RE: Vauxhall Calibra: Time for Tea?
Discussion
canucklehead said:
meh. always thought the calibra was a dull looking car. never could understand what all the fuss was about. looked boring, sounded like a boring drive. a vauxhall badge. beige chris seemed like the perfect guy to review it.
What are you comparing the Calibra to?Celica
Rover Tomcat
Ford Probe
Think I'd take the Calibra over all of them on looks easily
Found the TV advert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D4uskpFA6Q
Max_Torque said:
Also amazing how plain that car looks these days, and a reminder just how far the art of "surfacing" has progressed in main stream car design.
"art" - you can't be serious! All this bloody surfacing is the reason that most modern cars, probably excluding Jaguars and Astons, look totally rubbish.The problem nowadays is the whole "there can only be one" mentality that seemingly gets applied to everything.
Fifth Gear in its earlier days was a brilliant source of actual knowledge about new cars, but nobody watched it because "top gear is better" despite the two shows being completely different.
It was then ruined for a good while by producers trying to emulate what top gear was doing, rather than concentrating on why those who did watch it, did.
Fifth Gear in its earlier days was a brilliant source of actual knowledge about new cars, but nobody watched it because "top gear is better" despite the two shows being completely different.
It was then ruined for a good while by producers trying to emulate what top gear was doing, rather than concentrating on why those who did watch it, did.
I dont care what anyone says, these were brilliant cars and they did not handle that bad at all. The early 16v 150bhp red top was the best of the bunch and if you backed off on turn in it would get round corners pretty well and would speed out of them pretty damn quick. If you drove like a fat old clarkson with your foot flat on every turn, yes they would go straight on and in to a hedge like most FWD cars.
One thing I must admit though, they look terrible when modified, in standard from all they need is a 25mm drop on the suspension and not only do they look great but they handle a lot better.
One thing I must admit though, they look terrible when modified, in standard from all they need is a 25mm drop on the suspension and not only do they look great but they handle a lot better.
My thread has arrived...
When the Calibra arrived, I was 10 (ish) and into Vauxhalls thanks to BTCC / Cleland / homegrown hero antics. Can remember my first run in a Calibra Turbo - Ian Grieve's in Stirling had that and a Cavalier Turbo 4x4 on demo. I just remember thinking both were utterly awesome. Leather seats, cool wheels, 6 speed gearbox and 150mph. Both looked brilliant too, the Calibra more so but the Cavalier had the whole BTCC thing wrapped up so nothing else mattered.
I now have a Cavalier Turbo, a last of line SRi 16v and I've recently bought Mrs Turbodave a run out SE8 Calibra. I totally agree though, in standard guise the handling is truly terrible but nothing a set of -40mm Eibachs, Bilsteins and some steering rack bracing won't resolve. Aside for that, really can't fault them especially for the money. Plus they have a degree of retro cool about them these days.
Best of all, the fact I have a couple of 90's Vauxhalls on the drives really seems to annoys my neighbours who are all armed with the obligitory Barrett house spec, resale silver Golfs and Audis.
Away to hunt for a Calibra Turbo in the classifieds again...
When the Calibra arrived, I was 10 (ish) and into Vauxhalls thanks to BTCC / Cleland / homegrown hero antics. Can remember my first run in a Calibra Turbo - Ian Grieve's in Stirling had that and a Cavalier Turbo 4x4 on demo. I just remember thinking both were utterly awesome. Leather seats, cool wheels, 6 speed gearbox and 150mph. Both looked brilliant too, the Calibra more so but the Cavalier had the whole BTCC thing wrapped up so nothing else mattered.
I now have a Cavalier Turbo, a last of line SRi 16v and I've recently bought Mrs Turbodave a run out SE8 Calibra. I totally agree though, in standard guise the handling is truly terrible but nothing a set of -40mm Eibachs, Bilsteins and some steering rack bracing won't resolve. Aside for that, really can't fault them especially for the money. Plus they have a degree of retro cool about them these days.
Best of all, the fact I have a couple of 90's Vauxhalls on the drives really seems to annoys my neighbours who are all armed with the obligitory Barrett house spec, resale silver Golfs and Audis.
Away to hunt for a Calibra Turbo in the classifieds again...
Davie said:
My thread has arrived...
When the Calibra arrived, I was 10 (ish) and into Vauxhalls thanks to BTCC / Cleland / homegrown hero antics. Can remember my first run in a Calibra Turbo - Ian Grieve's in Stirling had that and a Cavalier Turbo 4x4 on demo. I just remember thinking both were utterly awesome. Leather seats, cool wheels, 6 speed gearbox and 150mph. Both looked brilliant too, the Calibra more so but the Cavalier had the whole BTCC thing wrapped up so nothing else mattered.
I now have a Cavalier Turbo, a last of line SRi 16v and I've recently bought Mrs Turbodave a run out SE8 Calibra. I totally agree though, in standard guise the handling is truly terrible but nothing a set of -40mm Eibachs, Bilsteins and some steering rack bracing won't resolve. Aside for that, really can't fault them especially for the money. Plus they have a degree of retro cool about them these days.
Best of all, the fact I have a couple of 90's Vauxhalls on the drives really seems to annoys my neighbours who are all armed with the obligitory Barrett house spec, resale silver Golfs and Audis.
Away to hunt for a Calibra Turbo in the classifieds again...
Good man! keep up the hard work...When the Calibra arrived, I was 10 (ish) and into Vauxhalls thanks to BTCC / Cleland / homegrown hero antics. Can remember my first run in a Calibra Turbo - Ian Grieve's in Stirling had that and a Cavalier Turbo 4x4 on demo. I just remember thinking both were utterly awesome. Leather seats, cool wheels, 6 speed gearbox and 150mph. Both looked brilliant too, the Calibra more so but the Cavalier had the whole BTCC thing wrapped up so nothing else mattered.
I now have a Cavalier Turbo, a last of line SRi 16v and I've recently bought Mrs Turbodave a run out SE8 Calibra. I totally agree though, in standard guise the handling is truly terrible but nothing a set of -40mm Eibachs, Bilsteins and some steering rack bracing won't resolve. Aside for that, really can't fault them especially for the money. Plus they have a degree of retro cool about them these days.
Best of all, the fact I have a couple of 90's Vauxhalls on the drives really seems to annoys my neighbours who are all armed with the obligitory Barrett house spec, resale silver Golfs and Audis.
Away to hunt for a Calibra Turbo in the classifieds again...
I loved the old Top Gear too but, as others have said, if you want this format then there are clips aplenty available on Youtube.
As for the new Top Gear it annoyed me for a long time until I too came to the conclusion that it's just an entertainment show. If I want 'proper' car reviews I'll find them on Youtube.
As for the new Top Gear it annoyed me for a long time until I too came to the conclusion that it's just an entertainment show. If I want 'proper' car reviews I'll find them on Youtube.
IanJ9375 said:
canucklehead said:
meh. always thought the calibra was a dull looking car. never could understand what all the fuss was about. looked boring, sounded like a boring drive. a vauxhall badge. beige chris seemed like the perfect guy to review it.
What are you comparing the Calibra to?Celica
Rover Tomcat
Ford Probe
Think I'd take the Calibra over all of them on looks easily
Found the TV advert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D4uskpFA6Q
Davie said:
My thread has arrived...
When the Calibra arrived, I was 10 (ish) and into Vauxhalls thanks to BTCC / Cleland / homegrown hero antics. Can remember my first run in a Calibra Turbo - Ian Grieve's in Stirling had that and a Cavalier Turbo 4x4 on demo. I just remember thinking both were utterly awesome. Leather seats, cool wheels, 6 speed gearbox and 150mph. Both looked brilliant too, the Calibra more so but the Cavalier had the whole BTCC thing wrapped up so nothing else mattered.
I now have a Cavalier Turbo, a last of line SRi 16v and I've recently bought Mrs Turbodave a run out SE8 Calibra. I totally agree though, in standard guise the handling is truly terrible but nothing a set of -40mm Eibachs, Bilsteins and some steering rack bracing won't resolve. Aside for that, really can't fault them especially for the money. Plus they have a degree of retro cool about them these days.
Best of all, the fact I have a couple of 90's Vauxhalls on the drives really seems to annoys my neighbours who are all armed with the obligitory Barrett house spec, resale silver Golfs and Audis.
Away to hunt for a Calibra Turbo in the classifieds again...
Pretty much sums up how my love of Cavaliers started, early 90`s BTCC sparked a love for cars thats still going strong 20 years on. When the Calibra arrived, I was 10 (ish) and into Vauxhalls thanks to BTCC / Cleland / homegrown hero antics. Can remember my first run in a Calibra Turbo - Ian Grieve's in Stirling had that and a Cavalier Turbo 4x4 on demo. I just remember thinking both were utterly awesome. Leather seats, cool wheels, 6 speed gearbox and 150mph. Both looked brilliant too, the Calibra more so but the Cavalier had the whole BTCC thing wrapped up so nothing else mattered.
I now have a Cavalier Turbo, a last of line SRi 16v and I've recently bought Mrs Turbodave a run out SE8 Calibra. I totally agree though, in standard guise the handling is truly terrible but nothing a set of -40mm Eibachs, Bilsteins and some steering rack bracing won't resolve. Aside for that, really can't fault them especially for the money. Plus they have a degree of retro cool about them these days.
Best of all, the fact I have a couple of 90's Vauxhalls on the drives really seems to annoys my neighbours who are all armed with the obligitory Barrett house spec, resale silver Golfs and Audis.
Away to hunt for a Calibra Turbo in the classifieds again...
I`ve still got 2 Mk3 Cavs, owned for a total of 25 years between them- a 91 Spectral Blue SRi Saloon fitted with a C20LET (circa 400bhp) & a 93 Rembrandt Silver 3.0 V6 hatch. They go unnoticed by most & looked down on by some but they go & drive well enough (for me anyway)that my Monaro spends most of its time tucked away in the garage while the Cavs are used & enjoyed on a regular basis.
MadDog1962 said:
Can we have one of these as shed of the week sometime soon?
Been done already: SOTW: VAUXHALL CALIBRA DTMGassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff