VXR
Encyclopedia
VXRacing, commonly known as VXR, is the branding for the high-performance trim specification, for models in many of Vauxhall
's car range in the United Kingdom
. It replaces the GSi branding (which itself replaced the GTE label) which was previously used on top-end high-performance models. VXR models are produced and developed by Opel Performance Center
, a subsidiary of Opel
and Holden Special Vehicles
, the performance vehicle partner of Holden
.
The VXR brand is closely linked to VX Racing, Vauxhalls BTCC
team, and the VXR versions of the cars are race track-styled models, with high performance capabilities.
The VXR range started with the limited edition VXR220 (a modified Vauxhall VX220
Turbo), and was then followed by the rebadged Holden
Monaro
VXR. It has since been joined by the Astra VXR
in October 2005, and subsequently Zafira
, Vectra
, Corsa
, Insignia
and Meriva
versions. The VXR range is expected to include most of the current Vauxhall range, the exceptions likely to only be the Agila
and Antara.
VXR is currently only used on the models released under the Vauxhall brand. The Astra VXR was marketed in Australia
as the HSV VXR by Holden Special Vehicles
from 2006 to 2009.
The Corsa VXR Nurburgring Edition, due to be released in May 2011 will feature a reworked version of the VXR's 1.6-litre turbo engine as well as a sports exhaust and a modified turbocharger system.
Insignia VXR
VXR8 Bathurst S
(New 4-door Monaro
VXR replacement (available with Supercharger kit (costing £7000) as of 9/7/08)
Only 65 of these were ever built and each is individually numbered.
Monaro VXR(2005-7)
(a rebadged HSV GTO)
Vectra VXR(2005–09)
Meriva VXR (2006-2009/10)
Astra (Mk5) VXR
Zafira VXR
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
's car range in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It replaces the GSi branding (which itself replaced the GTE label) which was previously used on top-end high-performance models. VXR models are produced and developed by Opel Performance Center
Opel Performance Center
Opel Performance Center GmbH, commonly known as OPC, is an independent subsidiary of the german automaker Opel, which is responsible for the planning, development and coordination of all motorsport activities in charge of Opel in Europe....
, a subsidiary of Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
and Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles is the officially designated performance vehicle partner of Australian automobile manufacturer Holden. Established in 1987 and based in Clayton, Victoria, the company modifies Holden models such as the Commodore, Caprice and Ute and markets them under the HSV brandname.-...
, the performance vehicle partner of Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
.
The VXR brand is closely linked to VX Racing, Vauxhalls BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
team, and the VXR versions of the cars are race track-styled models, with high performance capabilities.
The VXR range started with the limited edition VXR220 (a modified Vauxhall VX220
Vauxhall VX220
The Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 is a British-built mid engined, targa-topped, 2-seater sports car introduced in the summer of 2000.It was built in both right-hand drive and left-hand drive versions at the Lotus Cars plant in Hethel, Norfolk, England. It was sold as the Vauxhall VX220 in the UK,...
Turbo), and was then followed by the rebadged Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
Monaro
Holden Monaro
The Holden Monaro is an automobile that was produced by GM Holden Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of General Motors, between 1968 and 1977 and between 2001 and 2005...
VXR. It has since been joined by the Astra VXR
Opel Astra
The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America...
in October 2005, and subsequently Zafira
Opel Zafira
The Opel Zafira is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The Zafira is sold under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom.- Zafira A :...
, Vectra
Opel Vectra
The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
, Corsa
Opel Corsa
The front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
, Insignia
Opel Insignia
The Opel Insignia is a large family car engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. Production of the Insignia began in 2008 as a replacement for the Opel Vectra. Opel launched the vehicle at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London as the Vauxhall Insignia, reflecting the...
and Meriva
Opel Meriva
The Opel Meriva is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The car is sold under the Opel brand on all of the European markets with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva, and Latin America, where it carried the Chevrolet badge. It...
versions. The VXR range is expected to include most of the current Vauxhall range, the exceptions likely to only be the Agila
Opel Agila
The Opel Agila is a city car marketed since 2000 by German automaker Opel as a rebadged variant of the Suzuki Wagon R and Suzuki Splash manufactured by Magyar Suzuki. The same vehicle is rebadged as a Vauxhall in the United Kingdom....
and Antara.
VXR is currently only used on the models released under the Vauxhall brand. The Astra VXR was marketed in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as the HSV VXR by Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles is the officially designated performance vehicle partner of Australian automobile manufacturer Holden. Established in 1987 and based in Clayton, Victoria, the company modifies Holden models such as the Commodore, Caprice and Ute and markets them under the HSV brandname.-...
from 2006 to 2009.
The Corsa VXR Nurburgring Edition, due to be released in May 2011 will feature a reworked version of the VXR's 1.6-litre turbo engine as well as a sports exhaust and a modified turbocharger system.
Current VXR models
Corsa VXR- Launched mid-April 2007
- Price of £18,195
- 1.6i Turbo 16v engine (Z16LER)
- 189 bhp
- Large front air intakes with honeycomb grilles, bulging wheelarches and ground hugging front spoiler
- Rear venturi-style bumper
- Central trapezoidal exhaust
- 0-62 mi/h 6.8secs
- Maximum speed 140 mi/h
- 17 inch alloys (optional 18 inch)
- ESP stability control system
- Traction Control
- Heavily bolstered Recaro bucket seats and VXR badging
- MP3-compatible sound system
- 5 second Torque Overboost when fully depressing accelerator pedal
Insignia VXR
- Available in the styles of the 4-Door Saloon,5-Door Liftback,and 5-Door Sports Tourer.
- Base price ~£32,290 (Liftback) ~£32,290 (Saloon) and £33,690 (Sports Tourer)
- 2.8 V6 Turbo
- 320 bhp
- 20" Forged 7 spoke alloy wheels
- 0-62 mi/h 5.6secs
- 6-speed Manual Transmission.
- Recaro front sport seats.
- Unique VXR gear knob, alloy pedals and still plates.
- Flat-bottom VXR sports streeing wheel
- CD 500 satellite navigation system
- Maximum Speed: 155 mi/h (electronically limited) 170 mi/h (without limiter, i.e. with 'Unlimited' option)
VXR8 Bathurst S
(New 4-door Monaro
Holden Monaro
The Holden Monaro is an automobile that was produced by GM Holden Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of General Motors, between 1968 and 1977 and between 2001 and 2005...
VXR replacement (available with Supercharger kit (costing £7000) as of 9/7/08)
- Base price ~£35,000 (Supercharged version £42000)
- 6.0 litre V8 or 6.2 litre V8 in models after 2008
- 0 - 60 mi/h in 3.2 seconds (manual version)
- Electrically adjustable leather-covered sports front seats
- Adjustable driver and front passenger seat lumber support
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Six-disc in-dash CD player. MP3 Compatible
- Eleven speakers including sub-woofers
- Leather-covered sports steering wheel
- Cruise control
- 21" inch hand-smithed g6 twin-spoke alloy wheels
- Aluminium VXR badged pedals
- Bluetooth
- Maximum Speed:201 mi/h
Former VXR models
VXR220(2004-5)- 2.0i Turbo 16v engine
- 220 bhp @ 6300 rpm @ 4800 rpm
- 0-60 mi/h in 4.2 seconds
- Top speed 153 mi/h
- Five-spoke Speedline satin-black alloy wheels
- 195/50R16 Yokohama A048R LTS tyres at the front
- 225/45R17 Yokohama A048R LTS tyres at the back
- Free flow air filter
- Hybrid turbochargerTurbochargerA turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
- Re-Mapped ECU
- Re-programmed ABSAnti-lock braking systemAn anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
- Uprated and lowered springs
- Uprated dampers
- Uprated brakes with 288 mm discs
Only 65 of these were ever built and each is individually numbered.
Monaro VXR(2005-7)
(a rebadged HSV GTO)
- Base price ~£37,000
- 6 litre V8 engine
- 400 bhp @ 6000 rpm
- 0-62 mi/h in 5.2 seconds
- Maximum speed 170 mi/h+
- Sports grille, wide lower air intake and bonnet scoops
- Side sills with 'shark gills'
- Front strut brace
- Unique 19 inches (482.6 mm) alloy wheels
- VXR branded brake calipers
- Uprated sports suspension
- Drive-by-wire throttle control
- Grooved, ventilated brake discs all round
- VXR sports instruments
- Blaupunkt radio with in-dash CD multichanger and 10 speakers
- Electronic Climate Control (ECC)
- Replaced by the VXR8
Vectra VXR(2005–09)
- Available in both Hatchback and Estate versions
- Base price: £24,395 (Hatch) and £25,495 (Estate)
- 2.8i 24v V6V6 engineA V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
Turbo engine - 280 bhp or 255 bhp in earlier models
- 0-62 mi/h in 6.1 seconds (Hatchback), 6.3 seconds (Estate)
- Maximum speed 161 mph (Hatchback), 158 mph (Estate). Later models were restricted to 155 mph
- 18" five-spoke alloy wheels with 225/45R18 tyres (optional 19" 10-spoke wheels)
- Improved Interactive Driving System (IDS2), including Continuous Damping Control (CDC) suspension system
- Upgraded brakes (345 mm discs on front wheels, 292 mm on rear wheels)
- Xenon HID headlamps
- Twin trapezoidal rear exhausts
- Replaced by the Insignia VXR.
Meriva VXR (2006-2009/10)
- Base price ~£16500
- 1.6i Turbo 16V engine
- 180 bhp
- 0-60 mi/h 7.9 Seconds
- Ins Group: 12E
- Top speed 137 mi/h
- Brakes: 308 mm front discs, 264 mm rear discs
- 17" six-spoke alloy wheels
- Recaro sports seats with leather-trimmed side bolsters and lumbar adjustment
- VXR sports front grille and air dam/bumper
- Air-conditioning
- CD 30 MP3 stereo radio/CD with MP3 capability
- Remote control ultrasonic security alarm system
- Unique VXR instrument panel
Astra (Mk5) VXR
- Base price ~£19,420
- 2.0i Turbo 16V engine (Z20LEH)
- 240ps / 236 bhp
- 0-62 mi/h in 6.2 seconds
- Maximum speed 152 mi/h
- Insurance group: 17E
- Central trapezoidal rear exhaust
- Uprated turbocharger and fuel injection system
- Revised inlet and exhaust manifolds
- 18" six-spoke alloy wheels with 225/40R18 tyres (optional 19" 10-spoke wheels)
- Lowered and uprated suspension
- VXR front fog lamps and other external styling incl. spoiler
- Recaro part-leather seats
- Main options include - IDS+ Continuous damping control, Adaptive Forward Lighting with xenon bulbs, keyless entry, full leather interior and SATNAV.
Zafira VXR
- Base price ~£22,740
- 2.0i Turbo 16V engine
- 240ps / 237 bhp
- 0-62 mi/h 7.2 seconds
- Fastest MPV in production
- Maximum speed 144 mi/h
- Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)
- IDS+ Continuous Damping Control suspension system
- 18" alloy wheels (19" options)
- Twin trapezoidal rear exhausts
- Uprated brakes (321 mm discs on front wheels)
- VXR three-spoke performance steering wheel with VXR logo
- VXR Recaro seat trim
- Security alarm
- Sport switch
- Sports suspension
- CD30 MP3 CD player
- Dark-tinted rear glass
- Front fog lights
See also
- IrmscherIrmscherIrmscher Automobilbau GmbH & Co. KG is a German automobile tuning and manufacturing company specialising in Opel and recently Peugeot cars....
- OPCOpel Performance CenterOpel Performance Center GmbH, commonly known as OPC, is an independent subsidiary of the german automaker Opel, which is responsible for the planning, development and coordination of all motorsport activities in charge of Opel in Europe....
- Steinmetz Opel TuningSteinmetz Opel TuningSteinmetz is an automobile tuning company specialising in Opel cars, based in Aachen, Germany. They develop higher performance engines, sports suspension, special exhausts and complete aerodynamic bodystyling kits. Their engineers believe that the proving ground for all products is still in...
- Vauxhall MotorsVauxhall MotorsVauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...