Now that PSA is taking control of Vauxhall from the General Motors, it’s anybody’s guess exactly what the future holds for the brand. What we do understand though is that Vauxhall’s VXR8 range is pertaining to an end, however it’s definitely going out with a bang rather than a whimper. That’s due to the fact that a last-of-the-line edition is going to be requiring to the track at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, and exactly what a vehicle the Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R is set to be. Not just is it a Vauxhall with a huge ₤ 74,500 price tag ($96,000), it’s also the most powerful vehicle the brand has ever produced in its whole 114-year history.
In some ways, the Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R isn’t really a totally brand-new vehicle by any stretch of the imagination. Observers will already know the vehicle is based on the Australian Holden Commodore, which itself is seeing its production end in Australia in October 2017. Possibly an even better-known version is the Chevrolet SS, which is the variant of the Commodore that Holden has been constructing for, and exporting to America from 2013, until it also came to the end of the line a few weeks back.
The main speciality for the Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R has to be the engine that makes it the most powerful car of the brand, which is a progressed version of the present GTS’s Corvette-derived 6.2-liter V-8. The engine now establishes 595PS, which is a boost of 19PS over its predecessor, and a similarly excellent 740 Nm of torque.
Although the brand-new VXR8 GTS-R, and previous VXR8 designs in different types, have been imported into the UK from 2007 they’re still quite daily-driver automobiles and not overtly track-focused designs. Not surprisingly, they’re only offered through select Vauxhall dealerships, however they do feature full-service backup and a basic three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.
This specific model is exclusive to the UK, so it’s not simply a rebadged Holden Commodore or Chevy SS. It has a fresh brand-new fascia and a new-look rear diffuser, all that power is sent out to the rear wheels through a limited slip differential, and some all-new 20-inch forged alloy wheels round off the entire look very well.
The VXR8 GTS-R will join the 260PS Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 Turbo 4×4 at Goodwood, where both automobiles will be driven on the hill climb twice a day by different high-profile motorists in between June 29 and July 2.
