Wednesday 28th February 2007

New Monaro gets more grunt

Wait till July for new 420bhp VXR8

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The Vauxhall Monaro VXR is dead: long live the new Monaro VXR. Except this one's called the VXR8.

Yes, it's back. The VXR8 arrives on these shores in July, costing £34,995 and still housing that 6.0-litre V8. It'll also be the first VXR model available with an automatic gearbox.

However, the V8's been tweaked for more power, up from xxxbhp to 420bhp that propels it to 60mph in 4.9 seconds. Based on Australia’s Holden HSV Clubsport R8, the car's still practical, with four doors and space for all the family, a spacious boot, comfortable, long-legged cruising ability and luxuries such as climate control and leather trim.

But Vauxhall's keen to stress the the VXR8 hasn't gone soft. Driver aids such as the stability system and traction control can be turned off at the flick of a switch – ideal for track days. And the 365mm front disc brakes retard forward motion from 60mph to a standstill faster than a Lamborghini Murcielago or BMW M5, according to Vauxhall.

The auto box is a £1,400 option and slows the dash to 60 by half a second. Satnav and 20-inch wheels are also optional.

It's not the prettiest car in the world but it looks chunky enough. Welcome back...

[nickfrp]

it just looks sooo dog ugly

[cirvy]

Great shame about those looks, missed opportunity.

[Stigmundfreud]

the auto may be 0.5 slower to 60 (who really cares about this these days?) but i will do it day in day out, time after time and would wipe the floor with many manual drivers...

[kawasicki]

I've seen these in the flesh, I think that as a well proportioned fast saloon they look great. Details may not be great, but that doesn't bother me.

shane

[rejn]

That's not a Monaro, it's a saloon car.

In Aus from memory only the coupe gets called a Monaro - the others are called Commodores (or Calais or Acclaim, depending on the spec), so do we get a saloon Monaro and then presumably a coupe Monaro to follow in a couple of years.

nice cars, though - good fun.

[maverick964_uk]

the VXR8 looks the full package.

A genuine family car with super car performance. Uprated engine, brakes, TC etc...etc.

my order is in!!

[willisit]

Just reading about it in AutoCar - funnily enough it states that in December we get a new Monaro VXR. Odd as it ain't gonna happen.

[sibdj]

Does anyone else think it looks a little too much like a fat Vectra?

I thought the beauty of the old car was that it managed to look nothing like a Vauxhall.

Edited by sibdj on Wednesday 28th February 14:09

[wayne marsh]

yes me!

[Stigmundfreud]

autocar is, unfortunately, the car version of MCN

[paulrandall]

I think it looks ugly. I actually liked the look of the current / old model.

That looks like somebody has tried to 'style' it by added silly bits and pieces. I hate it

Edited by paulrandall on Wednesday 28th February 14:15

[james f]

general lack of any design ...... was never a big fan of the old one but at least it wasnt FAT

[ScoobieWRX]

I agree with the Vectraesque comment and the old shape was definately nicer. Didn't Vauxhall release a limited edition VXR 500 in the old shape a little while back to get rid of the remaning stock. That was 500bhp wasn't it. In which case what makes this one so special despite the autobox.

I would rather have an old one (6.0 VXR), and they are available used at reasonable prices. I'd have the VXR 500 over this. I drove the old 6.0 VXR and that was pretty awesome, although i thought the brakes were crap and shot to sh1t by the time i got hold of it.

[ringram]

Supercharge this one and there you go.
Sounds like Mr Greens and Mr Wortec will have similar mods and packages like the VXR500 ready to go from day one.

[MarkoTVR]

As I said elsewhere....."To me it just looks like a mixing pot of other designs, and not in the way that looks like a design cue, more a 'cut-and-paste'.......Vectra-esque lights with a hint of something that looks like it's Malaysian, Holden grille, Focus ST fog lamp housings shoved into the front bumper cock-eyed, Evo X lower front bumper and the rear light clusters just seem awkward being slash-cut one end and round the other".

As others have said, it's a shame we got good designs like the previous Monaro (albeit a Holden) and the MkV Astra which I think is great, and then get something like this.

[mackie1]

I think it looks nicer in non-HSV guise, the SS-V has the aggression without the ugly details:



The basic design is well proportioned but put it next to an old one it looks huge and the nose is much higher (pedestrian safety?). Many people has said it looks better in the flesh than it does in pictures so I'll reserve judgement until then.

There's no doubting the HSV's performance though, it's the full package.

A full range of upgrades, including the supercharger will be available from launch so I'm told so if you want a VXR8-500 (or with a bit more work maybe a VXR800!) you can have one. By all accounts this new car is streets ahead of the older Monaro and Commodore.

Interestingly the L98 V8 found in lesser models is actually a superior design in some ways to the LS2 and should yield very good results when it comes to tuning. It's a shame we won't be getting the SS like we did the Monaro CV8.

Edited by mackie1 on Wednesday 28th February 15:00

[Stigmundfreud]

thats why i prefer the standard monaro to the vxr version

[joz8968]

Oh dear... looks like the Ford Mustang has given the Mitsy Evo X Concept one right up the tailpipe!

[s5tvr]

nickfrp said:

it just looks sooo dog ugly

And the M5 doesn't ? whilst managing to cost much more !.

[bovered79]

rejn said:

That's not a Monaro, it's a saloon car.

In Aus from memory only the coupe gets called a Monaro - the others are called Commodores (or Calais or Acclaim, depending on the spec), so do we get a saloon Monaro and then presumably a coupe Monaro to follow in a couple of years.

nice cars, though - good fun.

about time people realised this! ITS NOT A MONARO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by bovered79 on Wednesday 28th February 15:26