Was just leaving the house this morning when a "blue missile" came up from behind very quickly and, was gone in a sec, it was a Blue VXR.


Came up to the Island with Traffic Lights & he was in the lane in front of me waiting for the lights to change.

( By this time my engine had warmed up)

Off he went, and, I hate to say, so did I. His exhaust sounded awesome ( does the standard sound so raspy or do you think it had been tweaked?)

I was right behind him and had quite a bit more left, then he started overtaking on blind bends and stuff to get away and, I had "Wifelet" in the car who was not impressed, so I backed off and let him get about his business.

Have to say, it was a nice Ice Blue Colour and it looked smart, it's the first one that I have seen close up and, thought it would have been a bit more rapid, still nice motor and, if conditions had been a bit more safer, who knows?

Any one any ideas on the Exhaust & stuff?

Thanks

Regards


Alan MaC

 

to be honest i think the recent hot vauxhalls have been dam fine looking machines IMO

never heard one used in anger yet

 

Monaro VXR?

From the outside on full throttle thay do sound superb at 2500rpm+ with a factory system


However inside, it s different story...tooo much sound insulation

 

They have a sports button that makes the whole car more aggressive and its sounds divine..

 

Mine doesn't...nothing on the exhaust system to do that either...seeing that I've had a nose underneath (as opposed to a BMW 330)

 

The sport button sharpens the steering, and brakes, and reduces throttle pedal travel. Why they just can't have it on that setting all the time is beyond me though? Just another gimmick I imagine...
Dave

 

Milltek do a full system which you can get fitted through the dealer so it may have had one of them.

I nearly ordered a VXR last year in Arden Blue but changed my mind last minute. Still nice cars tho.

 

AS I said nice car, nice exhaust pretty quick but not that quick.

Just was wondering if it was the standard, ( the Exhaust and the way it was set up suggests no)

Loved the sound of it, chap driving it, was doing everything he could to lose me and, as I said, with wifelet in Scoob, backed off.

Liked the look of it and TBH it looks nicer in the flesh than the Pics I've seen of the new Scoob due out late this year.

Regards

Alan MaC

 

What VXR was it?????? Corsa? Astra? Vectra?That 7 seater VXR Jobby(cant remember Name.) Old Monaro?? New Monaro(VXR8)??.

If it was the first two i would get the Scoob looked at Lol.

Mac

 

Sorry, Astra.

As I said, after the Scoob was warmed up I Followed him, no problem at all right behind , and I still had a lot left to play with.

Then, he started overtaking into oncoming traffic to try to lose me and, I backed off, had Wifelet in the car, who was not impressed and, to be fair, it wasn't worth it.

Still a nice car the VXR Astra, and still don't think I have to have my engine checked!

Regards.

Alan MaC

 

Think you need to re read OP..!

 

not that quick
i got an astra now and i must admit its faster than the sti i had.
i got stage 3 tuned so now its at 310 bhp.
now you cant say astras are not quick

 

Probably aftermarket mate. I had one blast past me in Essex (on a blind bend with visibility further impaired by a large lorry, which I was waiting behind for a safe opportunity to overtake) I have to say it sounded ok, but not in an Impreza's league.

My mum was in the car at the time, her response surprised me:

"He'd have got a nasty surprise if he'd have tried that in a situation where it would have been safe for you to put your foot down eh?"

 

I am sure they are, but some on here think that STI stands for 'Subaru The invincible'.....I am sure a standard sti and VXR astra are a pretty even match in the real world.

Nice cars, look better in red though in my opinion, or even black?

 

Whats the Handling like Sir, just out of interest.

 

The astra VXR is not in the same league as an STI. The Vectra and the Monaro are equally matched though.

I test drove an Astra VXR with a 300bhp upgrade and it just couldn't put the power down and in the corners the extra power was just unwieldy. A standard Astra VXR is a good little car and a good match for an ST or a GTI.

2 cars ago I owned a 190 bhp Astra coupe turbo and that was at the limit of what a front wheel drive car should be at IMO.

 

thats what i been trying to tell ppl,that the vxr is about the same performance as the standard sti.
not wanting to start any arguments or bitching its just my experiance

 

Torque steer and wheelspin

 

handling was a bit poor untill i got it lowered,now it sticks and you can feel what the car is doing

 

yeah it does but once rolling its a animal

 

I know a lot of the Astra VXR mob tend to replace the standard exhaust with the full system Milltek decat sports exhaust which sounds pretty meaty.

A lot of people go on about the VXR torque steer etc, which yes it's guilty of but it isn't half as bad as people who have never driven one in anger seem to think it is.. they just base it on the Clarkson's slating on Top Gear, a little know fact is that the "VXR" track tested on Top Gear was a pre production model that was based on the SRI chassis and suspension. Anyway, adapting your driving style to suit works wonders.

As with most performance cars, many have the VXR modded, and the VXR Performance Centre (aka Triple Eight Race Engineering) do some nifty things to make the car so much better, in respect to power, braking and handling.

But with off the shelf figures of 247BHP and a 0-62 time of 6.1 secs it definitely isn't a slouch, and considering it's refinement it's a very respectable motor.

 

AS I said,

Nice car & I think I surprised him how close I stuck with him and, he started to take chances to get away from me.

Nice raspy exhaust note by the way.

Regards.

Alan MaC

 

Did you say the car was an ice blue? Was it definately a VXR. Tell tale signs from the rear are centre exhaust (but some sport hatches have this put on) and no strip on the rear bumber. The VXR comes in Arden blue that is just a little lighter than the scooby wr blue, not the lighter one which is a normal sport hatch choice colour.

What shape was the exhaust, trapezoid = standard (maximum upgrade 260)
oval = miltek or remus (max 320bhp, at the mo) much louder
strange tear drop shape (magnex)

I think if it was a full stage 3 VXR you would have struggled to keep up in anything but a sti ppp

 

We should always try to compare standard with standard guys, mod'd cars can be argued on for ever as mod's are really unlimited.
In standard form I don't think the VXR would keep with an STi be it dry or wet. The VXR is a good car for sure and very quick to. I have owned a couple of CTR's and they were awesome but were close to the limit for fwd only, really bad in the wet or damp conditions. My 05 Sti ppp flies in any weather and from a launched start is incredible. Perhaps there is someone on here with a standard Sti who has had a run in with a VXR and can tell us about it but looking at stated figures for these machines the STi walks it and remember a few tenths at this level of performance is a big difference.

 

Well said mate

 

I have a standard 2003 wrx and quite a few posts ago I mentioned being beat off a roundabout by a VXR. I reckon if mine had ppp (same as sti) it would have been a dead heat due to it being bone dry and from a rolling start of around 30mph off a roundabout.

 

310BHP through the front wheels?

Man, that thing must be absolutely ****e round corners.

 

Well said again.

My point being that a few tenths may not equate to much on the road. I am sure an STI would be quicker but it won't be a gulf between the two.

 

Poor guy, he's clutching at straws now!
How would you compare the vxr to the integra type r dc2? I had one a few months back and it was an absolute pig to drive in the wet.
I'm sure, in the dry, with a clear road the STANDARD vxr would have a good go at an sti, whether that be classic or newage. But in the real world, the sti would be quicker. Impreza's just give that confidence that very few other cars can match. Would you even consider taking a corner in the wet, at the same speed as you'd take it in the dry? No, but in the Impreza, there's hope!

 

Correct, that is why a few tenths does matter, because with these power outputs ur always down to tenths but lets not forget that there is almost a full second between them in 0 - 60 which equates to 15%, in favour of the Sti. In the dry the VXR would still be able to see you.... in the wet... forget it! That's why I bought the car I have, very few can keep with it and fewer can pass it (evo's aside).... I like that, not that I race everywhere, but it's good to know it's there otherwise might as well buy a Nissan Micra! And no its not invincible, just good value for money, listed as 0 - 60 in 4.6s and a smidge over 12s to 100.... brilliant!
You must also remember that the only proper way to race is from a standstill, even then your reaction may be faster or slower than the other guy or a gear change could be fudged, all it would take to give a false impression. Look at the lap times on the Top Gear website from the Stig for a true idea of what different cars can do, although the astra VXR is not listed for some reason, suspect it would be similar to the Focus ST, given its superior handling, what do you think?