Vectra VXR

It seems to me that Top Gear stitched up the Vectra in that road test.

Here is one alternative viewpoint...

On the move, the handling is tremendously good. This is a well-sorted package, with superb electronic support. Despite the power, the steering doesn't tug around in your hands and the car goes accurately where you point it.

The understeer-reducing part of the software really works and in continuous S-bends you can feel the car working with you brilliantly. And there is very little body roll. Don't bother switching off the traction-control systems, by the way, out of some macho urge. There's no point.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2005/11/19/mfvect19.xml


Of course if you have a high powered FWD car, switch off the traction control, enter corners at excessive speed under full power and try to turn, it is going to understeer badly.
 
I'm sorry but links on Pistonheads do not a tidy facelift M5 make.

Whilst a picture can tell a thousand words it also hides many as well - and there are lots of tatty M5's out there, all looking shiney in Pistonheads adverts.

I viewed far too many 'mint' E39's which were nothing of the sort.
 
Not that it should have any influence on your car choice but I detest the Vectra with a passion. I have tried a few over the years and I have NEVER managed to get a good driving position in the flipping things and they are simply bland personified. The Ford Mondeo is a much better driving car in my opinion in this sector but we are all different. I have not driven a VXR but if it shares the majority of its bloodline with the standard Vectra I might have to chop my legs off after getting out to ensure I never go in another.
 
dirtydog said:
Of course if you have a high powered FWD car, switch off the traction control, enter corners at excessive speed under full power and try to turn, it is going to understeer badly.
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exactly

I drove the thing for myself, and threw it into roundabout at speeds id never have dared throw the picasso in at. Theres nothing "dangerous" about it at all. But posessing so much grunt, its very very easy to overcome to the limits of the chassis. If you just plant your foot and turn in, i suspect it will understeer like a boat.

But thing is, you dont go wrong throwning cars into corners at full throttle except on a race track. For road driving, the handling was great. Furthermore, if you drive it with some sensitivity, its a great handling car, as numerous reviews have found. The most notable of which was this one by evo

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/car...hi_evo_v_impreza_v_vectra_vxr_v_bmw_330i.html

Now either Vauxhall have been sending Evo cars that have been fettled by the VX Performance Centre (the 888 blokes who do the touring cars) - whom incidentally have 4 stages of suspension tuning, or clarkson has been sensationalising things to make a point again - just like the comment that the VXR is faster than the M5 because BMWs come limited to 155 and the VXR can do 161.
 
SoliD said:
Oh and Paul O'Neill said the vectra was terrible and agreed with Jeremy clarkson et al about how it was the most dangerous car on the roads.
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oh come off it. "the most dangerous car" on the roads ? you should try throwing your average MPV into a corner and seeing how it handles before making that sort of comment. The spongey french MPVs (picasso, scenic, espace etc..) all just roll like buggery and understeer something rotten.

[TW]Fox;11937383 said:
Great so it handles better than a Picasso. This seems about as relevant as pointing out it's also a different colour.
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given the above comment about the VXR being "the most dangerous car on the road". Its very relavant because its clearly not the most.
 
MrLOL said:
oh come off it. "the most dangerous car" on the roads ? you should try throwing your average MPV into a corner and seeing how it handles before making that sort of comment. The spongey french MPVs (picasso, scenic, espace etc..) all just roll like buggery and understeer something rotten.
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Ye but these cars are supposed to be driven sensibly a car like the vxr wants you to push on as it has grunt. Not good in the wallowy beast.
 
You do seem desperate to waste as much un-neccesary cash as possible on this next purchase for the biggest of irrational reasons you can think of so tbh the VXR seems fit for purpose.

Infact why buy a used one? Surely you want a brand new one!
 
SoliD said:
Ye but these cars are supposed to be driven sensibly a car like the vxr wants you to push on as it has grunt. Not good in the wallowy beast.
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Heres the top gear power lap times :

Ford Focus ST 1.34.9
Volvo S60R 1.35.0
Ferrari 575M 1.35.2
Vauxhall Vectra VXR 1.35.3
Alfa 147 GTA 1.35.6
Lotus Elise 1.35.6
Aston Martin Vanquish 1.36.2
Renault Clio V6 1.36.2


It went round the track within 0.1 second of a the 575. For a "wallowy beast" That'll do me.

You've got to remember, the fastest way to drive a car isnt to throw it around. Just because you can overcome the limits of the chassis easier, doesnt mean that the handling before you overcome the limit is terrible and dangerous.
 
You don't seem to be applying much logic to this purchase, you usually come across as quite level headed about the world.
 
Something is seriously wrong with those times....there is no way a vanquish is slower round a track than a VXR, or an elise, one of the best handling cars of the modern day?
 
Hxc said:
Something is seriously wrong with those times....there is no way a vanquish is slower round a track than a VXR, or an elise, one of the best handling cars of the modern day?
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got to remember, this is a lap time.

This is the standard elise, so worse handling cars with more grunt can make time back on the straights.

Muffin` said:
You don't seem to be applying much logic to this purchase, you usually come across as quite level headed about the world.
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Okay so you're saying the logical decision is buy the ST220 and save myself 6k. But what if i prefer the car that costs 6k more ? am i not allowed to spend more if i like something more ?
 
MrLOL said:
Heres the top gear power lap times :

Ford Focus ST 1.34.9

Vauxhall Vectra VXR 1.35.3

Lotus Elise 1.35.6
Click to expand...


Yea, right, fair enough. There is quite clearly something up with those figures, for example it was pouring with rain when the decent stuff went out. Unless you think a Volvo S60 is quicker round a track than an Aston Vanquish or a Lotus Elise.
 
Are you trying to convince us or yourself? If you want it, buy it. You've obviously already made up your mind.
 
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