The new Vauxhall Astra VXR has landed! Based on the Astra GTC and available to UK buyers in early 2012, the high-performance VXR can top 155mph, making it the fastest production Astra ever.
From the outside the Astra VXR has a more extreme appearance displaying a roof spoiler, sportier bumpers and side skirts plus two trapeze-shaped exhaust pipes.
Fitted with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that produces 280bhp, Vauxhall has also included a specially developed limited slip differential to help the front wheels grip the road during hard acceleration and cornering.
Featuring competition-derived Brembo brakes as standard, much of the handling setup was developed at the world famous Nurburgring circuit in Germany. Vauxhall's adaptive FlexRide system is also installed along with a Sport and VXR button, allowing drivers to choose from even more focused suspension, throttle and steering settings.
The cabin gets performance seats, a flat-bottomed VXR steering wheel and upgraded instruments.
The new Astra features a quality and solidity that's right up there with the Volkswagen Golf, especially in its impressive interior. On the road, it rivals the Ford Focus. As a range, the Astra will be a very strong contender in the family hatchback segment. The practical estate and sporty three-door GTC coupe models join the line-up later in 2011.
The Styling
Hot on the heels of the gorgeous Astra GTC, the VXR is based on the same three-door bodyshell – which is a good start.
It gets a specially designed VXR body kit including new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, two trapezoidal tail pipes and an aerodynamic roof spoiler.
Unlike previous models, the visual styling is rather subtle and all the better as a result.
The exterior look is completed by 20 inch multi-spoke alloys and huge Brembo brakes.
Inside, the VXR gets special performance seats with embossed logos, upgraded instruments and a flat-bottomed VXR steering wheel. Very sporty.
The Engine
Power comes from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit. Thanks to direct injection and turbo charging it pushes out 276bhp and 295 lb ft of torque.
That’s 40bhp more than the original model.
It also means it will be good for a top speed of 155mph. Apart from that, no performance figures have been released. But here’s a little clue…
Its predecessor, the 236bhp Astra VXR could reach 62 mph in 6.2 seconds, so you can draw your own conclusions.
The Mechanicals
Vauxhall claims that the VXR chassis has been specially tuned turning it into a focused, high-performance coupe.
That means a specially developed mechanical limited slip differential, the High Performance Strut (HiPerStrut) from the Insignia VXR, brakes by Brembo and the FlexRide adaptive damper system.
However, 276bhp is a lot of power to put through the front wheels. Hopefully any torque steer will be kept at bay by the HiPerStrut front suspension and the limited slip diff.
Two buttons labeled “sport” and “VXR” allow you to tighten up the performance of the steering, throttle and dampers for maximum control.
To show how serious Vauxhall is about the VXR, much of the chassis development work was done at the Nurburgring Nordschleife – Overseen by Le Mans 24-hour winner “Smokin’ Jo” Winklehock who said “we have devised a great package that will convince even the most experienced and enthusiastic drivers – and not just on the Nurburgring.”
We hope so Jo, we hope so.
Pricing And Availability
Order books for the VXR open in spring 2012 with the first deliveries expected during the summer.
Prices will be revealed in due course, but will come in below £30,000 – Expect to pay around £28,000.
If that’s too much for you, there’s also a five-door diesel power GSI with around 200bhp on the horizon for 2012.
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