Vauxhall VXR8
has been found wanting slightly in the value for money stakes; at £35K with 400hp, it was a roguish
Audi S4
alternative but it struggled when exchange rates forced it nearer £50,000 and Germany's best super saloons. The balance needed redressing, either with price cut or a dollop of extra power.
More sophisticated than the looks would suggest
Vauxhall has opted for power. And then more power. The VXR8 GTS will now be offered with the LSA engine from the
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
; fitted with an Eaton supercharger running 9psi of boost, it makes 585hp and 545lb ft of torque. Those figures represent gains of 154hp and 140lb ft over the LS3-engined VXR8, giving the latest GTS parity against the
Mercedes E63 AMG S
BMW M5
Jaguar XFR-S
. Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.
And the price for these huge power gains? Just £5,000, taking the VXR8's list price to £54,999, exactly £54 more than the outgoing BMW M3 coupe and rather less than the larger saloon rivals.
As always, the VXR8 is a Holden underneath, now the facelifted Gen-F Commodore GTS and the most powerful car ever made in Australia. Whilst the overhaul hasn't made the GTS/VXR8 the most elegant of saloons, it has ushered in a myriad of extra equipment.
While not ignoring the core values that matter
Brake Torque Vectoring uses the ESC to brake rear wheels and reduce understeer, for example. The Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) adaptive dampers are now in their third generation offer three settings: Touring, Sport and Track. The VXR8 also now features a Driver Preference Dial, GM's manettino with a rather more prosaic title. Its four options (Touring, Sport, Performance and Track) influence the traction control, stability control, torque vectoring, launch control (on manual versions), the bi-modal exhaust racket and the electric power steering.
So far, there hasn't been any word on performance for the new VXR8. The current car is capable of 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds which the supercharged car should improve on slightly. Top speed is likely to remain at a limited 155mph, albeit with the potential to reach that speed much, much more quickly than previously.
Powerfully built interior for the powerfully built
Hauling the VXR8 down is a set of AP Racing six-piston brakes of a larger diameter than before. The calipers are constructed from forged aluminium and the rear brake pads are also larger.
The VXR8's interior has also been given a nip-and-tuck as part of the facelift, with lots of new Assists and Alerts featuring on the equipment roster along with some updated dials and materials. There's an assist to help with parking, an alert for the blind spot and so on. Equipment of note inside includes the Forward Collision Alert, the first time a Vauxhall has been available with such technology. A camera scans the road and delivers a warning through the head-up display (natch) about an impending accident. The system can also close the gap between brake pad and disc to improve braking response time.
Plenty of gizmos in addition to the power boost
Vauxhall is taking orders for the VXR8 GTS from today, with deliveries expected at the end of 2013. But if that's too long to wait, just £18,000 buys an original
2009 VXR8
, probably the best-looking of all three generations. There's nothing to stop you
supercharging aused one