VAUXHALL VXR8 SALOON FULL REVIEW

Vauxhall VXR8 Saloon full 9 point review

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

When a car is nicknamed 'The Thunder from Down Under', it gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect. The VXR8's 6.2-litre V8 serves up 425bhp and 405 lb ft of torque, and can blast the car from 0-60mph in just 4.9 sec (5.0 with the auto 'box). For such a big engine, it’s surprising that the bulk of the power is stacked high up in the rev range. Merely quick up to 4,000rpm, it’s absolutely ballistic thereafter.
Ride & Handling

4 out of 5 stars

The VXR8 has more going for it than just raw power. Continually adjustable dampers help the car feel both agile and supple, while sweetly weighted steering and a limited slip rear differential mean the VX is surprisingly easy to keep on track, even on narrow country roads. Equally, should you get too aggressive with the go-faster pedal, then the biggest brakes ever fitted to any roadgoing Vauxhall will help bring you back from the brink.
Refinement

4 out of 5 stars

The V8 engine growls like an angry pit bull when you stamp on it, and there’s a boomy resonance from the tailpipes even when you are cruising along in top gear. There's a bit of wind noise, and those fat tyres generate quite a bit of road noise, too, but it’s all in keeping with the VX’s muscle car character.

Buying & Owning

3 out of 5 stars

At £50,000 the VXR8 is no longer a cheap alternative to European super-saloons. Resale values are weak, if not horrific, but don't sign that cheque until you've considered the running costs, though. You'll pay a group 50 insurance premium and the car has official average economy of just 20.1mpg. Worse still, if you're not careful with your driving, you won’t get anywhere near that figure, and you could spend a fortune on tyres, too.
Quality & Reliability

3 out of 5 stars

For a car of this price, the VXR8's cabin isn't exactly plush - the plastics are more family hatchback than sports saloon. Still, they should last the test of time, and the car looks and feels well put-together. Vauxhall's reliability record has been improving in recent years, and despite the prodigious performance, the VXR8 has an excellent reliability record.
Safety & Security

3 out of 5 stars

The VXR8 can be a bit of a handful in slippery conditions, but thankfully stability control is fitted as standard. The high-performance brakes should also help keep you out of trouble, and there are six airbags and active head restraints, too. The car's not so great on the security front, though: you get an alarm and an immobiliser, but no deadlocks.

Behind The Wheel

3 out of 5 stars

The chunky bucket seats have plenty of adjustment to help you get comfortable at the wheel – as well as plenty of support to hold you in place when you're throwing the car around. The dash looks a bit plain, but all the controls are easy to use. However, the coffee-table-sized spoiler on the back obscures your rear view, and the handbrake is a bit awkward to use.
Space & Practicality

4 out of 5 stars

Cars this fast are rarely this roomy. The cabin is massive, and even the most generously proportioned passengers will have room to stretch out. There's space for three across the rear bench, too, provided that the occupant of the middle seat is prepared to straddle a bulky transmission tunnel. The boot is immense, too.
Equipment

3 out of 5 stars

You expect a few toys for this sort of cash – and you get them. The VXR8 comes with a full leather interior, dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable sports seats, a high-grade stereo with CD changer, automatic lights and wipers, parking sensors and USB inputs, iPod support and Bluetooth hands-free phone system as standard. On top of this, an Enhanced Driver Interface constantly streams real-time vehicle and performance data to a touch-screen located on the upper centre console.