General Motors' Vauxhall division announced today that World Land Speed Record holder, Andy Green, will be behind the wheel of the all-new, 325HP Insignia VXR (OPC for the rest of Europe) at this weekend's Goodwood's hillclimb course. Andy Green, a British Royal Air Force pilot, is the first and only person to break the sound barrier on land when he recorded a top speed o 763mph or 1,227km/h in 1997 driving Richard Noble's Thrust SSC (SuperSonic Car). "The Festival of Speed is one of the highlights of my year," said Andy. "So when I was offered the chance to drive Vauxhall's new high-performance Insignia up the Hill, it was just the icing on the cake! Fast road cars are the essence of the Festival and I am really looking forward to giving the Insignia a good run up the Hill this weekend."
The high-performance version of the Opel /Vauxhall Insignia will make its first appearance in Britain at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed that runs from July 3-5. The 325HP Insignia VXR (OPC for the rest of Europe) will run the famous hillclimb course twice a day. Joining the Insignia will be the most powerful production model in Vauxhall's history, the rear-wheel-drive, 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engined VXR8 Bathurst S Edition 560HP that will be performing a 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' display in front of the Goodwood House.GM's British arm will also showcase two concept studies from the past, the gullwing-door XVR that was displayed at the 1966 Geneva Salon and the SRV that made its debut at the 1970 Earls Court Motor Show.
In the land Down-Under, there's a saying that goes "there's nothing like a V8". Well, let's say that for the sake of conversation, we agree with our fellow Australians. What's even better than a 'normal' V8? The answer comes all the way from Great Britain and Vauxhall which introduced a new supercharged version of the Holden Commodore based (Pontiac G8 in the States), HSV Clubsport R8. Thanks to the addition of a Walkinshaw 122 Supercharger, the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S' 6.0-liter V8 dispenses a mighty 560-horsepower, compared with the standard car's 431HP.
Furthermore, Walkinshaw's 122 Supercharger also boosts torque from 550Nm to an impressive 715Nm (529-lbs /ft). No performance figures have been announced, but let's just tell you that the standard 431HP VRX8 with an automatic gearbox accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 4.9 seconds...
For the record, Vauxhall did not only bolt-on a blower to the LS3 V8. The engineered package also includes a large capacity intercooler, high-flow fuel injectors, a separate cold air intake and Walkinshaw-developed ECU map, while the standard manual gearbox is upgraded with a high-torque capacity clutch.
Buyers also have the option of adding a new Bi-Modal Exhaust that raises power by up to 10-horsepower and allows drivers to select one of two noise settings: 'Street', with an upper limit of 92dbA, or 'Optimum', which releases the LS3 V8's full 102dbA. The two-and-a-half inch diameter system is manufactured from stainless steel with unique chrome tail-pipe finishers and costs £1600.
Other modifications concern the new six-pot front and four-pot rear brake calipers stiffer, height-adjustable springs and Walkinshaw-developed coil-over dampers that have 15 separate valve settings with independent corner adjustment for the owner's preferred setup.
On the outside, the Bathurst S is identifiable by a distinctive graphic pack, front fog light covers and 'Bathurst' badges while inside a console-mounted badge showing the car's build number complements the 'Walkinshaw Performance' tread plates found inside each door opening.
The Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S will be produced in a limited number of units with prices in the U.K. set at £44,995 which comes to $66,520 U.S, $99,520 AUS and €51,300 with today's exchange rates.
Like its Australian counterpart, the Holden Commodore based HSV Clubsport R8, the With the new LS3 the automatic VXR8 goes from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.9 sec, a 0.1 sec improvement over the LS2 model. Moreover, in-gear acceleration for manual models has also improved with 50-70mph in 3rd gear dropping from 2.8 to 2.6 sec while 30-50mph in 2nd gear drops from 2.0 to 1.9 sec. -Continued
Vauxhall supports that, despite the VXR8’s enhanced performance credentials, its LS3 produces the same emissions and fuel consumption as the outgoing LS2 unit. In addition, the VXR8 automatic receives a transmission oil cooler as standard.
The LS3 VXR8 is also offered with all-new body colour - Heron White – at no extra cost, as well as the option of factory-fit 20-inch rims for the first time on this model. Prices for both manual and automatic versions of the LS3-powered VXR8, which are on sale in the
Back in the beginning of the 1990’s, Vauxhall -Opel’s Nearly two decades after, Vauxhall found the Lotus Carlton’s spiritual successor in the form of the Aussie made, VXR8 which is practically a rebadged Holden Commodore based HSV Clubsport R8. Check out 5th Gear’s video with Vicki Butler-Henderson testing out both cars on the race track right after the jump. -Continued
This special edition of Holden’s latest HSV GTS (basically the same model as the HSV Clubsport R8 / Vauxhall VXR8) dressed in a "Hot Wheels" suite was presented at the Melbourne Auto Show. Not bad but we would’ve liked to see this HSV wearing a different set of "hot wheels", preferably black or dark grey colored rims. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below to see the press release & one more pic
HSV Teams With Hot Wheels
Holden Special Vehicles and Mattel's Hot Wheels have teamed up to bring to life a HSV GTS in exclusive livery, as part of the Melbourne Motor Show. Between March 3 and 7, the Hot Wheels/HSV GTS will stand proudly on the Hot Wheels stand, in the Concourse Foyer near the
Technorati: Holden+HSV+GTS, Hot+WheelsGeneva+Motor+Show, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, pictures, images
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 
PRESS RELEASE: DON’T MOURN MONARO – HERE COMES THE VXR8!
Motoring enthusiasts across
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
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…
Technorati: Vauxhall+VXR8, Holden+Commodore, GM, HSV+Clubsport+R8, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, images, pictures, 2007
