Here’s your second batch of photos from the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, that makes it 155 photos in all. We start part 2 with the very cool Maserati Alfieri concept and end with the very cool Volvo Concept Estate. Cool!
Category: Vauxhall
This Opel/Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme is about to hit the halls in Geneva and while there may be more exotic cars from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and some unknown Euro startup manufacturer not many will be quite as cool as this.
Much like the equally awesome Renault Megane R26.R, this is a hi-po stripped out shopping trolley-turned racecar made street-ready once more. Only at this stage it’s nothing more than a concept model. It will need a favourable reaction from the public to encourage GM to sign off on a low-volume production run.
We don’t know anything specific about the Extreme’s power output, suffice to say it should comfortably top the 206kW found in the regular Astra VXR. Rumours say 300PS (220kW) should be given a serious nudge. The 2.0 litre four-pot will be mated to a 6-speed manual box and proper limited slip diff.
We do know the Extreme is 100kg lighter than its now clearly mundane donor model. The weight savings have been made in part thanks to a mix of carbon fibre and aluminium body panels. There’s a half-cage in the back in case you bin it and Recaro racing seats up front to keep you strapped in nice and snug.
Those ingredients have been complemented with a wild body kit, adjustable suspension, big brakes and 19″ alloys shod with semi-slick tyres.
Just do it!
Opel is bringing a refreshed line up of Insignia models to Frankfurt and Vauxhall UK brings us up to speed on the VXR SuperSport. In short, it’s their go fast version of the mid-size Insignia, available as Hatch or Sports Tourer (pictured).
Of course, it’s the estate layout that’s the pick of the bunch. The warmed over Insignia packs a 325PS (240kW) punch and it can reach 100km/h in 5.9 seconds (6.1 seconds for the estate). And if Opel had the balls to stick it out in Australia for a bit longer, well, they probably wouldn’t have offered this model here anyway.
So join us for an all purpose whinge at the cool cars we sometimes miss out on in Australia. For this VXR SuperSport Sports Tourer is very, very cool.
Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar brings us a clash of cultures with a great V8 estate debate. It’s the Audi RS4 versus the Vauxhall (nee Holden) VXR8. Germany v Australia. David v Goliath.
We love fast wagons here at AUSmotive and, really, who doesn’t love a V8! Which would you choose?
[Thanks to John for the tip]
Chris Harris has just had a play with three of the hottest hot hatchbacks money can buy: the hideous yet apparently very capable Ford Focus ST, the media’s favourite Renault Megane RS265 and the Vauxhall Astra VXR (coming to Australia as the Opel Astra OPC).
True to form the outcome follows the expected script, but there are some good insights and surprises along the way (note the lap times).
It’s Harris at his best, so just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Here’s part 2 of our 2012 Paris Motor Show in pictures gallery, which brings you manufacturers from M–Z. Join us as we admire the McLaren P1, the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé, the Peugeot Onyx and the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.
We’re wavering a little with our admiration of the Mercedes-Benz A Class, but nothing can hide our amusement at the Nissan Terra or Vauxhall Adam, which must be a huge practical joke. We’re also lamenting the fact Seat has lost its styling edge with the new Leon and that Skoda has taken a step back with the incredibly bland looking Rapid.
And, of course, the Volkswagen Golf GTI is the model we’ll probably take home in the future.
In mid-November 2010 Ron Smith, a Scottish engineer from South Bents in northern England, was involved in a six-car accident. The airbag in his Vauxhall Insignia deployed and it appeared he had survived the crash without suffering any serious injuries.
However, during the impact the airbag was cut open by a slice of glass and some white powder was expelled and subsequently inhaled by Smith. Soon after, he began suffering from shortness of breath and coughing fits.
His wife explained: “We used to walk everywhere and he was always out every night with the dog, but he got so bad that he couldn’t even walk a few steps without my help.â€
Smith was admitted to hospital on 5 January 2011, where he was given a chest x-ray and placed in intensive care. Mr Smith, aged 59, died on 31 January 2011, just over two months from the original accident.
An inquest into Mr Smith’s death took place and South Tyneside Coroner Terence Carney declared: “I accept that the death was attributed to bronchial pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis and that it was developed after this incident in November, and the deceased’s exposure to noxious substances.
“This man died as a result of this incident and more pointedly because of the explosion of his airbag, and this death should be recorded as misadventure.â€
It’s believed to be the first documented case of a person dying from the inhalation of chemicals discharged from an airbag.
An airbag exploding is quite a violent procedure and is set off when sodium azide is heated to release nitrogen gas. Sodium azide is very toxic, but is mixed with other chemicals to lessen its effect. Looks like car manufacturers may need to go back to the drawing board.
[Source: The Shields Gazette & The Huffington Post | Pic: Euro NCAP]
Categories
Introducing the Vauxhall Adam
Seriously. What the hell is going on at Vauxhall HQ?
Adam—yes, that’s what their new model will be called—is designed to be a premium compact city car. Like a MINI, only a little bit dumbed down, we suspect.
For more of those crazy guys and gals and Vauxhall check out this PDF (3.8mb) and get more of that comic style stuff above to discover just what on earth they are thinking. Maybe we’re just too uncool and are missing the joke. But we don’t think so.
Frankly, and no offence to any Adams who may be reading, we’ve known a couple of Adams in our time and they’ve been dickheads.
Categories
I owe you a 6 second car
Andy Frost. Red Victor. Those names ring a bell? They’re the central characters in the transformation of a 1972 Vauxhall Victor from family car to drag strip phenomenon.
You may recall Fifth Gear did a story on Red Victor 1 back in 2007 (see original story after the break). Back then it made do with a miserly 2200bhp. Now, in its third iteration, Red Victor 3 is pumping out an incredible 3000bhp. All thanks to a twin turbo 8.8 litre V8.
It can get down the quarter mile in under seven seconds. But that’s only one of its party tricks. Red Victor 3 is street legal, so you can also jump and nip down to the shops for two litres of milk if you like.
At the recent Santa Pod Easter Thunderball event Frost sent RV3 into the record books when he recorded a run of 6.999 seconds. That’s the fastest ever time for a street legal car in Europe.
Watch it all unfold after the break.
Categories
Geneva 2012: Vauxhall Astra VXR
Vauxhall has just announced details of its aggressive new Astra VXR. In coupé form they have stated clearly they want the VXR to tackle the Volkswagen Scirocco R and Renault Megane RS 250 head on.
Making a good start in that battle is the VXR’s 2.0 litre turbocharged engine which produces 280PS (206kW) and 400Nm. That’s more than either of the German or French weapons.
The Astra VXR is based on the GTC but has been tuned with a view to sharper performance. A mechanical limited slip diff (remember them) and Brembo brakes make the biggest contributions. Also tweaked is Vauxhall’s adaptive FlexRide system. A standard old Sport button is not enough for this car, it has a VXR button as well. Essentially they’ve turned the damper, throttle and steering control up to 11.
They’ve taken a similar approach with the wheels by running 20″ rims as standard. A more aggressive bodykit completes the look.
On paper and in pictures this Astra VXR sounds and looks quite appealing. If you like it, best start nagging Opel Australia and help them build a case to bring the car down under.
UPDATE: Thanks to the super attentive staff at Opel Australia we can share their hopes for the Astra VXR: “As an Opel (as opposed to a Vauxhall) it would be part of the OPC range. We won’t be bringing OPCs to Australia for our launch this year, however we are chasing it for next year—not confirmed yet but we are hopeful.” Sounds promising.
Just in case we had forgotten Chris Harris spent a bit of time piloting a factory Porsche GT3 around the Nürburgring last year he is back wearing a team jacket to tell us how the Citroën DS3 Racing compares against its hot hatch rivals; namely the MINI John Cooper Works, Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup, Vaxhaull Corsa VXR and Volkswagen Polo GTI.
The clip gives quite a good introduction to each of the cars, even if the script pretty much follows expectations. Check it out after the break.
Okay, the Holden Cruze hatchback is not a bad looking car. But the current model Astra looks better. As it currently stands there are no plans from Holden to bring the current Astra down under. That’s a shame, really, because it means we probably won’t get to see this new GTC hot hatch on our shores.
The pics here are of the concept model that will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show in a bit over two weeks from now. Concept model or not, this car looks almost production ready. Save, perhaps, for the 21″ wheels.
It looks quite smart, too. Vauxhall/Opel have not confirmed any specs just yet, apart from a few details on suspension and that it will be powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder.
More after the jump.