VXR power hikes

Vauxhall has announced performance tweaks for the 2007 Vectra VXR and a limited edition Monaro VXR.

The Monaro VXR500 is based on the standard 6-litre Monaro VXR, but uses forced induction to take power from 398 to 493bhp (500PS) and torque from 391lb ft to a massive 499. In addition to the positive displacement supercharger, the conversion also includes an upgraded fuel system, clutch revisions and bespoke engine tune.

It’s expected that the VXR500 will have a sub five second 0-60 time and a top speed in excess of 180mph, but with most of the torque available low down in the engine’s rev range, the engine should remain useably flexible. The limited edition Monaro is available for £35,995 - less than half the price of any other coupe with 500bhp. Should be an amazing Q-car, though whether people in that brice bracket can cope with the Vauxhall badge remains to be seen.

Slightly lower down the scale, the Vectra VXR's power is boosted from 251 to 276bhp, thanks to a redesigned induction system, modified engine components and retuned electronic engine control software. These revisions to the 2.8-litre V6 turbo engine knock four-tenths of a second off the 0-60mph sprint time, taking it down to just 6.1 seconds for the hatchback and 6.3 seconds for the estate.

To match the engine’s extra power, Vauxhall’s engineers have also tweaked the chassis to give more dynamic handling. Modified spring and shock absorber settings and correspondingly retuned IDSPlus2 chassis control software is said to optimise the pitch, roll and turn-in characteristics to make the most of the increased performance without spoiling the Vectra's drive. The difference between the normal chassis setting and the Sport setting, which is activated by the dashboard-mounted Sport Switch, has been further increased, making sure that the Vectra’s handling can cope with the more enthusiastic driver’s demands.

The Vectra VXR currently costs £24,180 (saloon) and £25,180 (estate).