Opel Corsa OPC & Vauxhall Corsa VXR styling kit

You might lack the ‘OPC / VXR” punch (192Hp from the 1.6Turbo) but there’s no reason to lack the looks if you’ve chosen a Corsa. And here’s where Opel / Vauxhall jumps in offering an OPC / VRX inspired full bodykit for a “mere” £1249 (1.840 EUR -2.457 USD in the UK). We strongly recommend though that you add on a set of rims if you don’t want to look like a pimped-up jack-ass... -Continued: Click “Read More…” below to see the official press release

GENETICALLY MODIFY YOUR CORSA WITH VXR STYLING KIT

Vauxhall’s highly acclaimed new Corsa hatchback looks great from any angle, but now thousands of customers who rushed out to buy one soon after launch can add extra flair and excitement inspired by the manufacturer’s VXR racing team.

The aftersales experts at Vauxhall have come up with a VXR styling kit that provides more than a flavour of the factory model, but will not break the bank. It’s available from Vauxhall retailers throughout the country now.

Made to fit both three and five door versions of the latest generation Corsa, the kit consists of a front lower spoiler, rear roof spoiler, side sills and rear lower skirt to recreate the dramatic styling cues of Vauxhall’s race-inspired range of high performance cars.

The full VXR styling kit can be supplied and fitted to match body colour for £1249 (1.840 EUR -2.457 USD. If your funds will not run to that, the rear roof spoiler can be supplied and fitted on its own for £269.

No car customising is complete without a set of stylish alloy wheels. A whole new range of Irmscher alloys specially designed for the new Corsa are available from Vauxhall retailers, with prices starting at £391 for a set of four 14 inch wheels.

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Vauxhall VXR8 420Hp - UK version of the Holden HSV Clubsport R8 breaks cover

Brits are going to get a taste of "Down Unda" V8 thunder as GM’s UK subsidiary just revealed the Holden HSV Clubsport R8 based, Vauxhall VXR8. Fitted witth GM’s 6,1-liter V8 that pumps out 420Hp, the VXR8 sprints from 0-60mph (96km/h) in just 4.9 seconds. It will be available with a 6speed manual or 6speed sequential auto-box. With a tag price of 34.995 BP (68,700 USD or 52.200 EUR) the VXR8 is a tad cheaper than its American rival, the 425Hp Chrysler 300C SRT-8 (39.700 BP) and significantly cheaper than the 507Hp BMW M5 but then again, the M5 is a different story. Still though, one can’t stop wondering why Pontiac didn’t go all the way with the G8 adding an HSV based version in its range. -Continued: Click "Read More…" below to check out the press release and a high-res image gallery

PRESS RELEASE: 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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Vauxhall VXR8: UK version of the 419Hp HSV Clubsport R8 to be revealed on Monday

Americans may seem quite content with the 362Hp strong, Holden Commodore SS based Pontiac G8 GT, but truth is the Brits are going to get all the serious “OZ” fun. See, GM decided to hand over to Vauxhall the strongest version of the Commodore to date, the HSV Clubsport R8. Dubbed VXR8, Vauxhall’s muscle car will go on sale in the UK sometime in April. It wears a 419Hp (307 KW) 6.0-liter V8 and it will be offered with two transmissions, a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed sequential automatic. According to HSV, the R8 manages a 4,92 sec time for the 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) sprint. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

Even though there’s no need for pictures since the only difference between the R8 and the VXR8 is the nameplate and the badges, along with the R8 images we added a few pics that we discovered on hsv.org.uk. From the looks of it, the cell-phone pics seem to have been taken at a Vauxhall dealer presentation. Thing is that the Vauxhall shown here wears a VXR badge and its based on the HSV GTS.

Not that it matters since the only difference between the two versions has to do with extras (including the magnetic ride control suspension) and the black lip on the grille (on the R8 it’s painted), but it could be that Vauxhall will import two versions, a basic VXR and a top-spec VXR8. We’ll know more on Monday as according to my info, Vauxhall officially release the VXR8 on Monday. Pics Via: hsv.org.uk & HSV Top pic: www.eastonchang.com & www.wortec.co.uk

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