Total Vauxhall test VXR8 vs Lotus Carlton

[J. J.]

T V tests the auto VXR8 against a group of Carltons at Bruntingthorpe. Vmax of Carltons all in region of 170, but VXR8 only reached 159 in spite of Vauxhalls assurance that it was not speed restricted (I thought that previous threads stated that it was). Next month, they are supposed to be speed testing the manual version.

[LC860G]

The Carlton was just awesome down that runway. It was so stable and without drama. I got an indicated 175 before discretion kicked in but there was still a little bit more to go (not much I have to say, but a bit).

VXR8 looks lovely - far better built and interior - but did sound a little muted - would have expected far moer noise from it!

Phil

[greens vauxhall]

LC860G said:

The Carlton was just awesome down that runway. It was so stable and without drama. I got an indicated 175 before discretion kicked in but there was still a little bit more to go (not much I have to say, but a bit).

VXR8 looks lovely - far better built and interior - but did sound a little muted - would have expected far moer noise from it!

Phil

The delights of Oz drive by rules!!!

[ringram]

J. J. said:

T V tests the auto VXR8 against a group of Carltons at Bruntingthorpe. Vmax of Carltons all in region of 170, but VXR8 only reached 159 in spite of Vauxhalls assurance that it was not speed restricted (I thought that previous threads stated that it was). Next month, they are supposed to be speed testing the manual version.

Correct, according to the standard HSV tune from Oz it is speed limited by electronic throttle control to 250kmph (ie) 156mph. Fixed by typing a different number in

Edited by ringram on Thursday 29th November 07:59

[stu harris]

All our cars are now being speed limited to 155mph inc VXR8.

However....

all our cars can be delimited with as well. Like most of the self imposed limiters nowadays.

Stu

[anonymous-user]

ringram said:

J. J. said:

T V tests the auto VXR8 against a group of Carltons at Bruntingthorpe. Vmax of Carltons all in region of 170, but VXR8 only reached 159 in spite of Vauxhalls assurance that it was not speed restricted (I thought that previous threads stated that it was). Next month, they are supposed to be speed testing the manual version.

Correct, according to the standard HSV tune from Oz it is speed limited by electronic throttle control to 250kmph (ie) 156mph. Fixed by typing a different number in

Edited by ringram on Thursday 29th November 07:59

I seem to remember that figure being 350kph (217mph) when I looked over Mark's shoulder. Is this the standard for all Monaros and does that mean that all Monaros are faster and therefore considerably better than VXR8s ?

[powermat]

stu harris said:

All our cars are now being speed limited to 155mph inc VXR8.

However....

all our cars can be delimited with as well. Like most of the self imposed limiters nowadays.

Stu

Has anyone done this yet?? I think you'll find it's not quite that easy to disable!!

[ringram]

Wormus, thats specific to the VE R8 tune only. Earlier ones might have been different.

Powermat, what else needs changing other than the highlighted cell in the PCM calibration? Looks simple to me.

[stu harris]

Stu
[/quote]

Has anyone done this yet?? I think you'll find it's not quite that easy to disable!!
[/quote]

Yes , we can , but no its not easy , nor will be 'show' anyone as there are warranty implications if we do ie not to OE specification.

Stu

[ads_green]

Have the cars been tested over 155?

I'd be a little worried as the std suspension setup and rake isn't suited to prolonged high speed stuff.

[stu harris]

ads_green said:

Have the cars been tested over 155?

I'd be a little worried as the std suspension setup and rake isn't suited to prolonged high speed stuff.

In what way ?

Stu

[ringram]

Too high off the floor? Not enough down force?
Im not sure, just guessing..

Personally Id rather enjoy the car sideways at 30mph than flat out at 170mph, then mess when you hit the kerb is a lot less too
You only need a new rim instead of a new skull.

[granada203028]

As already touched upon in this forum the manual VXR8 isn't very well geared for top speed. 5th is too short, 6th obviously too tall. The Lotus Carlton with virtually the same gearing as the CV8 Monaros is much more optimal. Official top speed was 176mph and Autocar's test in November 1990 correlated this. So I thinks its crown is safe.

[greens vauxhall]

As previously posted, in test conditions, VXR8's have achieved over 180 and still not maxed in 5th. Vbox measured.

[J. J.]

The King is dead. Long live the King. Maybe...
I thought that the article wasted a golden opportunity for a real test, and really was quite poor in content and advance planning. With all that metal there, why oh why were no 0-100 (or 0-60)times taken,(in addition to top speed) then we could really have seen if the King still lived on. I have never driven a LC, but have had it described by a Monaro salesman as having more brutal acceleration than the 'ro. This test had the opportunity to sort out the issue once and for all, but ended up as a damp squib.
Maybe the fastest colour is dark green....(still, I suppose that particular colour is pretty close to black!)

[B'stard Child]

J. J. said:

why oh why were no 0-100 (or 0-60)times taken,(in addition to top speed) then we could really have seen if the King still lived on. I have never driven a LC, but have had it described by a Monaro salesman as having more brutal acceleration than the 'ro. This test had the opportunity to sort out the issue once and for all,

J.J with the greatest respect

Buy one and see if you fancy trying to beat the already estblished times

In fact heres how to do it

When stationary blip the throttle to 3000 + rpm (say 3500 to be sure this engages the "additional 0.2 bar of boost&quot

Hold the revs at 3000 rpm in first

Side step the clutch and floor it

You will get a tiny bit of wheelspin but nothing major

Take second at 5800 max

Keep the throttle floored and see how quick the horison becomes very close

It's a hell of a lot of fun except one small issue

Clutches are No longer serviced

I managed to get 19,000 miles out of my last clutch and they were still avaliable then - the current one has to last the rest of the cars life

I am 100% sure non of the ABS participants wanted to go home on an AA recovery vehicle

[J. J.]

WHAT???
Didn't realise that the LC was such an endangered species.
I only ever saw 2 on the road, one of which was on its roof. The driver had a luck escape, despite having had the top of his head abraided by the road surface He claimed not to have been on his phone, but strangely it was jammed between the steering wheel and the windscreen!(went there in a previous existance as a police response car driver)
Still think that they were(are)awesome cars.

[neildockrell]

Hi guys, just have to say that perhaps 15 years ago, I was taken out for a spin in a friends Lotus Carlton when he first got it. Its the nearest I have ever come to a complete change of clothing from the waist down ! It has remained with me that feeling of complete fright & exhilaration of being pinned into the seat and then thrown into the dashboard ! Please no-one wreck this precious memory with derrogatory comments on this fantastic car.
Must admit though I love my " ro " it does not re-kindle that distant memory.

[anonymous-user]

neildockrell said:

Hi guys, just have to say that perhaps 15 years ago, I was taken out for a spin in a friends Lotus Carlton when he first got it. Its the nearest I have ever come to a complete change of clothing from the waist down ! It has remained with me that feeling of complete fright & exhilaration of being pinned into the seat and then thrown into the dashboard ! Please no-one wreck this precious memory with derrogatory comments on this fantastic car.
Must admit though I love my " ro " it does not re-kindle that distant memory.

Agreed. That car was and will always be a legend, I remember when the authorities said it was "irresponsible" to make it available to the public. It's not the fastest anymore but like the Mclaren F1 it will aslways be the original and the best.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 1st December 10:50

[LC860G]

J. J. said:

The King is dead. Long live the King. Maybe...
I thought that the article wasted a golden opportunity for a real test, and really was quite poor in content and advance planning. With all that metal there, why oh why were no 0-100 (or 0-60)times taken,(in addition to top speed) then we could really have seen if the King still lived on. I have never driven a LC, but have had it described by a Monaro salesman as having more brutal acceleration than the 'ro. This test had the opportunity to sort out the issue once and for all, but ended up as a damp squib.
Maybe the fastest colour is dark green....(still, I suppose that particular colour is pretty close to black!)

They did have a load of timimg gear there because they were testing some seriously quick Novas as well, but the LC isn't great at standing starts and, as Ian said, no-one really wants to knacker their clutch since new ones are a bit tricky to source. And given that lovely runway, top speed was of more interest. You can run a 0-60 test anywhere.

If you think us owners are careful with them, the Vauxhall Heritage car was there as well and they are absolutely paranoid over breaking it because they can't fix it either!

And yes, it has far more brutal acceleration than my GTS. The GTS feels stronger top end, but in 2nd and 3rd, the LC keaves it for dead.