaby, Aldborough, Aldbrough St John, Aldburgh, Aldfield, Aldro, Aldwark, Allerston, Alne, Amotherby, Ampleforth, Ampleforth College, Angram, Appleton Roebuck, Appleton Wiske, Appleton-le-Moors, Appleton-le-Street, Appletreewick, Arkendale, Arncliffe, Arncliffe Cote, Arrathorne, Asenby, Askrigg, Askwith, Austwick, Aysgarth, Azerley, Bagby, Bain, Baldersby, Bank , Barden, Barkston, Barlby, Barlow, Barton, Barton-le-Street, Barton-le-Willows, Battersby, Beadlam, Beal, Beamsley, Beck Hole, Beckwithshaw, Bedale, Bell Busk, Bellerby, Beningbrough, Bewerley, Bickerton, Biggin, Bilbrough, Bilton, Binsoe, Birdsall, Birkby, Birkin, Birstwith, Bishop Monkton, Bishop , Blades, Bland , Blubber-houses, Boltby, Bolton Abbey, Bolton , Bolton Percy, Bolton-on-Swale, Bordley, Borough, Borrowby, Bossall, Bradley, Brafferton, Brandsby, Brawby, Brayshaw, Brayton, Brearton, Hewick, Brockfield, Brompton, Brompton on Swale, Brotherton, Broughton, Broxa, Buckden, Bulmer, Burdale, Burn, Burneston, Burniston, Burnsall, Burnt Yates, Burrill, Burtersett, Burton in Lonsdale, Burton Leonard, Burton Salmon, Burythorpe, Buttercrambe, Butterwick, Caldbergh, Caldwell, Calton, Camblesforth, Carleton, Carlton, Carlton Husthwaite, Carlton in Cleveland, Carlton Miniott, Carperby, Carthorpe, Castle Bolton, Castleton, Cattal, Catterick, Catterick Camp, Catterton, Catton, Cawood, Cawton, Cayton, Chapel Haddlesey, Chapel-le-Dale, Chop Gate, Church Fenton, Church Houses, Clap Gate, Clapham, Clareton, Claxton, Cleasby, Cleatop, Cleveland Tontine, Cliffe, Clint, Cloughton, Cloughton Newlands, Cockayne, Cold Kirby, Colsterdale, Colton, Commondale, Coneysthorpe, Coneythorpe, Coniston Cold, Conistone, Cononley, Constable Burton, Copgrove, Copt Hewick, Cotterdale, Coulton, Countersett, Coverham, Cowesby, Cowling, Cowthorpe, Coxwold, Crackpot, Cracoe, Crake, Crambe, Crathorne, Cray, Crayke, Cridling Stubbs, Croft-on-Tees, Cropton, Cross s, Cross Lanes, Cundall, Dacre, Dacre Banks, Dalehouse, Dalton, Dalton-on-Tees, Danby, Danby Wiske, Darley, Deepdale, Deighton, Denton, Dishforth, Downholme, Draughton, Drax, Drebley, Duggleby, Dunkeswick, Dunsley, Easby, Easingwold, Appleton, Ayton, Barnby, Cowton, Harlsey, Hauxwell, Heslerton, Knapton, Layton, Lutton, Marton, Ness, Rounton, Witton, by, field, Eavestone, Ebberston, Egton, Egton , Eldroth, Ellerbeck, Ellerby, Ellerton, Ellingstring, Elslack, Embsay, Enterpen, Eppleby, Eryholme, Escrick, Eshton, Everley, Exelby, Faceby, Fadmoor, Fairburn, Falsgrave, Fangdale Beck, Farlington, Farnham, Farnley, Fawdington, Fearby, Feetham, Feizor, Felixkirk, Ferrensby, Fewston, Filey, Finghall, Flasby, Flask Inn, Flawith, Flaxby, Flaxton, Flixton, Folkton, Follifoot, Forcett, Fossdale, Foston, Foxholes, Foxup, Fremington, Fryton, Fylingthorpe, Galphay, Gammersgill, Ganthorpe, Ganton, Gargrave, Gate Helmsley, Gateforth, Gatenby, Gayles, Giggleswick, Gillamoor, Gilling , Gilling , Girsby, Glaisdale, Glasshouses, Glusburn, Goathland, Goldsborough, Grafton, Grange, Grantley, Grassington, Great Ayton, Great Barugh, Great Broughton, Great Busby, Great Crakehall, Great Edstone, Great Fencote, Great Habton, Great Heck, Great Langton, Great Ouseburn, Great Smeaton, Green Hammerton, Greenhow , Grewelthorpe, Grinton, Gristhorpe, Grosmont, Gunnerside, Hackforth, Hackness, Halton , Halton Gill, Halton , Hambleton, Hampsthwaite, Hanlith, Hardraw, Harmby, Harome, Harrogate, Harton, Harwood Dale, Hawes, Hawkswick, Hawnby, Healaugh, Healey, Hebden, Hellifield, Helmsley, Helmsley Sproxton, Helperby, Helperthorpe, Helwith , Hemingbrough, Hensall, Hetton, Heyshaw, High Bentham, High Birkwith, High Burton, High Ellington, High Entercommon, High Harrogate, High Hawsker, High , High Kilburn, High Shaw, End, am, Hinderwell, Hirst Courtney, Hornby, Horsehouse, Horton in Ribblesdale, Houlsyke, Hovingham, Howe, Howgill, Howsham, Hubberholme, Huby, Hudswell, Hunmanby, Hunsingore, Hunt House, Hunton, Hurst, Husthwaite, Bonville, Buscel, Conyers, Rudby, Sessay, Wandesley, -le-Hole, Ilton, Ingerthorpe, Ingleby Arncliffe, Ingleby Cross, Ingleby Greenhow, Ingleton, Irton, Ivelet, Jack , Kearton, Keasden, Keld, Keldholme, Keldy Castle, Kelfield, Kellington, Kennythorpe, Kepwick, Kettleness, Kettlesing, Kettlesing Bottom, Kettlewell, Kidstones, Kilburn, Kildale, Kildwick, Killinghall, Kilnsey, Kiplin, Kirby Grindalythe, Kirby , Kirby Knowle, Kirby Misperton, Kirby Sigston, Kirby Wiske, Kirk Deighton, Kirk Hammerton, Kirk, Kirkby, Kirkby Fleetham, Kirkby Malham, Kirkby Malzeard, Kirkby Mills, Kirkby Overblow, Kirkby Wharfe, Kirkbymoorside, Kirkham, Kirklington, Knaresborough, Knayton, Langbar, Langcliffe, Langdale End, Langthorne, Langthorpe, Langthwaite, Langton, Lastingham, Laverton, Lawkland, Lealholm, Leathley, Leavening, Lebberston, Leeming, Leeming Bar, Leighton, Leppington, Levisham, Leyburn, Linton, Linton-on-Ouse, Little Ayton, Little Barugh, Little Fencote, Little Fenton, Little Habton, Little Holtby, Little Ouseburn, Little Ribston, Little Smeaton, Little Thirkleby, Littlebeck, Littlethorpe, Litton, Lockton, Lofthouse, Londonderry, Long Drax, Long Gill, Long Marston, Long Preston, Lothersdale, Low Bentham, Low Bradley, Low Burton, Low Eggborough, Low Entercommon, Low Hawkser, Low , Low Laithe, Low Marishes, Low Mill, Low Row, Low Worsall, Lower Dunsforth, Lumby, Lund, Lythe, Malham, Malton, Manfield, Markington, Marrick, Marsett, Marske, Marton, Marton Abbey, Marton-le-Moor, Masham, Maunby, Mearbeck, Melmerby, Melsonby, Menethorpe, Mickleby, Mickley, Mid Mossdale, Middleham, Middlesmoor, Middleton, Middleton Quernhow, Middleton Tyas, Middleton-on-Leven, Minskip, Monk Fryston, Moor Monkton, Morton-on-Swale, Moulton, Muker, Muscoates, Muston, Myton-on-Swale, Nappa, Nawton, Nether Silton, Netherby, New Houses, Newbiggin, Newby, Newby Wiske, Newholm, Newland, Newsham, Newthorpe, Kyme, Morrell, Mulgrave, -le-Willows, -on-Ouse, -on-Rawcliffe, Nidd, Normanby, Cowton, Deighton, Duffield, Grimston, Kilvington, Rigton, Stainley, allerton, Norton, Norton-le-Clay, Nosterfield, Nun Monkton, Nunnington, Nunwick, Oaktree , Old Byland, Old Malton, Oldstead, Osgodby, Osmotherley, Oswaldkirk, Otterburn, Oughtershaw, Oulston, Over Silton, Overton, Oxnop Ghyll, Padside, Pannal, Pateley , Patrick Brompton, Pickering, Pick, Picton, Place , Pockley, Port Mulgrave, Potto, Preston-under-Scar, Rainton, Ramsgill, Raskelf, Rathmell, Ravenscar, Ravenshaw, Ravensworth, Raw, Redmire, Reeth, Reighton, Riccall, Richmond, Rievaulx, Rillington, Ripley, Ripon, Risplith, Robin Hood's Bay, Roecliffe, Romanby, Rookwith, Rosedale Abbey, Roxby, Rudby, Runswick, Ruston, Ruswarp, Rylstone, Ryther, Ryton, Salton, Sand , Sand, Sandsend, Sawdon, Sawley, Saxton, Scackleton, Scagglethorpe, Scalby, Scampston, Scarborough, Scawton, Scorton, Scotch Corner, Scotton, Scrayingham, Scriven, Scruton, Seamer, Seave Green, Sedbusk, Selby, Selside, Sessay, Settle, Settrington, Sexhow, Sharow, Shaw Mills, Sherburn, Sherburn in Elmet, Sheriff , Shipton, Sicklinghall, Silpho, Sinderby, Sinnington, Skeeby, Skelton, Skewsby, Skipton, Skipton-on-Swale, Skipwith, Skirwith, Slatenber, Sleights, Slingsby, Smelthouses, Snainton, Snape, Sneaton, Sneatonthorpe, Duffield, Kilvington, Milford, Otterington, Stainley, Sowerby, Spaunton, Speeton, Spennithorne, Spofforth, Sproxton, Stackhouse, Stainburn, Stainforth, Stainsacre, Stainton, Staintondale, Staithes, Stalling Busk, Stape, Stapleton, Starbotton, Staveley, Staxton, Stean, Stearsby, Stillingfleet, Stillington, Stirton, Stokesley, Stonegrave, Street, Streetlam, Studfold, Studley Roger, Stutton, Suffield, Summer , Sutton Grange, Sutton Howgrave, Sutton-in-Craven, Sutton-on-the-Forest, Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe, Swainby, Swincliffe, Swinithwaite, Swinton, Tadcaster, Tanton, Temple Hirst, Terrington, Theakston, Thimbleby, Thirkleby, Thirlby, Thirn, Thirsk, Thixendale, Tholthorpe, Thoralby, Thorganby, Thorgill, Thorlby, Thormanby, Thornborough, Thornthwaite, Rust, Steward, Watlass, -in-Craven, -le-Beans, -le-Clay, -le-Dale, -le-Moor, -le-Street, Thorpe, Thorpe Bassett, Thorpe Hall, Thorpe Underwood, Thorpe Willoughby, Threapland, Threshfield, Thrintoft, Thwaite, Timble, Tockwith, Tollerton, Topcliffe, Towton, Tunstall, Uckerby, Ugglebarnby, Ugthorpe, Ulleskelf, Upper Dunsforth, Upper Helmsley, Upsall, Urra, Walden, Walden Head, Walden Stubbs, Warlaby, Wart, Washfold, Wass, Wath, Weathercote, Weaverthorpe, Weeton, Welburn, Welbury, Well, Wensley, Ayton, Barnby, Burton, End, Haddlesey, Heslerton, Knapton, Layton, Lilling, Lutton, Marton, Ness, Rounton, Scrafton, Stonesdale, Tanfield, Witton, erdale, house, ow, Wham, Wharfe, Wharram le Street, Wharram Percy, Whashton, Whaw, Whenby, Whitby, Whitley, Whitwell, Whitwell-on-the-, Whixley, Whorlton, Wiggington, Wigglesworth, Wig, Willerby, Wilsill, Wilton, Winksley, Winksley Banks, Winterburn, Wintringham, Wistow, Wombleton, Womersley, Woodale, Woodhall, Wrelton, Wykeham, Yafforth, Yearsley, Yedingham, Yockenthwaite, Youlton
West Yorkshire
Aberford, Ackton, Ackworth Moor Top, Addingham, Adel, Adwalton, Allerton, Allerton Bywater, Almondbury, Altofts, Alwoodley, Alwoodley Park, Austonley, Badsworth, Baildon, Bardsey, Barkisland, Barwick in Elmet, Batley, Beeston, Bierley, Bingley, Birkenshaw, Birstall Smithies, Blackshaw Head, Booth Wood, Boothtown, Boston Spa, Bradford, Bramham, Bramhope, Brighouse, Brockholes, Burley in Wharfdale, Buttershaw, Calverley, Carleton, Carlton, Castleford, Chapel Allerton, Churwell, Clayton, Clayton , Cleckheaton, Clifford, Clough Foot, Collingham, Cornholme, Cowmes, Cragg, Crigglestone, Crofton, Cross Gates, Cullingworth, Darrington, Denby Dale, Denholme, Denholme Clough, Dewsbury, Drighlington, Dudley , Ardsley, Hardwick, Keswick, Morton, Rigton, wood, Eccup, Eldwick, Elland, Emley, Farnley Tyas, Farsley, Featherstone, Ferrybridge, Fitzwilliam, Flockton, Flockton Green, Garforth, Gildersome, Gledhow, Golcar, Gomersal, Grange Moor, Great Preston, Greetland, Guiseley, Halifax, Harden, Hares, Harewood, Hawksworth, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Heckmondwike, Hemsworth, Heptonstall, Hepworth, High Ackworth, High Gate, Highburton, Top, Hipperholme, Holme, Holmfield, Holmfirth, Holywell Green, Honley, Horbury, Horsforth, Huddersfield, Ilkley, Illingworth, Ingrow, Keighley, Kiddal Lane End, Kinsley, Kippax, Kirkburton, Kirkhamgate, Kirkheaton, Kirkstall, Knottingley, Lane Head, Laycock, Ledsham, Ledston, Leeds, Leeming, Lepton, Lindley, Linthwaite, Linton, Liversedge, Lofthouse, Luddenden, Lumb, Lumbutts, Lydgate, Mankinholes, Marsden, Meltham, Menston, Methley, Mickletown, Middlestown, Middleton, Midgley, Mill Bank, Milnsbridge, Mirfield, Moor Allerton, Morley, Moselden Height, Mount Tabor, Mytholm, Mytholmroyd, Netherthong, Netherton, New Farnley, New Fryston, New Mill, , Norland Town, Normanton, Elmsall, owram, Notton, Oakenshaw, Oakworth, Ogden, Old Micklefield, Oldfield, Ossett, Otley, Oulton, Outlane, Outwood, Ovenden, Oxenhope, Pecket Well, Pontefract, Pool, Pudsey, Purston Jaglin, Quarmby, Queensbury, Rastrick, Ravensthorpe, Rawdon, Riddlesden, Ripponden, Rishworth, Roberttown, Robin Hood, Rothwell, Roundhay, Ry, Sandy Lane, Scarcroft, Scholes, Seacroft, Sharlston, Shelf, Shelley, Shepley, Shipley, Silsden, Skelmanthorpe, Slaithwaite, Elmsall, Hiendley, Kirkby, owram, Sowerby, Sowerby Bridge, Stainland, Stanbury, Stanley, Steeton, Swillington, Thorner, Thorn, , Thorp Arch, Thorpe Audlin, Thorpe on the , Thurstonland, Tingley, Tins, Todmorden, Tong Street, Triangle, Upper Denby, Upper Hopton, Upperthong, Upton, Utley, Wainstalls, Wakefield, Walsden, Walton, Warland, Warley Town, Warmfield, Wentbridge, Bretton, Garforth, Hardwick, gate , Wetherby, Whitkirk, Whitley Lower, Whitwood, Wibsey, Widdop, Wilsden, Wintersett, Woodlesford, Woolley, Wrenthorpe, Wyke, Yeadon
MRRP: £45,000Our Price: £CALL

Images are for illustration purposes only

Close Window
Nidd Vale Harrogate Vauxhall
To get directions
enter your postcode
and click 'Find'
enter your postcode
and click 'Find'
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG2 8EY
Tel: 08442 499 840
Close Window
Nidd Vale Wetherby Vauxhall
To get directions
enter your postcode
and click 'Find'
enter your postcode
and click 'Find'
Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS22 7DG
Tel: 08442 499 845
08442 499 840
08442 499 845
New Vauxhall VXR8 6.2i V8 Clubsport 431PS
New Vauxhall VXR8 6.2i V8 Clubsport 431PS
- £
- C
- A
- L
- L
- MRRP:
- £
- 4
- 5
- 0
- 0
- 0
Fuel:
Petrol
Gearbox:
6-spd Manual
Bodystyle:
Saloon
Doors:
4
Colour:
Various
Engine CC:
6162
BHP:
425
0-60 MPH:
4.9 secs
CO2:
320 g/km (Band M)
Fuel Efficiency:
20.9 mpg (combined)
Pence Per Mile:
30p
Road Tax:
£1030
£1030
- Specifications
- Additional Info
- Finance Details
- Reviews
Standard Equipment
Length: 4943mm
Width: 1898mm
Height: 1468mm
Engine Power: 425 HP, 431 PS
Max Speed: 170 MPH
REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE (Hire Purchase)
Cash Price
£45000.00
Deposit
£1000.00
Total Amount of Credit
£44000.00
Term
42 Months
First Payment
£1254.11
40 Regular Payments Of
£1254.11
Final Payment
£1254.11
Documentation Fee*
£0.00
Option To Purchase Fee*
£0.00
Representative
10.9% APR
Total Amount Payable
£53672.62
Fixed Rate Of Interest
10.90%
Hire Purchase
Cash Price
£45000.00
Deposit
£1000.00
Balance
£44000.00
Term
42
First Payment
£1254.11
40 Regular Payments Of
£1254.11
Final Payment
£1254.11
Documentation Fee*
£0.00
Option To Purchase Fee*
£0.00
APR
10.9%
Total Amount Payable
£53672.62
Fixed Rate Of Interest
10.90%
*Fees are already accounted for within the payments displayed and are also included within the total amount payable.
We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers.
They like their muscle cars in Oz and, courtesy of GM Holden, we can buy one of the best here in Blighty. Jonathan Crouch samples Vauxhall's wildest saloon.
Rare, fast and frantic, Vauxhall's Australian-built VXR8 is an expensive but highly addictive super-saloon with sledgehammer performance from its monster 6.2-litre V8. Subtle it isn't, but fun? Oh yes......
Vauxhall has form when it comes to ridiculously fast four-seaters. Back in 1911, ordinary folk were horrified by the huge performance of the marque's 1911 Prince Henry model. Just as planet-loving people were, in equal measures, appalled and secretly fascinated by the 170mph potential of the Griffin brand's 1980s Lotus Carlton saloon. As they will also be by this car, the model they call the 'thunder from down under', Vauxhall's VXR8.
'Down under'? Ah yes, didn't I mention that? This car may wear Vauxhall badges but it actually started life as Holden - a Commodore E3 HSV to be exact. No, didn't mean anything to me either, but such a car is a big deal if you're an Aussie, a proper no-nonsense hell yeah super saloon tough enough to make an M3 or a C63 seem ever so slightly Sheila. Not perhaps in terms of sheer power - though 425bhp ought to be enough for anyone - but more in terms of the way you get it. Which is via a big, brash all-American V8 lifted straight from the Chevy Corvette, 6.0-litres in size in the original 2009 version of this car but uprated to a 6.2 in the improved model we're going to look at here, announced here in 2011. This improved VXR8 also rides better, looks meaner and has more gadgets in compensation for its fairly frightening £50,000 price tag.
'Down under'? Ah yes, didn't I mention that? This car may wear Vauxhall badges but it actually started life as Holden - a Commodore E3 HSV to be exact. No, didn't mean anything to me either, but such a car is a big deal if you're an Aussie, a proper no-nonsense hell yeah super saloon tough enough to make an M3 or a C63 seem ever so slightly Sheila. Not perhaps in terms of sheer power - though 425bhp ought to be enough for anyone - but more in terms of the way you get it. Which is via a big, brash all-American V8 lifted straight from the Chevy Corvette, 6.0-litres in size in the original 2009 version of this car but uprated to a 6.2 in the improved model we're going to look at here, announced here in 2011. This improved VXR8 also rides better, looks meaner and has more gadgets in compensation for its fairly frightening £50,000 price tag.
Just as in Europe we see a furious power struggle between the German prestige makers, so in Australia the fight is ferocious between Ford and Holden and it's one of power, noise and not a lot of subtlety. It's also a fight GM reckoned to have decisively won when their Holden brand first announced this car with a mighty 6.0-litre Chevy Corvette supercar-sourced V8. This is an engine we've seen in many forms over the years, three of them beneath the bonnet of this car. Having launched it with 411bhp, then offered a frantic supercharged special edition Bathurst S model with 564bhp, the Aussie engineers behind this thundering super saloon have, for this version at least, settled on a mere 425bhp, uprating the engine to 6.2-litres in size to achieve it. A little more then, than an E30 series BMW M3 V8 or Lexus IS F, but a slug less than you'd get in a Mercedes C63 AMG or a Jaguar XFR.
Not too much happens below 3,000rpm, but once you get beyond that, this Aussie beast really starts to move, thanks to a thumping 550Nm of torque. Rest to sixty occupies a fraction under five seconds as you rev up to the 6,500rpm red line on the way to an artificially limited top speed of 155mph. There are plenty of ways you can go that quickly for £50,000 these days - but few of them feel quite as extreme as this.
A significant feature on this improved VXR8 is the availability of a 6-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the rather clunky 6-speed manual. And clever Magnetic Ride suspension, proof that this car isn't all blood and thunder and technology shared with supercars like Ferrari's California, Audi's R8 and Chevrolet's Corvette C6. Essentially, Magnetic Ride works by changing the thickness of the fluid inside the suspension's dampers to make the car immediately either passable comfortable ('Sport' mode) or more responsive (the sharper 'Track' setting) so you can alter its demeanour depending on the road you're on or the mood you're in. It won't make this Vauxhall a comfortable commuting saloon, but then it never should be. This is instead a machine built to be bold, brash and brutish. A true muscle car in every way.
Not too much happens below 3,000rpm, but once you get beyond that, this Aussie beast really starts to move, thanks to a thumping 550Nm of torque. Rest to sixty occupies a fraction under five seconds as you rev up to the 6,500rpm red line on the way to an artificially limited top speed of 155mph. There are plenty of ways you can go that quickly for £50,000 these days - but few of them feel quite as extreme as this.
A significant feature on this improved VXR8 is the availability of a 6-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the rather clunky 6-speed manual. And clever Magnetic Ride suspension, proof that this car isn't all blood and thunder and technology shared with supercars like Ferrari's California, Audi's R8 and Chevrolet's Corvette C6. Essentially, Magnetic Ride works by changing the thickness of the fluid inside the suspension's dampers to make the car immediately either passable comfortable ('Sport' mode) or more responsive (the sharper 'Track' setting) so you can alter its demeanour depending on the road you're on or the mood you're in. It won't make this Vauxhall a comfortable commuting saloon, but then it never should be. This is instead a machine built to be bold, brash and brutish. A true muscle car in every way.
This is one brute of a saloon. The menacing front end with its twin bonnet air scoops features what Vauxhall calls a 'Shockwave' grille around which sit LED daytime running lights and big wing-vents. There's more shockwave stuff around the rear bumper, which sits below a 'Superflow' twin-post spoiler and sports-style so-called 'afterburner' LED tail lamps. And there are twin exhaust tips that mimic the shape of the front grille.
Inside, thanks in part to lashings of leather trim and carbon fibre, it's probably a lot nicer than you might be expecting from the Vauxhall badgework. All right, the materials used are more American than European, but the instruments are neat, the switchgear smart and the central EDI 'Electronic Driver Interface' display clean and integrated. It offers displays for everything from oversteer and understeer to torque and power usage, G-forces and laptimes. And if all that isn't enough, gauges for battery voltage, oil pressure and temperature on top of the centre console to give a retro, racecar feel.
All of which would be superfluous if a decent driving position was as difficult to achieve as it was in this car's predecessor, the Monaro coupe. Fortunately, it isn't, though it is a pity that the wheel is so big, that it's so hard to see rearwards past the teatray-sized boot spoiler and that the steering wheel stalks haven't been Europeanised, so you spend the first few days at the wheel foolishly switching on the wipers when you're trying to use the indicators. But never mind the quality, feel the width. Get out of a C63 AMG or an M3 saloon then try one of these and this Vauxhall will feel enormous.
Especially in the back where, uniquely in this class, three adults can be accommodated, provided that the middle occupant is prepared to straddle a bulky central transmission tunnel. The boot's bigger than you'll find in any German rival too, only Jaguar's XFR able to rival the 496-litres on offer.
Inside, thanks in part to lashings of leather trim and carbon fibre, it's probably a lot nicer than you might be expecting from the Vauxhall badgework. All right, the materials used are more American than European, but the instruments are neat, the switchgear smart and the central EDI 'Electronic Driver Interface' display clean and integrated. It offers displays for everything from oversteer and understeer to torque and power usage, G-forces and laptimes. And if all that isn't enough, gauges for battery voltage, oil pressure and temperature on top of the centre console to give a retro, racecar feel.
All of which would be superfluous if a decent driving position was as difficult to achieve as it was in this car's predecessor, the Monaro coupe. Fortunately, it isn't, though it is a pity that the wheel is so big, that it's so hard to see rearwards past the teatray-sized boot spoiler and that the steering wheel stalks haven't been Europeanised, so you spend the first few days at the wheel foolishly switching on the wipers when you're trying to use the indicators. But never mind the quality, feel the width. Get out of a C63 AMG or an M3 saloon then try one of these and this Vauxhall will feel enormous.
Especially in the back where, uniquely in this class, three adults can be accommodated, provided that the middle occupant is prepared to straddle a bulky central transmission tunnel. The boot's bigger than you'll find in any German rival too, only Jaguar's XFR able to rival the 496-litres on offer.
When this car was first launched in 2009 for around £35,000, it was very good value indeed on a power-for-pound basis. Sadly, pound to Australian dollar exchange rate changes have scuppered much of its value proposition. Though you can in theory buy a stripped-out 'Clubsport' version (which can even come as an estate and, would you believe, a Pick-up!), in practice, virtually no one ever does, so I'm going to focus now on the GTS saloon model I've been looking at here, costing around £50,000, with a £1,700 premium if you want the 6-speed automatic variant. That kind of asking price pitches this 425bhp machine uncomfortably close to a 450bhp Mercedes C63 AMG and a 420bhp E30 Series V8 BMW M3 saloon at around £55,000, a 417bhp Lexus IS F at £58,000 and a 510bhp Jaguar XFR at around £65,000. Still, a saving is a saving and the £10,000 or so you'll gain over these rivals on the up-front asking price will come in useful when it comes to offsetting this car's inevitably much higher running costs.
Of course for £50,000, you'll also be expecting not to have to tick too many options list boxes.
And there should be no need to do so. Electrically powered leather sports seats, climate control, sports pedals, a high quality stereo with aux and USB inputs and controls on the leather-covered flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, cruise control, a trip computer, auto lights and wipers, parking sensors and Bluetooth 'phone compatibility are all standard as are these gorgeous 20-inch alloys. There are no deadlocks on the doors though - which I'd find a bit of a worry if I were an owner. Safety kit runs to the stability control system I think you'll need in slippery conditions as well as the usual electronic aids for braking and traction. You also get six airbags, anti-whiplash front head restraints and a Side Blind Alert System to stop you dangerously pulling out to overtake in front of someone else.
As for options, well the main one you'll need to consider is the size of your exhaust, which depending on your preference - and your neighbours - can be merely loud, raucous or positively explosive.
Of course for £50,000, you'll also be expecting not to have to tick too many options list boxes.
And there should be no need to do so. Electrically powered leather sports seats, climate control, sports pedals, a high quality stereo with aux and USB inputs and controls on the leather-covered flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, cruise control, a trip computer, auto lights and wipers, parking sensors and Bluetooth 'phone compatibility are all standard as are these gorgeous 20-inch alloys. There are no deadlocks on the doors though - which I'd find a bit of a worry if I were an owner. Safety kit runs to the stability control system I think you'll need in slippery conditions as well as the usual electronic aids for braking and traction. You also get six airbags, anti-whiplash front head restraints and a Side Blind Alert System to stop you dangerously pulling out to overtake in front of someone else.
As for options, well the main one you'll need to consider is the size of your exhaust, which depending on your preference - and your neighbours - can be merely loud, raucous or positively explosive.
In theory, this Vauxhall's LS3 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine can be reasonably economical if you drive it gently. Or so I'm told. The official combined cycle fuel figures (20.9mpg for the manual and 20.6mpg for the automatic) don't seem to bear this out, though to be fair, you're only looking at 3-5mpg less than you'd get from obvious rivals, which I suppose isn't bad given the fact that at 1.8-tonnes, this is predictably the heaviest car in its class. In reality, assuming you drive this car for at least some of the time in the manner it was designed for, 13-15mpg is probably a more realistic average.
There is, you see, no way of getting round this. Even by the expensive standards of the super-saloon category, this is going to be a very pricey car to run. Depreciation will be painful. Insurance is a top-of-the-shop group 50. The CO2 return has improved a bit from the 365g/km that the original 6.0-litre version of this car belched out, but at between 320-324g/km, it'll still leave a bit of a dent in your tax return, around 60g/km worse than say, an M3. And if you regularly use of the performance on offer, you might well face a sizeable tyre bill for replacement 20" Bridgestone Potenzas too.
There is, you see, no way of getting round this. Even by the expensive standards of the super-saloon category, this is going to be a very pricey car to run. Depreciation will be painful. Insurance is a top-of-the-shop group 50. The CO2 return has improved a bit from the 365g/km that the original 6.0-litre version of this car belched out, but at between 320-324g/km, it'll still leave a bit of a dent in your tax return, around 60g/km worse than say, an M3. And if you regularly use of the performance on offer, you might well face a sizeable tyre bill for replacement 20" Bridgestone Potenzas too.
Here, without doubt, is a car of its country. Although it offers four doors and a big boot, in every other way, this Australian muscle car rips up sense and sensibility and spits it out through its huge exhausts. If you find yourself comparing a VXR8 to more ordinary rivals or agonising over fuel figures, then to be honest, you've missed the point entirely. This is a car deliberately built to challenge convention. It isn't supposed to be an M3 or a C63. And it won't suit shrinking violets.
Which is why I like it. In an age of stifling political correctness, it is, after all, rather refreshing to find a car that doesn't take itself too seriously. Yes, this Vauxhall is pricier than it should be and the thirsty 6.2-litre V8 will make it frighteningly expensive to run. But against that, it's concussively quick, offers better handling than its image might suggest and has been built to entertain rather than to provide the right corporate image. It's an old school approach to driving fun, but it's still a highly addictive one.
Which is why I like it. In an age of stifling political correctness, it is, after all, rather refreshing to find a car that doesn't take itself too seriously. Yes, this Vauxhall is pricier than it should be and the thirsty 6.2-litre V8 will make it frighteningly expensive to run. But against that, it's concussively quick, offers better handling than its image might suggest and has been built to entertain rather than to provide the right corporate image. It's an old school approach to driving fun, but it's still a highly addictive one.
© Copyright 2009 - 2012 Nidd Vale Ltd, Nidd Vale Corner, Leeds Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8EY. Registered in England and Wales Number 0169796. All rights reserved. 0844 calls cost 5p per minute from a BT landline. Calls from other networks vary and from Mobiles may be considerably more. Calls may be recorded for training purposes only. All photographs are for illustrative purposes only and may not depict the actual car. Specifications and prices are subject to change, please contact us to confirm. Any mileages quoted are approximate and should be confirmed before a purchase is agreed. Go to mobile site | Website by 21st Century Internet Ltd | Stock System in conjuction with Find Vauxhall | Mazda Dealers | New Astra | Used Astra | New Vauxhall Astra | Used Insignia | New Insignia | Nearly New Vauxhalls | Vauxhall Vans | Niddvale Ilkley Vauxhall




