Vauxhall VX220 | PH Auction Block
Mid-engined roadsters needn't cost the earth - or wear a fancy badge
The shoots of a fast Vauxhall comeback are beginning to emerge. The Corsa GSE is on sale, the STX concept hints at an interesting future for the estate, and electrification surely opens up a lot of performance possibilities that would never have been possible with a line-up of ordinary engines. So why not take it further? The MG Cyberster is already out there (with the hardtop rumoured), an Alpine A110 and Porsche 718 EV are coming… why not a battery-powered Vauxhall sports car as well? A retro-themed Manta was hinted at but hasn’t come to anything yet. How about something more extreme instead – how about an electric VX220? It could be called VX220e…
Alright, so it’s far-fetched, but sillier ideas have made it to the showroom. The original Tesla Roadster demonstrated the validity of the idea 20 years ago, and nobody really ever bought a ‘220 for its engine; the equivalent Elise perhaps, with its shrieking Toyota 1.8s, not so much the Astra-donated units in the Vauxhall. They were merely enablers of that fine chassis.
Some VX220s were a bit too enabled, however. The press launch for the Turbo was infamous for the amount of damaged cars, as lag and the mid-engined balance slugged it out. Even naturally aspirated cars have been known to catch out the unwary, the Vauxhall’s balance always a bit feistier than the Lotus’s. You’ll see plenty for sale with some kind of body repairs, put it that way.
Not this one, though. It’s HPI clear, on original paint and with uniform panel gaps all round – good going for what’s now a 23-year-old car with a bit of a reputation. This is almost a classic British sports car now, just one that looks and drives rather better than the classic in your head. There’s just 16,500 miles under those smart alloy wheels, too, which will help explain why it’s still in such good order.
As will a considerable recent spend. As well as cosmetic stuff like the paint correction and refinished interior trim, the Nitron dampers were overhauled this year. That work was done with a fresh set of Michelins and a geo setup, so the VX ought to drive just as well as it looks. There’s also been a new radiator and set of brake pads fitted courtesy of the current owner.
There’s a lot going for it, basically. While good VX220s certainly still exist, most these days will have been modified or enjoyed more driving than this one. Cars with such low miles and so few changes from standard (better suspension and a radio that works are more than acceptable) are very hard to come by. Particularly ones that still look the part. Maybe you also weren’t thinking about VX220s in November, but it doesn’t look like one to miss – what a summer 2027 could be…
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