GENEVA: Vauxhall VXR8

[RJB]

GM@Geneva
DON'T MOURN MONARO – HERE COMES THE VXR8!

• New Vauxhall supersaloon on sale in July, priced at £34,995
• 6.0-litre V8, 420bhp, 0-60mph in 4.9 secs.
• First VXR model available with an auto gearbox

Motoring enthusiasts across Britain mourned the passing of the Monaro. The only Australian-built car to be sold in the UK offered raw and exciting performance thanks to its 6.0-litre V8 and rear-wheel drive set up.

But the thunder from down under hasn't stopped yet – in fact it's only going to get louder. Vauxhall has announced the arrival of a new Aussie musclecar – the VXR8 – and it's more powerful and exciting than even the legendary Monaro.

The dramatic-looking new saloon is powered by the same 6.0-litre V8 as the outgoing Monaro VXR, but revisions to the engine have made it even more efficient. It now develops a massive 420PS and 550Nm of torque, giving it enough grunt to sprint from 0-60mph in just 4.9 seconds. No other supercar offers this sort of power for anywhere near the VXR8's price.

Yet the VXR8, based on Australia 's Holden HSV Clubsport R8, offers more in the way of practicality than the outgoing Monaro, with four doors and space for all the family.

Although practical, with a spacious boot, comfortable, long-legged cruising ability and luxuries such as climate control and leather trim, the VXR8 is certainly no softie. Driver aids such as the stability system and traction control can be turned off at the flick of a switch – perfect for drivers who want to hone their skills on a track day!

And VXR8 goes as well as it stops, too, with powerful 365mm front disc brakes that slow the car down from 60mph to a standstill faster than a Lamborghini Murcielago or BMW M5.

In response to customer demand, the VXR8 will also be the first VXR model to be offered with an automatic gearbox. In order to maintain the control which VXR buyers require, the optional £1,400 self-shifter has a manual override and a sport setting which ensure the performance isn't blunted – in fact the auto is only half a second slower to 60mph than the manual!

Satellite navigation and 20-inch wheels will be offered as options for those who want to make their VXR8 look more distinctive and help find their way to the best driving roads. Even with all the option boxes ticked however, the VXR8 is still around half the price of other cars with comparable performance. As all fast car fans know, Aussie rules.......

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A pretty impressive car, does this signal more performance for the G8 in the future?

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/first_officia...=499&page=1

[Intrepidation]

How come Vauxhall gets cooler (20 inch) wheels and the fast steering wheel but the G8 doesn't?

[Robert Hall]

How come Vauxhall gets cooler (20 inch) wheels and the fast steering wheel but the G8 doesn't?

Because British Vauxhall customers are more likely to pay extra for such goodies than an American Pontiac customers?

[CSpec]

The back end looks worse here.

[Northstar]

The center gauge pod is sweet and the seats look fabulous with the suede (or whatever) on them but otherwise I prefer the G8's exterior. Perhaps we will get a G8 GXP with the 20s, LS3, and interior modifications that this has.

[Intrepidation]

The center stack is nicer than the G8's too, the guage pods plus the way it flows more gracefully. Both interiors are good but the subtle differences make me like this one better.

[Carguy]

Being that its JUST different enough from the G8 in some styling details I cant help but think.----What a great OLDS Cutless Supreme that would have made!!

[Guest YellowJacket894]

This is essentially the HSV Senator, I think. I also wouldn't rule out seeing those interior bits and wheels on the GXP model, either.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Just in case you're not sure, I hate the the Aussie Zeta in any form it takes. I await the North American version, that hopefully will be built in Oshawa!!!

[big blue]

Not a big fan of the front end. That rear is interesting, I'm not sure if I like it more or less than the Commodore or G8. It's just different, the taillights themselves are actually quite cool looking, I don't know if it flows well with the back end design however. G8's is more of a traditional sporty style.

[BatmanGTO]

Minus one spoiler and ill think about it.... *wish it was a coupe*

[vrazzhledazzle]

It looks sweet from everywhere except the front. I'm really not feelin the front.

The rims are probably show-only just like with the G8.

I'm pretty happy to say though that I like our G8 better.

[Casket Demon]

Hmmm.....I like this better than the G8 the front end is better looking,the spolier is another thing I like,and the wheels and tailights and much better than the tailights and wheels that remind me of a Lexus IS 300 and Nissan Altima.

[Gord]

It looks sweet from everywhere except the front. I'm really not feelin the front.

The rims are probably show-only just like with the G8.

I'm pretty happy to say though that I like our G8 better.

Front end kinda looks like Mitsubishi design to me

[Imaj]

This should be the G8 GXP.

[Cory Wolfe]

How come Vauxhall gets cooler (20 inch) wheels and the fast steering wheel but the G8 doesn't?

Well, for one its a straight up rebadge of the Holden HSV Clubsport R8. Other than the badges, it's identical, which can't be said for the G8. Plus, it's going to be much more expensive than the G8 for obvious reasons.

[ZL-1]

This is essentially the HSV Senator, I think. I also wouldn't rule out seeing those interior bits and wheels on the GXP model, either.

Clubsport R8, not Senator.

HSVs have funky tail lights.

[Dragon]

mmm, any chance we'd see this over here?

[douglask]

The HSV GTS sports the huge 20" deep dish alloy wheels in Chrome Shadow as standard, while the HSV ClubSport R8 comes with 19". So it looks like the VXR8 is dipping in the parts bin for at least a couple of the HSV models.

Edited February 27, 2007 by douglask

[ponchoman49]

It looks like something from the 90's! The wheels and powertrain are great and the interior, sans the relentless black lung charcoal look, are done right. The side is generic and the exterior overall is just another rehash of a rehash.

[Clownzilla]

I like the rear of this better than the G8. The G8 rear reminds me too much of a Dodge Avenger.

[Z-06]

Which brings me a question is a high output G8 on the cards?

Possibly looking at about 400-425 hp?

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

This is the tail light design which the G8 should've featured except positioned where the G8 tail lights are positioned instead of below the body line like that.

We can only hope the G8 will receive this wheel option, because those are gorgeous wheels, even much better than the wheels the cars was introduced with.

AND, give me the Pontiac twin grille, with this lower bumper design and we have a G8 that I'd gladly buy.

[David]

The side profile is awesome, very well executed.

The front end leaves a lot to be desired, very boring and dull. The headlamps are a true knock off of the R34/35 Nissan Skyline.

I lover the upper half of the rear-end. The wing and tail lights are great. I even like the dual exhaust system. Yet from the top of the bumper to the bottom it just seems wrong in the execution of it.

Here's hoping to a better product in the G8.

[gm4life]

I love the interior, exterior sucks all around the G8 looks WAAAAY better, I do wan the 420 ponies and 20's tho.

[Sixty8panther]

I like it... there's something more original about the rear than the 1995 Dodge Stealth tail lights that are on the G8.

[Intrepidation]

I like it... there's something more original about the rear than the 1995 Dodge Stealth tail lights that are on the G8.

The `95 Stealth didn't have clear tail lights...

[pow]

20" wheels exaggerate the wheel gap. Needs to be lowered.

This car makes so much more sense than a 300C SRT-8 in Europe.

[thegriffon]

Because British Vauxhall customers are more likely to pay extra for such goodies than an American Pontiac customers?

Spot on. The Vauxhall is £34,995 ($US 68,530) and the G8 will will be $US26-35,000 (maybe $45K with all options)?

[thegriffon]

I love the interior, exterior sucks all around the G8 looks WAAAAY better, I do wan the 420 ponies and 20's tho.

That's 420 hp DIN. In SAE hp it's probably only as much as the CTS V-series or Corvette.

[LosAngeles]

I always loved Vauxhall.....great millenium Lotus Carlton follow-up.

but...

Is this an implication Vauxhall is again separating from mainland Europe's Opel? What stops such a car from being offered in Germany, France, et al?

I'm also surprised I haven't heard a ton of rice calls in this post.

[Jamie]

Test from Fifth Gear (note: the audio is a bit out of synch)