Thursday 21st July 2011

Driven: Vauxhall VXR8

We liked it on the continent, but do we like it in Blighty?

---

Brash, moi?

We had a Vauxhall VXR8 in the PH office for a few days recently, largely because PH contributor Adam Towler warmed to it so much when he tried it out on the Route Napoleon in France. And partly because, well, when there's an opportunity to borrow a 425bhp rear-drive super-saloon for a few days it's the sort of thing you take up.

There are so many things about the latest VXR8 that ought to make it a great car. In its 6.2-litre LS3 V8 the VXR8 is blessed with one of the most honest, straightforward and downright satisfying powerplants around.

It is also a thoroughly down-to-earth concept: big engine, rear-drive, manual gearbox and plenty of room for four passengers, a load of luggage and yourself to be scared silly (not that you can scare luggage, of course). Simple.

Two extremes of styling

The first iteration of the VXR8 also happened to be a car I dearly love. It had astonishing chassis balance for one so big, the squishy-yet-supportive seats were great and that meaty V8 was (of course) cracking, even in LS2 form. I evenly rashly described it once - in print - as an ideal family car, I think largely because of the space it offered and its ability to impress the rellies.

Sure, the interior was a bit rough around the edges, the gearchange was a bit caveman, and early models had an unnerving tendency for the suspension to judder under heavy braking, but at £35,105 when it first appeared its bargain basement price rather made up for these deficiencies.

At least this is untouched

And the new car ought to be a stormer, because it tackles most of these issues head-on. The new MM10 six-speed gearbox and LS7 clutch feel rather more modern, the cabin has been granted a wave of the 'quality wand' and the top-spec GTS model has revised spring and damper rates and even magnetic ride control.

But within every silver lining is a cloud. In the case of the VXR8 that comes in the form of a £49,500 price tag. Okay, so Vauxhall has been stung heavily by adverse exchange rates, and they freely admit that the VXR8 is a brand-builder (in other words they know they ain't going to sell very many) but there is no escaping the fact that £50k is really rather too much money.

Honestly, it is better inside

The looks are surely going to be a problem for a lot of people, too; the snorty snout, over-fussy bodykit styling and OTT wheels will surely push the VXR8's styling from brash and way into the realms of the frankly offensive for many people. There will no doubt be some who enjoy its pumped-up styling, but they probably won't have eyes...

There's another problem, too. I reckon the combination of clever MRC dampers and 20-inch alloys ruins the car's ride. I took the newest car out along the same bumpy Surrey B-road route as I once had chucked its predecessor. And I found the new car wanting.

VXR8 in a more natural habitat

I'm sure Mr Towler is absolutely right that, on the smooth roads of the continent, the VXR8 is a hoot. But those big wheels and new magnetic dampers seem to do their level best to scupper the B-road behaviour of the big Vauxhall.

Without having driven one on smaller wheels it's hard to say for sure whether it's the suspension or the wheels that are at fault, but one of the old VXR8's key attributes was that it remained comfortable and, crucially, composed even over the grittiest British back-road. Now, it's okay, but push on and it begins to get crashy and uncomfortable.

Does it look any better in yellow?

I'm sure the latest VXR8 will find sufficient numbers of admirers, and rightly so - it's still got that fantastic engine and still handles impressively well apart from the ride. For me, however, the VXR8 is now a car that tries too hard both in looks and in trying to be more than just a big, simple car with a big, simple V8. And that's a shame. I'll be saving up my pennies for an older VXR8 like this, instead...

[MarJay]

Eugh. Vauxhall, sort your lives out and hire a styling department not a "make it look like a 15 year old has 'modified' it" department.

[Riggers]

MarJay said:

Eugh. Vauxhall, sort your lives out and hire a styling department not a "make it look like a 15 year old has 'modified' it" department.

This is the thing, isn't it? It should be so good, but it's simply embarrassing to drive around in something that looks like that...

[P I Staker]

I think it looks redicuous...


But i love it, and i have eyes.

[TankRizzo]

I don't actually think I could drive that with the way it looks. A real shame, they're meant to be such a hoot with that engine as well.

[The Kraken]

For the price they have little chance of selling many of them. Why would you choose this over a C63? I can see the appeal of wanting something different to the usual fare, but this just looks terrible. For that price people want something classy and understated.
Which this isn't!

[LukeSi]

I'll have it

Just take off the tacky chrome and it is alright.

[Riggers]

P I Staker said:

I think it looks redicuous...


But i love it, and i have eyes.

Good on yer, then... I have to say, too, that you at least don't have to look at it when you're driving it.

[silversixx]

Haven't driven this one, but agree with Riggers that the old car was the big swinging danglies to drive.

[NotNormal]

MarJay said:

Eugh. Vauxhall, sort your lives out and hire a styling department not a "make it look like a 15 year old has 'modified' it" department.

You do realise that its not a Vauxhall (its a Holden) and they have had no hand in the styling (they just import the car) don't you?

[aussieinlondon]

Should have kept it badged as what it is, a HSV GTS...Bigger Kudos!

But I will keep my 1M order thanks .......

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder lol

Edited by aussieinlondon on Thursday 21st July 12:12

[Tinykin]

Anglo Saxon middle class are really boring people. A car has a bit of flash and they go all into spasms of indignation.
No wonder TVR failed.

Edited by Tinykin on Thursday 21st July 12:09

[Gallen]

Who designed this? Tonka?

What a shame.

I think Vauxhall have really upped their designs lately but this "looks" like a pile of chav-st. To me at least it looks ridicuous.

Brand builder? Take a look at the new cars and yes - but this? I think it has the opposite adverse affect re-kindling the memories of the "Chav-alier" etc etc.

G.

Edited by Gallen on Thursday 21st July 12:08

[Garlick]

Tinykin said:

Anglo Saxon middle class are really boring people. A car has a bit of flash and they go all into spasms of indignation. No wonder TVR failed.

Come on now. A TVR Sagaris (to take the latest example of a TVR) did not come adorned with chrome, lights and stick on stuff. It looked aggressive without being tacky. I doubt they would have ever gone down that road, and to debate the reason for collapse is another thread altogether

I like the VXR8, but I prefer the look of this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2818870.htm to the latest version. Also, it's not the bargain it once was, but that means used cars will fall and I can buy one

[Riggers]

NotNormal said:

MarJay said:

Eugh. Vauxhall, sort your lives out and hire a styling department not a "make it look like a 15 year old has 'modified' it" department.

You do realise that its not a Vauxhall (its a Holden) and they have had no hand in the styling (they just import the car) don't you?

Still doesn't make it look any better .

Incidentally, the 'de51red' press car still has an HSV badge on the steering wheel. Which I think looks waaayyyy cooler than a Vauxhall logo

[NotNormal]

Riggers said:

Still doesn't make it look any better .

Your not wrong and I never said it does

Riggers said:

Incidentally, the 'de51red' press car still has an HSV badge on the steering wheel. Which I think looks waaayyyy cooler than a Vauxhall logo

Yup, I know the man responsible for it all quite well....

[TAHodgson]

Think it'd look nice in black, to 'hide' a lot of the detailing. Huge fan of the 'old' VXR8, will probably never drive a new one, so it'll always be a great car for me!

Get rid of those fugly wheels.

[ALBA MELV]

TAHodgson said:

Think it'd look nice in black, to 'hide' a lot of the detailing. Huge fan of the 'old' VXR8, will probably never drive a new one, so it'll always be a great car for me!

Get rid of those fugly wheels.

Agreed. Especially the part about the wheels.

When I see the yellow VXR8 the wheels remind me of the radioactive trefoil.

[danposs86]

Thought they were ugly when I first saw them in Australia, still think they are ugly now they are over here.

[Gallen]

TAHodgson said:

Think it'd look nice in black, to 'hide' a lot of the detailing.

Looks better but still Tonka.



G.

[LuS1fer]

I had a VXR8 in the frame as a replacement for the Mustang but found the styling, ultimately, much too GM-generic plain.

However, this car proves that you cannot dress up a plain car in pearls and glitter and expect it to look good. It looks absolutely chav, despite that word being widely abused, it seems to fit. A plain car requires muscles and subtlety like an Audi RS6 or even GM's own Lotus Carlton.

I suspect an immediate wheel refurb would be on the cards and a deglittering and it might well be a good car underneath but at present, I wouldn't cross a forecourt to look at one which is doubtless a shame because I am its target market. I'd probably go to a Jag XF/R or AMG direction instead - used obviously so not comparable save in what the outlay would be.