RE: V-XS

Monday 15th March 2004

V-XS

3 litre supercharged version version of the VX220 is in build


A high performance version of Vauxhall’s award winning VX220 is being built by Hertfordshire based company S Sport ready for Summer 2004.

Combining the VX220’s bonded aluminium chassis with a supercharged version of GM’s 3.0 litre V6 engine, S Sport intend to create the ultimate VX. 

With a claimed power output of 320bhp and 280lb.ft of torque in a car weighing 875kg, performance will be brisk! S Sport predict a top speed in excess of 150mph with a 0-60mph sprint time of 4.5 seconds.

Work on the car, which was supplied by Vauxhall began in late 2003 at the company’s Royston, Herts premises.

Rather than just another engine conversion, S Sport’s work can be classed as a whole car conversion, as Simon Scleater principal of S Sport filled us in: "We wanted to build a car which could extract the full potential of the Vauxhall aluminium chassis. Our aim therefore was to build a mini GT sportscar which called for a longitudinally mid-mounted V6 engine driving the rear wheels through a transaxle."

"This not only necessitated lengthening by the car by 170mm and widening it by 100mm front and rear, but we have also re-engineered many of the cars critical components to suit the new engines power output. This has included an entirely new rear subframe and suspension system to take the supercharged Vauxhall 3.0ltr V6 engine and Getrag gearbox."

A high specification clutch and braking system have been developed for the car. Other areas to receive attention are the cars fuel and cooling systems while the chassis’ set up is also re-engineered to suit the cars new weight distribution.

Much of the engineering will not be seen under the cars new bodywork, which, while still unmistakably VX220, shares only the doors with its production brother.

Vauxhall has been involved with the programme from the beginning and continue to supply parts and information.

Stuart Harris, Manager of Media and Motorsport at Vauxhall Motors told us: "We have been happy to support their efforts and look forward to seeing the car at events later this year.”

Engine development has been entrusted to long time Vauxhall engine tuners Swindon Racing Engines (SRE), who will carry out the development and mapping of the engine fitted with a Rotrex  SP30-94 supercharger using their in-house state of the art engine testing cell.

Gary Dunn, Managing Director of SRE is excited about the project: “We know the potential of the GM V6 engine from our SR2 sportscar race engines which develop up to 400bhp. We were therefore confident of achieving S Sports performance target of 320bhp from a supercharged version of the engine”.

Previous SRE engine programmes with Vauxhall include the Cavalier and Vectra Touring car engines and the Astra and Corsa Rally engines.

Whilst the car will never be able to wear a Vauxhall badge, S Sport are in talks to build a limited edition version of the car and have appointed long term Morgan main dealers, Allon White Sports Cars, to carry out marketing and sales support for the project.

John Bellenger of Allon White Sports cars said, "We have been impressed by this new car from S Sports and are very excited to be involved with it.  We look forward to helping make it a great success".

Link: www.allonwhite.co.uk

Author
Discussion

Waveboy14

Original Poster:

276 posts

243 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
"Production Vauxhall VX220 bonded aluminium chassis" ???
I thought the VX220 had the Lotus Elise aluminium chassis?

dinkel

26,886 posts

257 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
Waveboy14 said:
"Production Vauxhall VX220 bonded aluminium chassis" ???
I thought the VX220 had the Lotus Elise aluminium chassis?


"Whilst the car will never be able to wear a Vauxhall badge, . . ."

Will it wear the Lotus badge . . .

v8thunder

27,646 posts

257 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
With any luck it'll be Lotus's Boxster S-thrasher.

xsaravtr

801 posts

261 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
Are you taking notes Lotus?

DanL

6,177 posts

264 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
dinkel said:
"Whilst the car will never be able to wear a Vauxhall badge, . . ."

Will it wear the Lotus badge . . .
Nope - it's not built by either company. My guess is that it'll wear am "S Sport" badge.

Dan

murcielago

952 posts

251 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
Finally, The first Vauxhall I really like

C3 GTK

896 posts

254 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
320 bhp and it's performance is almost the same as the standard car??

smele

1,284 posts

283 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
Exaclty, 0-60 4.5 seconds? With 300+ BHP I would be looking for more like 4.0.

It looks good, would like one, bet it's not going to be cheap. My guess is over 50k.

stevenrt

141 posts

269 months

Monday 15th March 2004
quotequote all
Indeed one would expect sub 4 second 0-60 times if power and weight come out as indicated.

dinkel

26,886 posts

257 months

Tuesday 16th March 2004
quotequote all
"S Sport predict a top speed in excess of 150mph with a 0-60mph sprint time of 4.5 seconds. "

That's what is says. We will wait what it will do in the real world. New Impreza with 320 PS is heavier and quicker . . . but has awd. PH review in a few months?
I don't care just the same. This thingy looks good on paper . . . a common sense evolution VX. Vauxhall pay attention and develop the VX220 into something this way?!

neon_fox

342 posts

283 months

Tuesday 16th March 2004
quotequote all
Price?

One could alternatively buy a 220T and up the boost... (if you don't need all that new bodywork, which is bound to be expensive)

FunkyNige

8,859 posts

274 months

Tuesday 16th March 2004
quotequote all
Is it me or is 325HP from a supercharged 3 litre a bit low?
The DOHC VTECs can produce 100HP per litre with normal aspiration, so why does this need a supercharger to produce similar power levels?

dinkel

26,886 posts

257 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
quotequote all
FunkyNige said:
Is it me or is 325HP from a supercharged 3 litre a bit low?
The DOHC VTECs can produce 100HP per litre with normal aspiration, so why does this need a supercharger to produce similar power levels?


One can trim an engine so many ways . . . Turbo gives torque, VTEC gives nice revvy peakpower. Turbo a VTEC gives hell on wheels. www.hondata.com/lsvtec647whp.html

gtr-mike

22 posts

236 months

Tuesday 27th July 2004
quotequote all
It seems a shame that lotus have been beaten into production with their own idea. This size of sports car with the claimed power reflects Lotus' own M250, which was stopped during development. It is a real shame that lotus did not get ahead and produce a car in this market sector which is sorely lacking in choice. This sort of power to weight package gives supercar performance in a light package to retain the dynamics of a racecar. I think well done vauxhall for pressing on with this philosophy. ( but of course they need an image boost..)