Thursday 3rd September 2015

Vuhl 05: Driven (briefly)

PH is driving the Vuhl at Brighton Speed Trials this weekend - best get acquainted!

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Alright, so a straight line probably isn't the best place to show off what a Vuhl 05 can do. But when the invite comes to take part in the Brighton Speed Trials you don't grumble about doing it in a car designed for twisty circuits. If the offer came to compete in the Brighton Speed Trials as a three-legged race you wouldn't say no.

Oooh, do we get the helmet for Brighton?

This years marks 110 years since the first Brighton Speed Trials. From its inception the event was plagued with obstacles which meant no trials between 1905 and 1923, a ban on public road racing between 1925 and 1931 plus of course the obvious halt between 1939 and 1945. The fuel crisis meant it didn't run in 1969 and more recently the fatal accident in 2012 meant Brighton went without the Speed Trials in 2013.

But it's been back in business since last year and for 2015 there are over 150 cars competing, with everything from a 5.7-litre Ford Cortina to a Mitsubishi i-MiEV and an Audi Quattro. Plus, of course, PH in the little Mexican sports car. Its first competitive outing too. No pressure then...

Our familiarisation drive took place at Bespoke Performance in Ware, the appointed dealer for Vuhl in the UK. With nothing more than about 15 minutes behind the wheel we can't draw any definitive conclusions yet - hopefully they can follow - but it was enough to obtain some interesting first impressions.

400hp per tonne and lots of noise!

Hey good lookin'
Heck it looks good. Fantastic, actually. There's a tautness and purpose to the way it looks, like not a scrap of material has been used if it can be avoided. The wheels are an inch larger in diameter than the 2013 prototype - now 17-inch at the front, 18 behind - and look great set out right in the corners. It's short, low (100mm ground clearance) and wide, the stance absolutely spot-on. Even parked outside a garage that specialises in TVRs and Nobles, the Vuhl 05 demands attention. More modern than a Caterham and arguably prettier than a Lotus 3-Eleven, it's a brilliant bit of design.

More than the lack of doors, the GoPro between the seats and the signature of Esteban Gutierrez on the dash, attention is drawn on the 'inside' to the intake right above your head. Which looks like it will make a lot of noise. It can be repositioned with a 10hp loss, which many are expected to do, but for now there's the central intake and the full 285hp.

Plus, wouldn't you know, ludicrous amounts of noise. The Vuhl sneezes, gasps, whooshes and hisses down the road so angrily it's hard to concentrate on anything else initially. Even with a helmet on the roar so close to your ear is inescapable. On a track it will surely be a thrilling accompaniment but feels a bit much for road use.

Brief taste for now, more to come!

Speedy Gonzalez
Furthermore, losing 10hp won't stop it feeling phenomenally quick. Given the engine feels fast in the Focus ST, the performance is totally ballistic in something with a 725kg kerbweight. Outright speed is something to be discussed further after the flat out blast down Madeira Drive but it won't be embarrassed. No way. Turbocharged torque with such a titchy kerbweight means the Vuhl is absolutely hurled along, usually with the revs lower and the gear higher than you may expect.

If the noise hadn't already, the way the Vuhl handles reaffirms this as a car with track ability as its core focus. Being so low and wide means it corners with incredible immediacy and huge grip, with the limit feeling a hell of a long way off on the road. Some recent front camber tweaks have been introduced to give the steering a little more feedback and, while not as immersive as something like a Caterham, it's a revelation compared to most normal cars.

What's the weather like for Saturday?

The brakes are superb too with a very firm pedal and huge power, undermined a little by offset pedals though. Combined with that monumental performance and towering grip, even a quarter of an hour is enough to know that the Vuhl will be devastatingly fast on a circuit.

That should be something we can properly test soon, the sector crammed with new and established rivals. Where the £60K Vuhl sits in that hierarchy remains to be seen but it's a very encouraging first experience. Now to see how it fares on the drag strip. On green I'm going for it, right?

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VUHL 05
Engine: 2,000cc 4-cyl turbocharged
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 285
Torque (lb ft): 310lb ft
0-62mph: 3.7sec
Top speed: 152mph
Weight: 695kg dry, 725kg ready to drive
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
Price: £59,900 (£69,900 for Edition One limited introductory model)

[Source: Wikipedia, Brighton&HoveMC]

[jeffw]

It will be interesting to see how you do. Last year the Caterham 620R managed 12.14 secs, the BAC Mono which was in my class did 13 something. I'm driving again on Saturday and hoping to be under the 11.81 from last year

[Leggy]

That looks awesome. Really well designed. Much better than the 3-11 or the Zenos.

[PunterCam]

Looks cheap.. Looks a bit incomplete, like the designer didn't really know what they were doing. Quite "bitty".

Quite heavy too.. As far as lightweight sports cars can be, st.

[240R]

We've entered my 2-Eleven this year - interesting to see how they compare.

[AER]

PunterCam said:

Looks cheap.. Looks a bit incomplete, like the designer didn't really know what they were doing. Quite "bitty".

Quite heavy too.. As far as lightweight sports cars can be, st.

Seriously?

Against your engineering efforts, it looks like magic!

[Matt Bird]

Great to hear there will be some PHers along tomorrow! I will be sure to head over and say hello.

As for the looks, I think it's definitely something that works best when you see it up close. There are some gorgeous details and you can't really appreciate how low it is from the pics either. I think it's great!


Matt

[Zumbruk]

Needs a roof. Having run a roofless car for a couple of years, it's hopeless in the UK.

[Amirhussain]

That looks awesome IMO.

[aww999]

Zumbruk said:

Needs a roof. Having run a roofless car for a couple of years, it's hopeless in the UK.

I agree, having had the same experience. I would rather be 2s slower round a lap than have to sit in a slowly-filling bathtub of rainwater while I try to enjoy my trackday. It rains 300 days per year in this country, a roof is not optional!

[jeffw]

Matt Bird said:

Great to hear there will be some PHers along tomorrow! I will be sure to head over and say hello.

As for the looks, I think it's definitely something that works best when you see it up close. There are some gorgeous details and you can't really appreciate how low it is from the pics either. I think it's great!


Matt

Car 97 Matt, come over and say hello.