RE: Geneva 2012: Vauxhall Astra VXR
Discussion
Considering the huge backlash against whatever a certain Mr Clarkson spouts, how long before everybody gets off the James May "manufacturers who test at the Nurburgring are ruining cars" bandwagon?
Not that I disagree completely, but it makes me smile how often this gets trotted out ever since it was mentioned on TG.
Not that I disagree completely, but it makes me smile how often this gets trotted out ever since it was mentioned on TG.
theJT said:
If there's a problem of differentiation at the moment surely that's just because in general car design is getting really pretty good these days.
Not sure I understand what you mean here.You can design something that's good without looking like something else.
This is just lazy, 'follow-the-crowd', unadventurous, safe design.
Vauxhall is merely mimicking every other manufacturer because it hasn't got the money to fail, so they play it safe in the knowledge that it's pretty much like everything else and people will choose it for no other reason that 'it looks like a Renault but slightly cheaper', or 'there's a dealer near my house' - or what-ever insignificant reason.
antspants said:
Considering the huge backlash against whatever a certain Mr Clarkson spouts, how long before everybody gets off the James May "manufacturers who test at the Nurburgring are ruining cars" bandwagon?
Not that I disagree completely, but it makes me smile how often this gets trotted out ever since it was mentioned on TG.
To be fair, it'd been mentioned on plenty of threads on here before James May commented on it on TG.Not that I disagree completely, but it makes me smile how often this gets trotted out ever since it was mentioned on TG.
To be fair i really don't think it is that simple to design a "different" car these days. With so many restrictions due to "ped pro", "ncap" etc i think it's more a case of "here are the dimensions,now try and make it look different from the crowd"
I think the car will look pretty good in the flesh although without the 20's,just a shame it will be heavy! A stock 1.6 turbo GTC comes in at nearly 1500kg! Can't see the VXR being much below 1600kg That works out at the same hp per tonne as the old vxr... Sure the HiPer strut will help out though!
I think the car will look pretty good in the flesh although without the 20's,just a shame it will be heavy! A stock 1.6 turbo GTC comes in at nearly 1500kg! Can't see the VXR being much below 1600kg That works out at the same hp per tonne as the old vxr... Sure the HiPer strut will help out though!
MarkRSi said:
MrGRT said:
To PH:
Will you update these articles with more stats? Weight for example.
You're new here? Look up the weight of the old one and add 10%.Will you update these articles with more stats? Weight for example.
Simples!
Though that on these events they would get lots of stats.
0-60. Weight. Mpg. Etc which are missing on some of the reports. I expect it on the concepts but not on the production cars.
It's a very pretty car I will give it that with all those rounded edges and aerodynamic lines, but to me its lost that rawness you expect to find in a 'stand out from the crowd' hot hatch, its somewhat lacking the aggressive DNA we came to expect from the VXR brand back in the very beginning.......
As the advert goes 'Sounds like a Golf!'
P.S. Wait until you see the stock 19's, and when fugly comes to mind you will forget all about the size of the 20's and the somewhat stuck on elevated piggyback roof spoiler that comes with the aero pack. The influence or shove to purchase the aero package incl the 20's just to ditch the 19" wheels may help Opel/Vxl show Big Papa GM they are doing all they can to improve on the profit deficit they are currently in : )
As the advert goes 'Sounds like a Golf!'
P.S. Wait until you see the stock 19's, and when fugly comes to mind you will forget all about the size of the 20's and the somewhat stuck on elevated piggyback roof spoiler that comes with the aero pack. The influence or shove to purchase the aero package incl the 20's just to ditch the 19" wheels may help Opel/Vxl show Big Papa GM they are doing all they can to improve on the profit deficit they are currently in : )
MrGRT said:
Not new,was a lurker before joining.
Though that on these events they would get lots of stats.
0-60. Weight. Mpg. Etc which are missing on some of the reports. I expect it on the concepts but not on the production cars.
0-62 = 6.0sec (60 = 5.9)Though that on these events they would get lots of stats.
0-60. Weight. Mpg. Etc which are missing on some of the reports. I expect it on the concepts but not on the production cars.
Urban driving: 28.8
Extra-urban driving: 39.8 (
Combined figure: 34.9
The fact that these cars all look rather alike it seems to me, is that designers have found a way to make the really rather boring hatchback pattern look nice. Given the constraints they have to work with (EU rules not being the least of it) there's not actually that many ways to do that, and this is one of the ones that doesn't leave it looking eye-splittingly hideous. It's not as amorphous and shapeless as the things we were getting from all the mainstream manufacturers in the mid 90s, nor is it as angular and jarring as most of the 80s offerings. There was a lot of split-the-difference-and-see-what-we-get going on in the mid 2000s, some of which was successful (last astra being a good example) some really not, as they tried to blend curves and creases. Now we have this - the place it all shook out to, and yes, it's a bit samey, but it's definately _not_ ugly.
dhariwab said:
isnt the gt86 circa 100bhp down on this car? this is defo more bang for your buck and cheaper than anything from VW. Still want a proper two door coupe though. Why isnt anyone making them apart from the germans 
Astra VXR - 286hp, 1495kgs, 191.3hp/tonneGT-86 - 197hp, 1180kgs, 166.9hp/tonne
But the crucial number in this case is width. The GT-86 is 1775mm, the Astra VXR is a frankly mental 2020mm. That's 10 inches wider. Regardless of willy waving horsepower, the GT-86 is going to be a much better drive in the UK because it's a sensible size. That's even before we talk about proper wheel drive, decent throttle response because it doesn't have a turbo, balanced handling, and sensibly sized wheels.
davepoth said:
Astra VXR - 286hp, 1495kgs, 191.3hp/tonne
GT-86 - 197hp, 1180kgs, 166.9hp/tonne
But the crucial number in this case is width. The GT-86 is 1775mm, the Astra VXR is a frankly mental 2020mm. That's 10 inches wider. Regardless of willy waving horsepower, the GT-86 is going to be a much better drive in the UK because it's a sensible size. That's even before we talk about proper wheel drive, decent throttle response because it doesn't have a turbo, balanced handling, and sensibly sized wheels.
very different cars though..ones a very powerful front drive hot hatch and the others a light , rear wheel drive coupe... i would expect a different driveing experienceGT-86 - 197hp, 1180kgs, 166.9hp/tonne
But the crucial number in this case is width. The GT-86 is 1775mm, the Astra VXR is a frankly mental 2020mm. That's 10 inches wider. Regardless of willy waving horsepower, the GT-86 is going to be a much better drive in the UK because it's a sensible size. That's even before we talk about proper wheel drive, decent throttle response because it doesn't have a turbo, balanced handling, and sensibly sized wheels.
fathomfive said:
antspants said:
Considering the huge backlash against whatever a certain Mr Clarkson spouts, how long before everybody gets off the James May "manufacturers who test at the Nurburgring are ruining cars" bandwagon?
Not that I disagree completely, but it makes me smile how often this gets trotted out ever since it was mentioned on TG.
To be fair, it'd been mentioned on plenty of threads on here before James May commented on it on TG.Not that I disagree completely, but it makes me smile how often this gets trotted out ever since it was mentioned on TG.
The first time May said it I wondered how long it would take before people who wanted cars that ride properly were accused of repeating things they heard on Top Gear.Incidentally, according to reviews, the Astra GTC does ride properly because it was subjected to extensive testing on UK roads.
Unfortunately it still has a Vauxhall badge on it, so this will be ignored in favour of "HURR DURRR CHAV WAGON!"
Have any of you guys paid any attention to car prices in general over the last few years, for those that have not £26k is not a lot of money for the spec, plus guarantee after a couple of months you will get them from your local dealer with savings.
I would rather have this than a boggo BMW,Audi,VW or Merc, all day long (apart from the day I sell it as depreciation may be bad)
I would rather have this than a boggo BMW,Audi,VW or Merc, all day long (apart from the day I sell it as depreciation may be bad)
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