Corsa VXR Engine Differences (Nurburgring vs Original)

[DatfaceSoldier]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying an 08 VXR Corsa this weekend, its been engine swapped for a slightly newer Corsa VXR Nurburgring edition engine. From reading online I've not been able to find a direct comparison for the engines but I have been able to find the difference between the VXR and VXR Nurburgring and it seems the Nurburgring's turbo is tweaked slightly, its ECU is slightly different and its exhaust is different. The specs would say the Nurburgring has an additional 10-15hp over the standard VXR.

My question is, if the rest of the parts in my car are from a regular VXR but the engine is the Nurburgring VXR is there going to be any noticeable difference performance wise and is there any actual difference at all between the VXR I intend to buy and an unmodified VXR?

[Kewy]

This the one that everyone on here told you to avoid?

I think I can guess the response you're going to get here

Not entirely sure on the engine differences tbh, like you say maybe a subtle tune to get a few more bhp out of it?

[DatfaceSoldier]

Yeah it is
although I didn't want people to be biased based on looking at cars MOT history and weather or not it would be declared on insurance.

I'm having the vehicle inspected by RAC, I'm going to be declaring it on my insurance as well, if you -were- wondering. That is assuming I buy it.

What I'm wondering is if anyone familiar with the engines does know for certain what the differences are. I'm curious to know if it would have an edge over a regular VXR.

Edited by DatfaceSoldier on Friday 21st September 09:29

[Kewy]

DatfaceSoldier said:

Yeah it is
although I didn't want people to be biased based on looking at cars MOT history and weather or not it would be declared on insurance.

I'm having the vehicle inspected by RAC, I'm going to be declaring it on my insurance as well, if you -were- wondering. That is assuming I buy it.

What I'm wondering is if anyone familiar with the engines does know for certain what the differences are. I'm curious to know if it would have an edge over a regular VXR.

Edited by DatfaceSoldier on Friday 21st September 09:29

Yeh its your choice mate I'm not going to give you stick about it. I would just bare in mind that if someones blown an engine up then who knows what nick the rest of the drivetrain is in.

I wouldn't imagine there is much difference mate, nothing you couldn't get from a remap on a normal VXR engine (which most of them probably have by now anyway).

Have you driven it yet? Don't worry so much about numbers, if you like it, and its fun, buy it and enjoy it!

[DatfaceSoldier]

Kewy said:

DatfaceSoldier said:

Yeah it is
although I didn't want people to be biased based on looking at cars MOT history and weather or not it would be declared on insurance.

I'm having the vehicle inspected by RAC, I'm going to be declaring it on my insurance as well, if you -were- wondering. That is assuming I buy it.

What I'm wondering is if anyone familiar with the engines does know for certain what the differences are. I'm curious to know if it would have an edge over a regular VXR.

Edited by DatfaceSoldier on Friday 21st September 09:29

Yeh its your choice mate I'm not going to give you stick about it. I would just bare in mind that if someones blown an engine up then who knows what nick the rest of the drivetrain is in.

I wouldn't imagine there is much difference mate, nothing you couldn't get from a remap on a normal VXR engine (which most of them probably have by now anyway).

Have you driven it yet? Don't worry so much about numbers, if you like it, and its fun, buy it and enjoy it!

To be honest I think thats fair. I'm really just a bit curious I would say, its interesting to know, I like to know what i'm driving and when I start working on it a bit it'll matter more than it does now I guess.

100% agree though, I've never driven a Vauxhall in my life, and promised i'd never drive a Corsa in my life but now i'm considering a VXR. Part of me struggles to think i'll find as much fun to drive as my mums MX-5, but It just doesn't have enough practicality (kids expected at some point in a couple of years).

It has to be the right blend of fun and reliablility and I need to know it wont give up on me, I treat all my cars with respect but if someones already thrashed it half to death I probably wont buy it.

Waiting to hear what the RAC says after their inspection.

[Kewy]

DatfaceSoldier said:

To be honest I think thats fair. I'm really just a bit curious I would say, its interesting to know, I like to know what i'm driving and when I start working on it a bit it'll matter more than it does now I guess.

100% agree though, I've never driven a Vauxhall in my life, and promised i'd never drive a Corsa in my life but now i'm considering a VXR. Part of me struggles to think i'll find as much fun to drive as my mums MX-5, but It just doesn't have enough practicality (kids expected at some point in a couple of years).

It has to be the right blend of fun and reliablility and I need to know it wont give up on me, I treat all my cars with respect but if someones already thrashed it half to death I probably wont buy it.

Waiting to hear what the RAC says after their inspection.

Not driven a Corsa VXR, but my Mrs used to have a Corsa SE, I've had an Insignia 2.0T and two different Astras, all remapped.

Honestly though, I wouldn't go back to Vauxhall ever again. The last one (Insignia) was a pain in the arse, constant sensors going and costing £100+ a time, drivetrain never felt right, had two new DMF's fitted etc etc. Best one I has was A 1.8vvt Astra H – really liked that car, think it was because it was NA though and I like that NA throttle response and revving an engine out.

That being said theres a big Vauxhall and VXR community so people must see something in them. As others mentioned though, depreciation on Vx's is awful so don't expect it to be worth anywhere near what you bought it for when you come to sell.

[IanJ9375]

DatfaceSoldier said:

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying an 08 VXR Corsa this weekend, its been engine swapped for a slightly newer Corsa VXR Nurburgring edition engine. From reading online I've not been able to find a direct comparison for the engines but I have been able to find the difference between the VXR and VXR Nurburgring and it seems the Nurburgring's turbo is tweaked slightly, its ECU is slightly different and its exhaust is different. The specs would say the Nurburgring has an additional 10-15hp over the standard VXR.

My question is, if the rest of the parts in my car are from a regular VXR but the engine is the Nurburgring VXR is there going to be any noticeable difference performance wise and is there any actual difference at all between the VXR I intend to buy and an unmodified VXR?

Differences on the engine front are more to do with being a particular EU standard A16 engine rather than Z16 engine, the later clubsport was a B16 iirc.
The Nurburgring engine wasn't the interesting part of the changes, the Bilstein suspension, Brembo brakes and the Drexler LSD were all more important.

Buy an unmodified regular VXR or buy one of the later Nurburgring or Clubsport Edition one's, spend some time on VXRonline reading up about the cars

[Squishey]

DatfaceSoldier said:

...just doesn't have enough practicality (kids expected at some point in a couple of years).

I know nothing about the Corsa VXR (Nürburgring or otherwise) so cannot comment on performance or reliability, but as a new father I can comment on practicality.

A 3 door car is rubbish when you've got a baby in a car seat that needs to be in the back - especially when it's lashing down with rain, you're on your own, shopping to put in, pushchair to fold and get in the boot...

Speaking of the boot, a Corsa's (or any of that size superminis') boot won't be big enough! You'll need a Astra/Focus sized car at the least.

If you're thinking ahead with this car purchase then you really need 5 doors, capacious boot, Isofix anchorage points, and >200 bhp!

Hyundai i30N, maybe?!

[IanJ9375]

Squishey said:

I know nothing about the Corsa VXR (Nürburgring or otherwise) so cannot comment on performance or reliability, but as a new father I can comment on practicality.

A 3 door car is rubbish when you've got a baby in a car seat that needs to be in the back - especially when it's lashing down with rain, you're on your own, shopping to put in, pushchair to fold and get in the boot...

Speaking of the boot, a Corsa's (or any of that size superminis') boot won't be big enough! You'll need a Astra/Focus sized car at the least.

If you're thinking ahead with this car purchase then you really need 5 doors, capacious boot, Isofix anchorage points, and >200 bhp!

Hyundai i30N, maybe?!

Do you really need the 5dr big car though - back in the day my brother had x2 young kids and a variety of hot hatches Toyota Corolla Gti, Astra GTE 16v etc
Pretty sure a Corsa VXR wouldn't be far behind them if at all in terms of practicality as long as you don't feel the need to take the kitchen sink with you everytime you move a child?

I've no kids but I can remember when people used to cope fine when they had a baby without the need for a Q7 lol

[Squishey]

IanJ9375 said:

Do you really need the 5dr big car though - back in the day my brother had x2 young kids and a variety of hot hatches Toyota Corolla Gti, Astra GTE 16v etc
Pretty sure a Corsa VXR wouldn't be far behind them if at all in terms of practicality as long as you don't feel the need to take the kitchen sink with you everytime you move a child?

I've no kids but I can remember when people used to cope fine when they had a baby without the need for a Q7 lol

I'm definitely not saying that you need an SUV or MPV because you have a sprog! When I was a youngster my dad had a MK1 Fiesta as the family car (in beige IIRC) and coped okay, but I think baby seats are much bigger now which makes getting them between the door frame and the back of the tilted front seat unnecessarily awkward.

It's just from experience, my wife has a 3 door Yaris and although getting the baby in a seat in to the back is possible, it is a pain. So much so that the wife's beloved 'Bluebell' will have to go and a 5 door Yaris will take it's place.

If the VXR is not going to be your everyday family car then it'll be fine, if it is then it'll be a ball-ache!

[IanJ9375]

Squishey said:

I'm definitely not saying that you need an SUV or MPV because you have a sprog! When I was a youngster my dad had a MK1 Fiesta as the family car (in beige IIRC) and coped okay, but I think baby seats are much bigger now which makes getting them between the door frame and the back of the tilted front seat unnecessarily awkward.

It's just from experience, my wife has a 3 door Yaris and although getting the baby in a seat in to the back is possible, it is a pain. So much so that the wife's beloved 'Bluebell' will have to go and a 5 door Yaris will take it's place.

If the VXR is not going to be your everyday family car then it'll be fine, if it is then it'll be a ball-ache!

Maybe the car would make more sense once past the baby seat or like you said only need to be used occasionally

[PaulKemp]

Gearbox bearings are made of chocolate, clutch is suspect on overboost in the standard car.

[IanJ9375]

PaulKemp said:

Gearbox bearings are made of chocolate, clutch is suspect on overboost in the standard car.

Managed to keep my M32 working happily for 7yrs - I think a lot of the failures are from tuning and a lack of mechanical sympathy to be honest

[adam.]

The injectors can't cope, even on a standard engine. Not sure if they fixed this on later cars.


Many MANY went bang early on in their lives.

[GreenV8S]

adam. said:

The injectors can't cope, even on a standard engine.

What does that mean? I'm picturing 'danger to manifold' warnings here and panels falling off the footwell.

[adam.]

GreenV8S said:

What does that mean? I'm picturing 'danger to manifold' warnings here and panels falling off the footwell.

They're at maximum flow rate by about 4900rpm, so over and above that you're running leaner and leaner until you hit the limiter.

This was on a standard car.

The summary is that cylinder 4 suffers first, runs incredibly lean, and eventually melts the piston.

They also have some of the lightest steering in a 'performance car' I've ever experienced.

Shan't be putting one on my driveway, ever. The Astra VXR of the same age, is the much better car.

[GreenV8S]

adam. said:

This was on a standard car.

You're saying a standard spec Corsa runs lean at peak power? That seems quite remarkable.

I can easily imagine cars that have been modified to higher boost levels running lean, but I can't imagine them leaving the factory like that.

[adam.]

GreenV8S said:

That seems quite remarkable.

Remarkable, yet true.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=corsa+vxr+cylinder+4

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=corsa+vxr+running+lean

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=corsa+vxr+injector+problem

A direct replacement, IIRC, is the injector from a F430, albeit 4 of them, not 8.

[GreenV8S]

adam. said:

Remarkable, yet true.

Goodness knows which of those Google search results you're referring to. I saw lots of references to people with modified engines, and some companies recommending uprated injectors and forged pistons for peace of mind. Can you point to any credible articles documenting the specific problem you describe?

[IanJ9375]

GreenV8S said:

Goodness knows which of those Google search results you're referring to. I saw lots of references to people with modified engines, and some companies recommending uprated injectors and forged pistons for peace of mind. Can you point to any credible articles documenting the specific problem you describe?

Same situation as I referenced the M32 box, when you dig down most of the issues seem to point to tuning and lack of mechanical sympathy.
Same Corsa VXR engine was fitted to the Westfield 1600 sport, bet they didn't have the same issues.

https://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/259...