The new Vauxhall VXR8

[thebrochureman]

Vauxhall VXR8

Vauxhall VXR8 is back with a vengeance, packing heavily revised front- and rear-end styling, a new cabin and a raft of new technology to enhance its appeal to drivers in search of one of the last, great rear-drive V8 super-saloons.

Priced at £49,500 (inc. 20 per cent VAT) and available to order from late December 2010, the new VXR8 is now based on HSV E3 GTS model, just launched in Australia, the previous VXR8 representing the old version of the lower-spec ClubSport R8. That means it still undercuts full-size super saloons like the Audi RS6, Jaguar XFR and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG by between £13k and £29k, and even performance saloons from the class below, such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG.

A new, 'Shockwave' grille, LED daytime running lights and sleek new wing-vents mark the new car out from the front, while the rear features a new 'Superflow' rear spoiler, LED tail lamps and twin exhaust tips that mimic the shape of the front grille. As you can see from these first official press shots of our Hazard Yellow car, the new Vauxhall VXR8 will never blend into the scenery!

Vauxhall-VXR8_2011_800x600_wallpaper_01.jpg Vauxhall-VXR8_2011_800x600_wallpaper_03.jpg

As before, the new Vauxhall VXR8's race-bred chassis uses MacPherson struts/progressive rate coil springs at the front and a multi-link independent set-up at the rear. But for the first time on a VXR8, Vauxhall has employed Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), a suspension system which adapts up to 1000 times a seconds to road conditions and driver inputs. Based on technology used in GM's current Corvette ZR1 supercar, MRC works by sending an electric current through damper units filled with 'soft' magnetic particles. These particles harden as the input reaches its maximum value, providing drivers with exceptional levels of ride, handling and stopping power.

Complementing the new Vauxhall VXR8's MRC is Launch Control, which is engaged when drivers select the ESC's (Electronic Stability Control) Competition Mode. The system dictates the level of torque delivered to the rear wheels for maximum acceleration, according to surface conditions. All the driver has to do is floor the throttle and let the car do the rest. Extensive testing has proved that LC results in acceleration runs no more than 0.1 second apart.

Of course, no Vauxhall VXR8 would be complete without a large-capacity V8, and this latest version doesn't disappoint. The fourth generation 6.2-litre LS3 unit produces 431PS and a massive 550Nm of torque, enough to propel the VXR8 from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and on to a governed top speed of 155mph. As before, drive is delivered to the rear axle via either a six-speed manual or auto transmission, working through a mechanical limited slip differential.

Inside, the new Vauxhall VXR8 has undergone a transformation. Full leather trim is now standard, and front occupants are cocooned in special HSV Performance Seats with eight-way adjustability. A new instrument cluster and surround, centre stack and switchgear provide a cleaner and more integrated look, while standard equipment also includes Aux-in/USB inputs, iPod support and Bluetooth with phone book display and touch-screen dialling.

But for drivers who want to engage with their VXR8 like never before, Vauxhall has introduced EDI, or Enhanced Driver Interface. EDI connects with the on-board computer to constantly stream real-time vehicle dynamics and performance to the car's main 5-inch monitor. At the touch of the screen, drivers can access a variety of data such as vehicle G-forces, power and torque and lap times - even the degree to which their Vauxhall VXR8 is drifting. Completing the clever package is the ability for drivers to download data, such as track day performance, and analyse it using the MOTEC i2 software provided.

enjoy the link http://www.netcarshow.com/vauxhall/2011-vxr8/

[LeonOfTheDead]

You should post all these threads in the general automotive section. There isn't much comparison in them.

Besides, I don't understand why it needs to be so damn ugly.

[clutch-monkey]

ugh could someone please find their old designer back
or could someone with taste take over from walkinshaw

[Ferrer]

Yes, that's very ugly indeed.

Guess that will make residuals of the old one stronger.

[aNOBLEman]

If they made the black part on the front bumper, where the number plate is, yellow to match the primary paint job this would look many times better. Also change the wheels please. Looks to be quite a good performer, though.

[ozzycarnut]

[QUOTE=thebrochureman;955502]Vauxhall VXR8

Priced at £49,500 (inc. 20 per cent VAT) and available to order from late December 2010, the new VXR8 is now based on HSV E3 GTS model, just launched in Australia, the previous VXR8 representing the old version of the lower-spec ClubSport R8. That means it still undercuts full-size super saloons like the Audi RS6, Jaguar XFR and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG by between £13k and £29k, and even performance saloons from the class below, such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG.

i have always had a problem with statements like this. i have said it before, and i will say it again, you cant compare a $50K slapped together commodore with a (give or take a few dollars) $100K merc / audi etc. for instance, mercedes probably inject $1m into research and development for the lock on the glove box of their e class, whereas holden / vauxhall would inject maybe $100 if you are lucky. i will probably get a bit of curry for this, but i dont care ... holden and ford stuff is garbage. there, i said it. it is not made with the same precision as german, italian and japanese stuff. they are the sort of cars that when constructed, the workers say 'yeah, looks about right (bit of a bang and knock into place etc) all good (thumbs up, used car salesman grin etc)'. yes, there are variants over the years that were made very well, but when compared to world class engineering, holden and ford stuff is for the taxi ranks of australia and not much else. i guess you could add to this that out of the cars mentioned above, what would still be purring as beautifully in 20 years time as when you picked it up on day one from the dealer, and it certainly wont be the clapped out vauxhall / holden!

[clutch-monkey]

what would still be purring as beautifully in 20 years time

the holden, because it's easier to fix/maintain.

[Kitdy]

the holden, because it's easier to fix/maintain.

Compared to the Germans and Italians? Almost definitely.

The Japanese have quality and reliability though, but these days, the big 2 Japanese companies are shilling blandness.

[ozzycarnut]

the holden, because it's easier to fix/maintain.

i wouldnt say holdens are easier to fix / maintain, as both holden and the german / japanese stuff require equal amounts of expertise to work on (diagnostic equipment, trained technicians etc), more cost effective compared to german and italian stuff maybe, as their servicing costs are horrendous.

in my opinion, holden and ford stuff is dumb technology. when you look across the board at all manufacturers, yes, including *sigh* hyundai, they have pretty much all evolved into smarter more efficient cars, adopting different drivetrains, suspension setups etc. examples of this are subaru's awd platforms, mercedes s class's plethora of nasa-like technology on wheels (which is often looked at as to what we will have in regular cars in 10 years .... look at the current s class etc), hyundai embracing diesel technology etc. there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of advancements in the automotive industry, which some manufacturers have embraced, and others have gone on their own path. take holden for example, same layout that they have had since kingswood days. sure they have refined it a bit, but it is essentially the same thing that they have been selling for decades, a large family vehicle with a 6 or 8 cyl engine and rwd. they have not moved away from this formula since they have been producing cars (look at the fx and fj, same deal, tractor-like pos ride, low tech and rwd etc). i dont understand the mentality of a commodore / falcon buyer, as there are far more intelligent purchases to be made. cars such as subaru's liberty pisses all over what a falcon or commodore offer, and it holds its resale value and oozes quality (go and check one out if you doubt it). also compare a vw golf or polo with a ford focus or holden barina. its a no brainer. i could rabbit on all night about different cars that carve up holden and ford on so many levels, but whats the point, you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink. for me, holden and ford stuff is for people who dont know anything about cars and are happy to be average, happy to make do with what they have, as if they new differently, knew that there was a far better quality car just around the corner for similar money that holds its resale value (unlike holden and ford), they would grab it with both hands. each to their own i guess, give me jap / italian / german stuff any day.

[clutch-monkey]

i wouldnt say holdens are easier to fix / maintain

i would.
you said it yourself.. cheaper. if it comes down to replacing a $20 part or a $200 part, i know what's getting done first..
edit: and as mentioned above the driveline has less stress on it.

[ozzycarnut]

i would.
you said it yourself.. cheaper. if it comes down to replacing a $20 part or a $200 part, i know what's getting done first..
edit: and as mentioned above the driveline has less stress on it.

easier to maintain does not mean cheaper, you didnt clarify what you meant. being easier to maintain is usually associated with the complexity of the servicing, needing to ship in expensive parts etc. german stuff is notoriously expensive to service. my dad had a 1995-ish bmw 735i (the E38 for the car nuts), which i remember was a great car, fast, very comfortable, wherever you looked it echoed quality, but he rocked home from the dealer one day after a minor service, AUD$2K later .... he ended up selling it due to the servicing costs. its a shame, it was a beautiful car.

on this front, i agree that holden and ford stuff will be in front. as far as lasting the distance, having good resale value, and feeling like a quality product all round however, these qualities certainly do not lie with holden and ford.

[motorsportnerd]

in my opinion, holden and ford stuff is dumb technology. when you look across the board at all manufacturers, yes, including *sigh* hyundai, they have pretty much all evolved into smarter more efficient cars, adopting different drivetrains, suspension setups etc. examples of this are subaru's awd platforms, mercedes s class's plethora of nasa-like technology on wheels (which is often looked at as to what we will have in regular cars in 10 years .... look at the current s class etc), hyundai embracing diesel technology etc. there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of advancements in the automotive industry, which some manufacturers have embraced, and others have gone on their own path. take holden for example, same layout that they have had since kingswood days. sure they have refined it a bit, but it is essentially the same thing that they have been selling for decades, a large family vehicle with a 6 or 8 cyl engine and rwd. they have not moved away from this formula since they have been producing cars (look at the fx and fj, same deal, tractor-like pos ride, low tech and rwd etc). i dont understand the mentality of a commodore / falcon buyer, as there are far more intelligent purchases to be made. cars such as subaru's liberty pisses all over what a falcon or commodore offer, and it holds its resale value and oozes quality (go and check one out if you doubt it). also compare a vw golf or polo with a ford focus or holden barina. its a no brainer. i could rabbit on all night about different cars that carve up holden and ford on so many levels, but whats the point, you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink. for me, holden and ford stuff is for people who dont know anything about cars and are happy to be average, happy to make do with what they have, as if they new differently, knew that there was a far better quality car just around the corner for similar money that holds its resale value (unlike holden and ford), they would grab it with both hands. each to their own i guess, give me jap / italian / german stuff any day.

I'm afraid I fail to understand why all Ford and Holden stuff is "dumb technology". How about a Fiesta Econetic? Or a Mondeo TDCi with its 5.9L/100km fuel economy? Or a Focus RS - which is hardly low tech.
Even the Falcon is hardly low tech. A 24-valve DOHC motor with Variable Valve Timing may no longer be absolute cutting edge, but its still current technology. True, it needs Direct Injection to bring it up to the very latest standards, but there are still plenty of V6 and straight six 24-valve DOHC motors in use by other manufacturers - including BMW. Also, not many cars at the same price as the Falcon (mid-high $30K) have better gearboxes than the 6-speed ZF box - which is German built and also sees service in various Mercedes models.
The Holden sixes also feature 24-valve V6s with Direct Injection, and likewise have modern six-speed autos.
The Falcons and Commodores may not be absolute cutting edge, but they are hardly "low-tech". They don't have OHV motors, live rear axles, 3-speed autos or drum brakes.
What the Falcons and Commodores do is provide plenty of space for 5 people in comfort, with a fairly high level of refinement and smoothness, decent ride/handling compromise and the capability of towing pretty heavy trailers.
They do the job they are designed for. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Where they fall down - and where the Japanese/European opposition comes up trumps is in perceived build quality and certainly in poor resale value.
The comparable Volkswagen Passat may have more cutting edge tech with their DSG gearboxes and efficient diesel engines, but they are also more expensive and that high-tech DSG box has not proven to be highly reliable in service yet.
The Subaru Liberty, Honda Accord Euro and Mazda6 (a manufacturer/car you haven't yet mentioned) are all great cars, with excellent build quality, handling, refinement, comfort and space and will all be reliable. They would all be on my personal shopping list (well - maybe not the new Liberty which looks appalling). And I recommend them all the time to those looking for cars in the $30-40K bracket.
However, none of them are any more cutting edge in terms of technology than the similar priced Fords and Holdens. Except perhaps the Subaru AWD system - but considering that most road tests say that the FWD Mazda6 has comparable handling, I'd question whether the complexity of the Subaru's AWD system and higher cost of maintenance is worth it for marginal improvements over the FWD & RWD platforms at the same price.
Also, none of the Japanese fours can tow a caravan as easily as a Ford or Holden and none are as spacious. Also, fours are inherently less refined and more coarse than either a straight six or V6, so they can't match the Aussie sixes for smoothness either.

What I'm saying is simple - most of the cars that the Falcon and Commodore sixes can be compared with are no more cutting edge in tems of technology.
I agree that no private buyer should buy a Falcon or Commodore new due to excessive depreciation. And I agree that there are other excellent cars in the same price bracket, but buying a two year old Falcon or Commodore is hardly a dumb decision.
Personally, while I own a Fairmont BA, I won't proclaim it the best car around. It does its job well though and is hardly a complete pig to drive.
And in a few years time I'd consider replacing it with a Mondeo TDCi - once its taken its initial hit of depreciation. And I won't think I'm poorer for buying a Mondeo over a Passat. I would consider a Mazda6 though.

As for comparing any Commodore or Falcon with a $200K Euro - waste of time. They are not comparable in no one buying a Mercedes E63 will even consider an HSV or FPV.
One must also remember that these high price Euros do depreciate. Anyone for an Audi RS4 for around $30K? What were they new seven or so years ago? Worth considering if you can afford to maintain it.
I agree with you about the Barina however - but that's hardly a true Holden is it?

[ozzycarnut]

I'm afraid I fail to understand why all Ford and Holden stuff is "dumb technology". How about a Fiesta Econetic? Or a Mondeo TDCi with its 5.9L/100km fuel economy? Or a Focus RS - which is hardly low tech.
Even the Falcon is hardly low tech. A 24-valve DOHC motor with Variable Valve Timing may no longer be absolute cutting edge, but its still current technology. True, it needs Direct Injection to bring it up to the very latest standards, but there are still plenty of V6 and straight six 24-valve DOHC motors in use by other manufacturers - including BMW. Also, not many cars at the same price as the Falcon (mid-high $30K) have better gearboxes than the 6-speed ZF box - which is German built and also sees service in various Mercedes models.
The Holden sixes also feature 24-valve V6s with Direct Injection, and likewise have modern six-speed autos.
The Falcons and Commodores may not be absolute cutting edge, but they are hardly "low-tech". They don't have OHV motors, live rear axles, 3-speed autos or drum brakes.
What the Falcons and Commodores do is provide plenty of space for 5 people in comfort, with a fairly high level of refinement and smoothness, decent ride/handling compromise and the capability of towing pretty heavy trailers.
They do the job they are designed for. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Where they fall down - and where the Japanese/European opposition comes up trumps is in perceived build quality and certainly in poor resale value.
The comparable Volkswagen Passat may have more cutting edge tech with their DSG gearboxes and efficient diesel engines, but they are also more expensive and that high-tech DSG box has not proven to be highly reliable in service yet.
The Subaru Liberty, Honda Accord Euro and Mazda6 (a manufacturer/car you haven't yet mentioned) are all great cars, with excellent build quality, handling, refinement, comfort and space and will all be reliable. They would all be on my personal shopping list (well - maybe not the new Liberty which looks appalling). And I recommend them all the time to those looking for cars in the $30-40K bracket.
However, none of them are any more cutting edge in terms of technology than the similar priced Fords and Holdens. Except perhaps the Subaru AWD system - but considering that most road tests say that the FWD Mazda6 has comparable handling, I'd question whether the complexity of the Subaru's AWD system and higher cost of maintenance is worth it for marginal improvements over the FWD & RWD platforms at the same price.
Also, none of the Japanese fours can tow a caravan as easily as a Ford or Holden and none are as spacious. Also, fours are inherently less refined and more coarse than either a straight six or V6, so they can't match the Aussie sixes for smoothness either.

What I'm saying is simple - most of the cars that the Falcon and Commodore sixes can be compared with are no more cutting edge in tems of technology.
I agree that no private buyer should buy a Falcon or Commodore new due to excessive depreciation. And I agree that there are other excellent cars in the same price bracket, but buying a two year old Falcon or Commodore is hardly a dumb decision.
Personally, while I own a Fairmont BA, I won't proclaim it the best car around. It does its job well though and is hardly a complete pig to drive.
And in a few years time I'd consider replacing it with a Mondeo TDCi - once its taken its initial hit of depreciation. And I won't think I'm poorer for buying a Mondeo over a Passat. I would consider a Mazda6 though.

As for comparing any Commodore or Falcon with a $200K Euro - waste of time. They are not comparable in no one buying a Mercedes E63 will even consider an HSV or FPV.
One must also remember that these high price Euros do depreciate. Anyone for an Audi RS4 for around $30K? What were they new seven or so years ago? Worth considering if you can afford to maintain it.
I agree with you about the Barina however - but that's hardly a true Holden is it?

the dumb technology comment was mainly aimed at falcon and commodore. their respective manufacturers have not changed their dna since day one. they are still large rwd 6 cylinder family cars. its pretty boring stuff, same old, same old etc. thats what i mean by 'dumb technology'. in essence, they have evolved little or none since they were conceived, yet they both manufacturers have a wealth of r & d resources at their fingertips that they fail to employ when it comes to falcon and commodore. also, just for giggles, type in 'falcon ute leaf spring suspension' to google, grab a beer, and be prepared to raise both eyebrows at how 'technologically advanced' ford are.

in relation to the liberty, accord and mazda 6, there was a general comment there about jap cars and build quality, so this encompasses these vehicles, all of which are great cars. and i would say sure, they may not be the most exciting cars around, but if you have a checklist, these will meet pretty much all of it.

of course a japanese four cant tow a caravan! *shakes head* and you mention also that the holden and fords do it better ... gee i wonder why ... having a 6 cylinder engine and all ....

buying a 2 year old falcon / commodore i think is dumb, when you have plenty of other stuff to choose from, cars that you have mentioned, that hold their value and offer alot more than just the skid factor.

i think the only buyer that would consider a commodore or falcon over say an m5 or sl65 would be a buyer wearing thongs, stubbies and a singlet, and he is on his way home from picking up his lotto cheque. people with real money wouldnt consider rubbish like a commodore or falcon, as they know too well about their depreciation and quality issues. the euros do depreciate, but nowhere near that of a commodore or falcon ... 'going down like a lead balloon' springs to mind ...

i will never buy either a falcon or a commodore, for the reasons that i have outlined in this thread. thats not to say that i havnt considered them, a falcon xr6 turbo would make a fantastic skid mobile, and they can be had for around $20k, but therein lies the problem of turbo failure issues, fuel consumption problems, losing your licence, etc etc, as well as depreciation etc. it would be a fun car to drive, rather than a fun car to own.

[Ferrer]

it is not made with the same precision as (...) italian (...) stuff

And thank god it isn't, because if it was it would explode in passionate and characterful fireball after 100 metres after leaving the showroom...

[fpv_gtho]

i guess you could add to this that out of the cars mentioned above, what would still be purring as beautifully in 20 years time as when you picked it up on day one from the dealer, and it certainly wont be the clapped out vauxhall / holden!

Nothing would run the same after 20 years. Cars are only built to last 10 years generally, or around 300,000km's which is the average expected engine mileage. Transmissions can only last half that typically.