Vauxhall

VXR8

The company’s excellent racing track record has inspired the creation of the Vauxhall VXR8 range. With its mighty V8 engine, it delivers blistering acceleration and outstanding handling. Its streamlining is also likely to attract attention from jealous onlookers.

The good

The looks are stunning and the performance matches them

The bad

Fuel economy - ouch!

Tech Specs

Price from

£54,509

Combined Fuel up to

18.5mpg

0-62 from

4.2 seconds

max speed up to

155mph

co2 from

363g/km

Test Drive

Vauxhall VXR8 GTS 6.2i V8 Supercharged (576PS)

Muscle car isn’t a term usually associated with the Vauxhall brand, but the mighty VXR8 GTS re-writes the rule book in so many ways.

With performance to match the likes of BMW’s M5 and Mercedes GL63 this car not only looks the business, but has a price-tag that beggars belief.

For despite packing a bruising 6.2-litre V8 Supercharged engine with a whopping 576bhp and 740Nm of torque the VXR8 GTS is priced at less than £55k.

And for that outlay, you can expect a 0-60 sprint time of just 4.1 seconds and a top speed which is limited to 155mph.

The power is instantaneous the second you apply the slightest pressure to the throttle and it keeps on coming. Road-holding is magnificent and the tightest of bends can be attacked and conquered with confidence.

And if the roar of the engine doesn’t grab the attention of onlookers, then the styling and beautifully-crafted design certainly will. The test car featured 20-inch Blade forged alloys in satin graphite, projector headlights, LED daytime running lights, sports LED rear lights, a rear performance spoiler, a rear bumper incorporating a lo-line sports spoiler and quad exhaust pipes with shadow chrome tips, a new-look twin nostril grille and that wide, sporty and aggressive stance.

And all this in a dazzling Fantale Orange shade that can probably be seen from outer space!

The interior is packed with technology and once you take your place in the VXR performance seats in Onyx with leather trim, it’s impossible not to be impressed with the car’s overall wow factor.

Techno treats include heated front seats which have eight-way electronic adjustment, sports pedals, a premium BOSE sound system with nine speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone climate control, a leather flat-bottomed sports steering wheel and an eight-inch high resolution colour touchscreen display.

There is VXR8 badging throughout just in case you somehow manage to forget what car you are in and plenty more besides.

And despite its awesome performance capabilities, the four-door VXR8 GTS has a sensible, practical side too with a generously-sized boot and lots of smaller storage compartments throughout the cabin.

But in all honesty, this car is all about driving dynamics and performance and it delivers on both counts.

The six-speed manual transmission is aggressive and very responsive and the power on tap is relentless. The car almost explodes into action as the speedo needle flashes through the motions.

There are four driving modes – Tour is fairly respectable and almost quiet, then Sport ups the decibels considerably. Next up, are Performance and Track and they are really self-explanatory!

These differing modes adjust the vehicle’s electronic stability control, traction control, launch control, Bi-Modal exhaust, brake torque vectoring and electronic power steering accordingly.

A head-up display is also very useful for keeping a watchful eye on your speed because the VXR8 GTS is exceptionally quick.

The driving experience can be as thrilling as you choose and the handling is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Acceleration is blisteringly fast and the power is truly relentless.

Of course, the car is packed with the finest and most comprehensively advanced range of safety features to keep all occupants as safe as possible.

Admittedly regular trips to the petrol pumps will be essential as the vehicle averages just 18.9mpg and you won’t make many friends in the green brigade either as the carbon emissions are a whopping 363g/km.

But sometimes, just sometimes, those statistics don’t matter. The VXR8 GTS is a brilliant car that puts all the fun and dynamism back into driving – for the very reasonable price of £54,499.