RE: Advertorial - Insignia VXR Gets A BTCC Workout

RE: Advertorial - Insignia VXR Gets A BTCC Workout

Monday 24th August 2009

Advertorial - Insignia VXR Gets A BTCC Workout

Touring car racer Paul O'Neill takes the new Vauxhall Insignia VXR for a spin



It is a truth universally acknowledged that, to paraphrase Jane Austen, if you give a professional racing driver a road car and an empty test track on which to drive it he will, not to put too fine a point on it, knacker it.

So it's hard to say what was more impressive when PH met up with touring car racer Paul O'Neill and the all-new Vauxhall Insignia VXR - the fact that the car took all the punishment Paul could throw at it, or that a professional racing driver was mechanically sympathetic to a road car. We'll call it a bit of both so that honour is satisfied for both parties.

We took Vauxhall's latest super-saloon to the famously challenging Alpine course at the Millbrook test facility to see how the Nurburgring-developed Insignia VXR would cope. And we put BTCC driver Paul O'Neill in the driving seat, just to add that extra bit of spice.


So what does he think? "It's a big car, but it just doesn't feel like it as soon as you chuck it into a bend," says Paul. "It's refined, comfortable and usable on the road - a real everyday car - yet once you get it on the Alpine course it feels like a proper sports car."

With 321bhp and 321lb ft on tap from its 2.8-litre turbocharged V6, the Insignia VXR certainly has the performance to match a 'proper' sports car; 60mph will arrive from a standstill in 5.6sec and the top speed is electronically limited to 155mph. Still, there's no pleasing a racing driver. "You know, I do wish it had a tiny bit more power" says Paul with a wink, before remembering his 'corporate responsibilities' and adding "only because the chassis would be so obviously up to it, of course." Yeah, right Paul...


But power is pointless unless it can be managed effectively - and this is where the Insignia VXR reveals a sleeve-ful of tricks. There's the adaptive 4x4 system - a first in a VXR product - the electronic limited-slip differential, and the three-mode FlexRide system. In regular mode the car's suspension, throttle response and steering is configured to be best-suited to everyday driving. Switch on the 'Sport' button and the dampers tighten up, reducing body roll. Hit the 'VXR' button and the Insignia chucks everything it has at you, tightening the suspension, sharpening the throttle response and making the steering more direct.

The cleverest trick of all, however, is the Insignia VXR's 'HiPerStrut' front suspension. This is an evolution of the regular MacPherson strut set-up used on ordinary Insignias and allows the front tyres to maintain a greater contact patch during cornering, improving grip levels and reducing understeer. We don't know this at the time - I only find that out later. Paul spots that there's something clever in the suspension straight away, though. "I don't know what they've done with this suspension, but it's trick stuff; well damped yet with a dead-firm rebound."

All that clever chassis technology is clearly confidence-inspiring, as Paul immediately attacks the twisty, tricky Millbrook hill route with gusto (having first switched to 'VXR' mode, of course). Despite the squeals of protest from the tyres, the VXR hangs on at improbably high speeds, all the while feeling totally secure.


Secure doesn't mean dull, though: "You can hardly tell it's got four-wheel drive, except under full power," says Paul casually as he gets hard on the accelerator out of a tight left-hander. "It's really very agile. It's got a nice, direct turn-in and you can almost drive it like a rear-wheel drive car; you roll the VXR into a corner, and get straight on the power after the apex. Mint."

The Insignia VXR feels exceedingly well damped, too; that trick front suspension clearly does its job well. There's one particular section of the hill route that's especially unnerving for passengers - a downhill straight followed by an off-camber right-hand bend that goes into a crest.

Despite its size, the VXR copes admirably. We head into the downhill braking zone and Paul gets hard on the four-pot Brembo brakes very late. I'm almost convinced that the negative camber of the turn is going to pitch us off the track but, with a squeal of tyres, the Insignia is through and accelerating towards the crest. Which we jump, taking to the air by what must be a clear 12 inches. I brace myself for a splitter-crunching, bump stop-testing impact as we land, but it never comes. Instead the Insignia touches down deftly and gently - almost as if it had never left the ground. Paul turns to me. "Now that is proper," he says with a grin.


We never turn the ESP off - on a track with this many trees and this much Armco at the side of the road you really wouldn't want to, even in a car as surefooted as the Insignia - but there really is no need to. Like the best electronic driver aids, the VXR's ESP gives you plenty of leeway before it will intervene on your behalf.

"The ESP is really unobtrusive," says Paul. "It lets you adjust the car's attitude in the corner quite a lot - but it's nice to know it's there to catch you. The only bit where it really intervenes around here is that bit where the crest just on the apex of a right-hand bend throws the right-rear wheel into the air. That sends the car sideways, but the ESP catches it before it gets too far out of line - which is a good thing, because we're travelling pretty quickly there."

After almost two hours of fairly continuous running, our time at Milbrook is up, and the Insignia VXR (and Paul) can take a well-earned rest, although the only tangible signs of the Insignia's thorough workout are some warm-smelling brakes and a very hot engine bay. For what is essentially a large family car - albeit a sporty one - to shrug off such punishment so easily is mightily impressive.











 

Author
Discussion

JC2012

Original Poster:

517 posts

215 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Looks pretty good too ! I saw this in the flesh at the VXR day i won through Pistonheads at the time they had a LHD model on display in black. I quite fancy going back there just to throttle this around the track! smile

adycav

7,615 posts

216 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
'Advertorial'?

Propoganda more like.

G0ldfysh

3,304 posts

256 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
please please buy this car


then in couple of years second hand values will be rock bottom and i will have a nice sensible saloon to drive.

sosidge

686 posts

214 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Advertorials on PH?

Credibility is hard earned and easily lost...

noclue

109 posts

175 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Mmmmm bit hard to make an judgement on a car being driven by a massively skilled racing driver built by his sponsor.

Lets face it he could have made milk float seem to have unreal grip!

Mrlol

174 posts

223 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
why is it so hard to believe that Opel Vauxhall have made a VXR thats good to drive. The previous vectra VXR had heaps of praise put upon it. Evo loved it, and most of the other publications such as auto express, autocar agreed. The only criticism was that it was front wheel drive and powerfull and behaved as you'd expect.

What did they say ? it was crying out for 4x4.

And now its got it, along with a clever front suspension technology called hipserstrut which is every bit as good as the revoknuckle.

The only issue will be that it does the same as other vauxhalls do - depreciate badly, and so will never be concieved a prestige brand. RRP is over 30k, but dealers are already taking pre orders @ 26k. The marking down has started already..

vz-r_dave

3,469 posts

217 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
I will look forward to reviews and ofcourse the laptime around the ring. I think the cockpit looks fantastic.


Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
vz-r_dave said:
I will look forward to reviews and ofcourse the laptime around the ring. I think the cockpit looks fantastic.
We do actually plan to take the Insignia around the 'Ring for an upcoming feature (although we won't be setting any laptimes!). You'll be able to read more about our impressions of the car, and the thoughts of its development engineers then

hugodc

65 posts

177 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Mrlol said:
why is it so hard to believe that Opel Vauxhall have made a VXR thats good to drive. The previous vectra VXR had heaps of praise put upon it. Evo loved it, and most of the other publications such as auto express, autocar agreed. The only criticism was that it was front wheel drive and powerfull and behaved as you'd expect.

What did they say ? it was crying out for 4x4.

And now its got it, along with a clever front suspension technology called hipserstrut which is every bit as good as the revoknuckle.

The only issue will be that it does the same as other vauxhalls do - depreciate badly, and so will never be concieved a prestige brand. RRP is over 30k, but dealers are already taking pre orders @ 26k. The marking down has started already..
so you read that review and think it is is an un biased truthful representation of the car. im sure it is pretty good but not quite as perfect as that would have you believe

j-j

45 posts

216 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
ADVERTORIAL...

Who else remembers the good old days?

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
j-j said:
ADVERTORIAL...

Who else remembers the good old days?
Oh come on now, our first was around 3 years ago. As long as they are about relevant cars I don't feel they ruin the experience of the site.

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

176 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Mrlol said:
why is it so hard to believe that Opel Vauxhall have made a VXR thats good to drive.
Experience.

B Oeuf

39,731 posts

283 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Mrlol said:
why is it so hard to believe that Opel Vauxhall have made a VXR thats good to drive.
Because this is PH and it is to be expected to ridicule everything with a Griffin badge regardless of knowledge or experience of the product

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

176 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Garlick said:
j-j said:
ADVERTORIAL...

Who else remembers the good old days?
Oh come on now, our first was around 3 years ago. As long as they are about relevant cars I don't feel they ruin the experience of the site.
Though those of us not on a PH salary may disagree. . . . . .

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
OnTheOverrun said:
Garlick said:
j-j said:
ADVERTORIAL...

Who else remembers the good old days?
Oh come on now, our first was around 3 years ago. As long as they are about relevant cars I don't feel they ruin the experience of the site.
Though those of us not on a PH salary may disagree. . . . . .
To save it going off topic, I will only say one more thing. We clearly mark them as advertorials so the reader may make the choice whether to read it, or avoid it. We can't do any more than that and it means the site stays free to all.

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

176 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Garlick said:
OnTheOverrun said:
Garlick said:
j-j said:
ADVERTORIAL...

Who else remembers the good old days?
Oh come on now, our first was around 3 years ago. As long as they are about relevant cars I don't feel they ruin the experience of the site.
Though those of us not on a PH salary may disagree. . . . . .
To save it going off topic, I will only say one more thing. We clearly mark them as advertorials so the reader may make the choice whether to read it, or avoid it. We can't do any more than that and it means the site stays free to all.
Just out of interest, how much did Vauxhall pay PH to run that ad?

ETA: Consider that rhetorical, I wasn't really expecting an answer. wink

Edited by OnTheOverrun on Monday 24th August 14:34

Staffy1984

316 posts

179 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
hugodc said:
Mrlol said:
why is it so hard to believe that Opel Vauxhall have made a VXR thats good to drive. The previous vectra VXR had heaps of praise put upon it. Evo loved it, and most of the other publications such as auto express, autocar agreed. The only criticism was that it was front wheel drive and powerfull and behaved as you'd expect.

What did they say ? it was crying out for 4x4.

And now its got it, along with a clever front suspension technology called hipserstrut which is every bit as good as the revoknuckle.

The only issue will be that it does the same as other vauxhalls do - depreciate badly, and so will never be concieved a prestige brand. RRP is over 30k, but dealers are already taking pre orders @ 26k. The marking down has started already..
so you read that review and think it is is an un biased truthful representation of the car. im sure it is pretty good but not quite as perfect as that would have you believe
Perfect???

They hardly make it sound perfect.

The guy even said it could do with a bit more power (but then again we can always do with a bit more power can't we!!!)

Look forward to an unbiased review by the PH Guys, then look at the second hand prices.

Carrera RS

24 posts

175 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
It seems like a good car all round...except from the fact its a Vauxhall which is social suicide!

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

176 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Carrera RS said:
It seems like a good car all round...except from the fact its a Vauxhall which is social suicide!
I don't have a problem with the Vauxhall badge, in fact my next car is highly likely to be a VXR8, but having recently had two Insignias as rental cars I would be amazed if anyone could turn it into an enjoyable drivers car, but I remain open-minded and hope I'm proven wrong! smile

j-j

45 posts

216 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Garlick said:
j-j said:
ADVERTORIAL...

Who else remembers the good old days?
Oh come on now, our first was around 3 years ago. As long as they are about relevant cars I don't feel they ruin the experience of the site.
I didn't realise that there had been others. Now I know...

The reason why I feel that a line has been crossed is because how can someone read an article like this and take a 100% balanced view point? I assume that these column inches were paid for, and approved by the manufacturer, with one of their contracted drivers supplying most of the feedback. Pistonheads is known for great impartial reviews and now (for me anyway) the impartiality is not quite what I thought it to be. Maybe its just me and thus 1 vistor is not going to loose you any sleep...

I guess the 'Get out of Jail' card is that you let us readers know that it is an advertorial, but I still feel:

Leave the advertising (advert boxes, banners etc.) to the sales people and leave the content, reviews and articles to the journos and editors.

Then we all know where we stand and what to expect. The moment these start to be mixed is when you can identify the most informative and objective sites from... the rest.