RE: Vauxhall Astra Nurburgring Edition

[Polarbert]

No pictures of the new seats?

[jellison]

It is a sad world nowadays that men of a certain Age (20's?) cannot get REAL Cars with RWD and alot of power that are not just restyled version of saloon or shopping cars. VERY SAD.

Not had a go in mates VXR yet but presume it will be great up to a point an then the TC or horrendous understeer will kick in. YUK YUK YUK.

Look higher guys (it is not a vost thing - but that said alot of 20 somethings just want the latest NEW so for 20k you do limit yourself to older REAL RWD Proper powered cars - PITY - look beyong the NEW and get a F*cking great V8 up front and stop pissing about) - Don't aspire to these turbo shopping trolleys................

[morgrp]

crocop said:

I bet the ST500 owners feel pretty dumb, and those who were too late to order one, jumping with joy. Another 500 notes, and they have a car that will leave the ST500 behind by at least a week on the german circuit. ST resale value, after 3 years, average miles??! my guess is half of the Astra's.

You say that but I bet that time was set by a serious pro - put an amateur behind the wheel like myslef and I bet they'd both set the same lap time (very slow!) - its same as 0-60 times that are all done by total pro's on an empty, dry flat runway with an empty tank of petrol, empty boot and no wind etc - Figures in cars to me are meaningless - You need to drive them to get a feel for them before you can say you like something - and this is my point with the standard VXR - compared to others I've driven it left me cold - Suppose I should retract my comments about this one as I haven't driven it so I'm really being a little hypocritical here!

[thekirbyfake]

morgrp said:

as for the Renault badge image, how many Vauxhalls do you know that have won the Formula 1 world championship???

What a strange thing to say.

Other than "F1" and "R26" in the moniker the Renault shares absolutely nothing with the Formula 1 car (that got trounced last season) whereas Vauxhall races a recognisable VXR in the BTCC.

I think anyone with a Ford, Renault or Vauxhall getting into a pissing contest about who has the most prestigious brand is a bit bizarre.

[Mr Whippy]

jellison said:

It is a sad world nowadays that men of a certain Age (20's?) cannot get REAL Cars with RWD and alot of power that are not just restyled version of saloon or shopping cars. VERY SAD.

Not had a go in mates VXR yet but presume it will be great up to a point an then the TC or horrendous understeer will kick in. YUK YUK YUK.

Look higher guys (it is not a vost thing - but that said alot of 20 somethings just want the latest NEW so for 20k you do limit yourself to older REAL RWD Proper powered cars - PITY - look beyong the NEW and get a F*cking great V8 up front and stop pissing about) - Don't aspire to these turbo shopping trolleys................

Indeed.

Not quite sure what 20 something bloke with no kids is doing with a £20k car that is ultimately just a hatchback that goes fast. I felt pretty mental buying my 306 Gti for ~ £5000 when you could get a proper rwd E36 328i for not THAT much more money.

If I had £20k burning a hole in my pocket today I'd likely find myself picking up a 3.0 Z4 or a TVR Tammy at the weekend.

Plenty of good kit around. That said people who buy these fast shopping trolleys are great people really, because they take the hit for 3-5yrs and leave a nice cheap quick runabout for 2nd hand buyers

Dave

[Ahonen]

morgrp said:

crocop said:

I bet the ST500 owners feel pretty dumb, and those who were too late to order one, jumping with joy. Another 500 notes, and they have a car that will leave the ST500 behind by at least a week on the german circuit. ST resale value, after 3 years, average miles??! my guess is half of the Astra's.

You say that but I bet that time was set by a serious pro - put an amateur behind the wheel like myslef and I bet they'd both set the same lap time (very slow!) - its same as 0-60 times that are all done by total pro's on an empty, dry flat runway with an empty tank of petrol, empty boot and no wind etc -

Manuel Reuter set the lap time, as I said earlier, in a standard OPC (VXR) car. He is, of course, a very good driver.

0-60 times, from major manufacturers, are all carried out with a 125kg payload.

The general level of over-excitement, foaming at the mouth, wailing, gnashing of teeth and foot-stamping from some on this thread is very funny. That word 'Vauxhall' seems to provoke considerable reaction, which must delight their marketing fellows.

[jellison]

Mr Whippy said:

jellison said:

It is a sad world nowadays that men of a certain Age (20's?) cannot get REAL Cars with RWD and alot of power that are not just restyled version of saloon or shopping cars. VERY SAD.

Not had a go in mates VXR yet but presume it will be great up to a point an then the TC or horrendous understeer will kick in. YUK YUK YUK.

Look higher guys (it is not a vost thing - but that said alot of 20 somethings just want the latest NEW so for 20k you do limit yourself to older REAL RWD Proper powered cars - PITY - look beyong the NEW and get a F*cking great V8 up front and stop pissing about) - Don't aspire to these turbo shopping trolleys................

Indeed.

Not quite sure what 20 something bloke with no kids is doing with a £20k car that is ultimately just a hatchback that goes fast. I felt pretty mental buying my 306 Gti for ~ £5000 when you could get a proper rwd E36 328i for not THAT much more money.

If I had £20k burning a hole in my pocket today I'd likely find myself picking up a 3.0 Z4 or a TVR Tammy at the weekend.

Plenty of good kit around. That said people who buy these fast shopping trolleys are great people really, because they take the hit for 3-5yrs and leave a nice cheap quick runabout for 2nd hand buyers

Dave

Indeed - ideal for my 3+ year old shopper for the wife or running to work - not really for fun (well real fun).

If you have the chance get the Tam not the Z4 thing - you only live once.

[GameOverMan!]

Iinteresting the way the number of cars will be limited to 835 based upon the lap time achieved.

So, if it had been a fantastically quick car which everyone would have then wanted, they'd build less but if it was a complete bag of spanners and really mega slow they'd build stacks of them....

You gotta love marketing.

Edited by GameOverMan! on Wednesday 5th December 16:34

[thekirbyfake]

Ahonen said:

The general level of over-excitement, foaming at the mouth, wailing, gnashing of teeth and foot-stamping from some on this thread is very funny. That word 'Vauxhall' seems to provoke considerable reaction, which must delight their marketing fellows.

Funny, isn't it? Perhaps they are just bitter because they've just found out that their car is in fact slower than an Opel shopping trolley?

Oh, and by the way, why are Vx only making 835 cars? The lap time was 8:35.93 which is 836 in my book.
[/pedant]

[Redlake27]

It doesn't surprise me.....

In the Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup race series(where only simple suspension mods are allowed)the Astra VXR has had some good battles this year with the Megane R26 and Nissan 350Z and come out top more often than not.

[Mr Whippy]

jellison said:

If you have the chance get the Tam not the Z4 thing - you only live once.

It was more the Tammy, and was getting more likely as the years rolled on, but reading the Tiv forums of late it seems that S6 ownership has become a little less comfy than it used to be with the demise of TVR proper

Shame really, though it seems to have forced their prices still lower...

Dave

[crocop]

L100NYY said:

Negative Creep said:

kambites said:

Hmm, so the Astra VXR is only one second slower round the ring than the VX220 Turbo... does that sound unlikely to anyone else, or is it just me?

No I was thinking the same thing. A front wheel drive hatch faster than a selection of more powerful rear wheel drive sports cars?

Also notice how quick the 130i is?!!?!? Only 1 second slower than an NSX!?!?!?

Have you guys forgotten that the car requires a driver to stear it around the track?!?
I mean, me in a Lambo, and Loeb in the Astra...who's gonna be faster!!?!?
Me of course ...not

[morgrp]

thekirbyfake said:

morgrp said:

as for the Renault badge image, how many Vauxhalls do you know that have won the Formula 1 world championship???

What a strange thing to say.

Other than "F1" and "R26" in the moniker the Renault shares absolutely nothing with the Formula 1 car (that got trounced last season) whereas Vauxhall races a recognisable VXR in the BTCC.

I think anyone with a Ford, Renault or Vauxhall getting into a pissing contest about who has the most prestigious brand is a bit bizarre.

We're not talking about the car -we're talking about the brand image - Renault has an F1 heritage stretching back to the early 80's and Vauxhall just hasn't. This said, I have to conceed that neither badge is gonna inspire too much pant wetting but every time I hear the word vauxhall I think "Vectra" and in my eyes thats not good! Ahhhh this Vauxhall bashing is getting me into trouble!!! I just love cars - they evoke so much opinion and passion! this is a proper pub arguement going on here!

[crocop]

Ahonen said:

morgrp said:

crocop said:

I bet the ST500 owners feel pretty dumb, and those who were too late to order one, jumping with joy. Another 500 notes, and they have a car that will leave the ST500 behind by at least a week on the german circuit. ST resale value, after 3 years, average miles??! my guess is half of the Astra's.

You say that but I bet that time was set by a serious pro - put an amateur behind the wheel like myslef and I bet they'd both set the same lap time (very slow!) - its same as 0-60 times that are all done by total pro's on an empty, dry flat runway with an empty tank of petrol, empty boot and no wind etc -

Manuel Reuter set the lap time, as I said earlier, in a standard OPC (VXR) car. He is, of course, a very good driver.

0-60 times, from major manufacturers, are all carried out with a 125kg payload.

The general level of over-excitement, foaming at the mouth, wailing, gnashing of teeth and foot-stamping from some on this thread is very funny. That word 'Vauxhall' seems to provoke considerable reaction, which must delight their marketing fellows.

I wonder how much more successful would Vauxhall cars be if they were marketed as what they REALLY are...as OPELS!!

[flattotheboards]

looks good in white. is 2mm added to the track really going to make any difference?

[crocop]

If I had £20k burning a hole in my pocket today I'd likely find myself picking up a 3.0 Z4 or a TVR Tammy at the weekend.

Plenty of good kit around. That said people who buy these fast shopping trolleys are great people really, because they take the hit for 3-5yrs and leave a nice cheap quick runabout for 2nd hand buyers

Dave
[/quote]Indeed - ideal for my 3+ year old shopper for the wife or running to work - not really for fun (well real fun).

If you have the chance get the Tam not the Z4 thing - you only live once.
[/quote]

The Z4 'thing' ... tsk if only you knew what you were talking about...

[crocop]

[quote=GameOverMan!]Iinteresting the way the number of cars will be limited to 835 based upon the lap time achieved.

So, if it had been a fantastically quick car which everyone would have then wanted, they'd build less but if it was a complete bag of spanners and really mega slow they'd build stacks of them....

You gotta love marketing.

HAHAHAHA...good point! thanks for the laugh.

[jellison]

crocop said:

If I had £20k burning a hole in my pocket today I'd likely find myself picking up a 3.0 Z4 or a TVR Tammy at the weekend.

Plenty of good kit around. That said people who buy these fast shopping trolleys are great people really, because they take the hit for 3-5yrs and leave a nice cheap quick runabout for 2nd hand buyers

Dave

Indeed - ideal for my 3+ year old shopper for the wife or running to work - not really for fun (well real fun).

If you have the chance get the Tam not the Z4 thing - you only live once.

The Z4 'thing' ... tsk if only you knew what you were talking about...

Have you drive a TVR - Trust me if you had you would not even consider a Z4.

[Ahonen]

crocop said:

I wonder how much more successful would Vauxhall cars be if they were marketed as what they REALLY are...as OPELS!!

Interesting one - and one that GM Europe has pondered.

Vauxhall is currently the best selling brand in Britain and its market share in the UK far outstrips Opel's in any other market so, on balance, I'd say it wouldn't really increase sales. A lot of people still perceive Vauxhall as a British brand and they might be upset if they had to start buying a 'German' car.

[Zletsgo]

thekirbyfake said:

ASBO said:

All this chat makes me realise that the Focus RS really was a bloody good car.

Sorry old bean I forgot to quote the Focus lap times

Focus ST 8:51
Focus RS 9:05

Priceless m8 absolutely priceless,

You also forgot to mention that the RS Focus is also a Ltd Edition but how many did they build 4000 or 5000???