Friday 4th November 2011

New 276bhp Astra VXR Revealed

Vauxhall spills (some) of the beans about the hottest-ever Astra

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No sooner have we written about the Astra GTC, than Vauxhall unveils a properly hot version - its new Astra VXR.

With 276bhp and 295lb ft from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor, the new hot hatch will be one of the most powerful hot hatches in its class, as well as the most powerful production Astra ever, although Vauxhall is yet to reveal full details of the car's performance.

The old VXR recipe of bunging in a load of power and hang the finesse seems to have been dropped as well - because looking at the spec sheet it seems the new Astra VXR might actually have a chance of matching its pace with some polished handling.

As with its GTC cousin, the new VXR comes equipped for starters with Vauxhall's HiPer Strut front suspension, which helps to both improve agility and reduce torque steer. On top of that there's also a proper mechanical LSD, adaptive switchable dampers and a Nurburgring sign-off programme helped along by touring car hero (and Le Mans winner) Jo Winkelhock (and what a legend he is).

Visually, the VXR gets a set of unique front and rear bumpers, side skirts, an aerodynamic roof spoiler and two trapezoidal exhaust tail pipes. Inside, the VXR's cabin gets 'performance' seats with embossed logos in the backs, a flat-bottomed VXR steering wheel and upgraded instruments.

There's no word on prices as yet, but we would bet against somewhere around the £25k mark when it goes on sale next year - putting it head to head with the new Ford Focus ST and Megane Renaultsport (both of which it will comfortably outgun).

[Itsallicanafford]

...is this shed of the week?

[StottyZr]

Vauxhall Scirocco? They're a couple of years late.

Edit: Although I do think it looks ALOT like a Scirocco, I think it looks very good (I like Scirocco's too)

Edited by StottyZr on Friday 4th November 09:36

[GroundEffect]

That looks good.

[anonymous-user]

Looking good, now the price...28k?

[5lab]

looks good. lets hope the tricky diff and front suspension is good enough to reign in the power (was on the focus rs)..

[davidsc]

Looks great!

No doubt will it put other cars in its class to shame.

[anonymous-user]

davidsc said:

Looks great!

No doubt will it put other cars in its class to shame.

has any other vxr done this before?

[Oddball RS]

Pity its not four paw, makes a car like this so much better in the wet, and lets face it, it tends to rain in the UK.

[Wilk0]

That number plate gets about!

[nick30]

StottyZr said:

Vauxhall Scirocco? They're a couple of years late.

Edit: Although I do think it looks ALOT like a Scirocco, I think it looks very good (I like Scirocco's too)

Edited by StottyZr on Friday 4th November 09:36

you know this is pistonheads? dont capitalise on spelling mistakes..

as for the astra, pah megane trophy any day of the week..

[Robmarriott]

doogz said:

Really? A shed load of power, proper limited slip diff, and supposedly a much better suspension set up than the last one, so you're slating it?

It might be crap. But it might be pretty freakin' good. On paper it should teach the ST a trick or two anyway.

Because it's a Vauxhall and no-one can ever accept that it is possible for them to make a good car!

If this was the Megane Trophy.....

[HellDiver]

Wonder if they'll change the steering compared to the SRI I drove earlier in the week. Like driving the Dukes of Hazzard car, trying to keep the damned thing in a straight line.

[Negative Creep]

Looks like its melted

[LuS1fer]

I really hope Vauxhall have put the effort into this car that it deserves. Gone are the days of the 16v having more power being enough to draw in buyers. I think it looks quite good, not over-garish like Fords and cheaper than a VW so it could stand a chance this time round.

[MarkRSi]

This new Megane looks alright, but not as distinctive as the old one IMO...

Oh wait no, it's the new Focus isn't it...?

[dele]

Sounds/looks like its got proper suspension, proper brakes, proper diff

Whats not to like? could be a bit of a surprise and a decent alternative to the Renaultsports

[Twincam16]

The Spruce goose said:

davidsc said:

Looks great!

No doubt will it put other cars in its class to shame.

has any other vxr done this before?

IIRC the latest Corsa VXR gives most of its rivals a good kicking.

[louiebaby]

Wilk0 said:

That number plate gets about!

Just what I was about to say!

Don't Aston have something like V 12 AML that ends up on their V12 press cars?

[Twincam16]

louiebaby said:

Wilk0 said:

That number plate gets about!

Just what I was about to say!

Don't Aston have something like V 12 AML that ends up on their V12 press cars?

Same seems to go for 911 HUL on new Porsche 911s.

[anything fast]

Now that is the first modern vauxhall i actually really, really like! Bravo.. looks far more grown up than the old chavvy VXR!

Loving the Brembo's..


lets hope the production version looks the same