Vauxhall VX220: Spotted

There are still tidy-looking VX220s available for £10k - what's stopping you?

What with the PSA takeover of Vauxhall, the demise of Australian Holden production and the wider industry's current obsession with crossovers, it's hard to imagine interesting cars emerging from Luton any time soon. Certainly nothing as intriguing as the little VX220, which stands as a beacon of excitement in the rather ordinary history of 21st century Vauxhalls.

Actually, that's not entirely fair. In the early 2000s there was sufficient stuff to get excited about, with Astra Coupes dominant in the BTCC (and spawning potent road cars), the bonkers Zafira GSI being launched, and the Aussie V8s not far away. However, the VX220 remains perhaps one of the most desirable products to have ever been produced by Vauxhall, even if prices still don't quite reflect that.

Sure, you'll well know that a chunk of the car (and therefore the appeal) is Lotus-based, although this was a far more extensive rework than plonking a Griffin badge on a Monaro. It was a Vauxhall design, with a Vauxhall engine and Vauxhall set-up - indeed just 10 per cent was said to be shared with the Lotus, chiefly that extruded aluminium tub.

With both naturally-aspirated and eventually turbocharged engines, the VX220 proved a hit when new. What's happened now, with even the very newest VXs at 13 years old, is that the run-out VXR220s are much in demand, a good Turbo isn't far behind and many have been recorded as Cat C or Cat D write offs. Damage to the front or rear clam is very expensive to replace, hence the oft-seen classification.

What's left as a result is a batch of standard 2.2-litre cars that still look rather good value. We're no longer talking of the scandalously cheap £6k cars that were around a few years ago, but £10k still secures a nice VX220 - much like this one. It's a totally standard silver car with 62,000 miles, with the added benefit of four new dampers, a set of fresh Bridgestones, a fluid flush plus all discs and pads done at 60k. Despite the design first being seen on the Speedster concept car more than 19 years ago, the VX220 still looks contemporary enough and is guaranteed to deliver the kind of driving experience that makes a mockery of many more expensive sports cars. After all, Elises are still lauded for exactly that, aren't they?

Ah yes, the Lotus question. There is of course no way to avoid it when 220s are in discussion, though there's also no way to avoid the fact that an equivalent Elise will still cost you a good chunk more. See for example this Sport 135 which, despite being more powerful than standard, is still down against the Vauxhall. Its mileage is fractionally higher too, and is on offer from a private seller, yet costs £3,000 more. The Lotus badge certainly has its allure, but it's difficult to ignore the value for money presented by the Vauxhall.

And as we seem to say more often than not in these classifieds-based features, this sort of car won't happen again. Yes, Lotus is still making an Elise, though it's a more expensive sports car prospect than it's ever been. As the world moves away from genuine no-frills, pared back motoring, those who do yearn for exactly that will surely be after cars like the VX220 more desperately than ever. Which sounds like great news for the buyer of this one; even more appealing though, surely, is the prospect of keeping the VX220 you bought for £10k for as long as is humanly possible.

SPECIFICATION - VAUXHALL VX220

Engine: 2,198cc, 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 147@5,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 149@4,000rpm
MPG: 33
CO2: 205g/km
First registered: 2002
Recorded mileage: 62,000
Price new: £22,809
Yours for: £10,995