ilPistone.com: 2006 Opel Vectra VXR

Indovinate che motore avra' ?

Ovviamente il V6 2.8 turbo da 250cv che equipaggerà la Saab 9-3... pero' qui si parla di prezzi allineati con la Mondeo ST220 il che la renderebbe parecchio interessante.

VECTRA VXR CHARGES IN

Exclusive images in this week's mag show the hottest Vectra yet, and Auto Express can reveal it will put the VXR badge on the performance car map once and for all. With turbo power, a track-tuned chassis and a top speed in excess of 160mph, this is the machine that Vauxhall fans have been waiting for.

As with the other models in the Luton firm's sporting line-up, the facelifted Vectra's bodywork has been given a muscular makeover. A deep front airdam sits below the trademark V-grille, but all the silver trim found on other variants is removed for a sportier look.

The new VXR's profile is dominated by striking 19-inch alloys and deep sculpted side skirts. At the rear, designers have held nothing back in giving the Vauxhall the most imposing appearance possible, with a centrally mounted exhaust pipe and a bold boot spoiler.

However, it will take more than a brash bodykit for the hot Vectra to stay ahead of its rivals. To give the VXR the pace buyers will demand, it's equipped with a 2.8-litre turbocharged engine producing nearly 250bhp.

Company top brass have yet to release official performance figures, but customers should expect a maximum speed in excess of 160mph and a 0-60mph time of no more than six seconds. The quickest model in the current Vectra line-up is the 3.2-litre V6-powered GSi, which takes exactly seven seconds to complete the benchmark sprint.

Vauxhall has also called in its most skilled European chassis engineers to overhaul the Vectra's underpinnings. The manufacturer is already claiming that even standard versions of the revised family favourite will be much better to drive than the existing model - so what can we expect from the new flagship? A spokesman told Auto Express: "People who drive the VXR will still want some refinement, but they are willing to make more compromises. Compared to the SRi, the new machine will feel far more raw and sporty."

To complete the racy set-up, the standard Vectra brakes have made way for oversized discs which offer greater stopping power than those fitted to the Monaro VXR muscle car. Our sources have told us bright blue calipers will add the finishing touch.

Family buyers will be pleased to learn that the Vectra VXR is almost certain to be available in estate guise, too. While only the five-door seen here will go on sale when the high-performance flagship is launched in the new year, the load-lugger is likely to join the range by the end of 2006. The slow-selling saloon and luxurious Signum are the only variants that won't get the VXR treatment.

Inside, the newcomer is fitted with supportive leather-trimmed sports seats, while VXR badging adorns the dash and gearknob. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but buyers can expect little change from £25,000. That will pitch the Vauxhall at a similar price level to Ford's Mondeo ST220 - the car the hot Vectra must beat to secure class honours.

Following the launch of the Astra VXR in September, the range-topping Vectra will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the same month. The VXR line-up will then grow to include the Zafira in the New Year, the Meriva in the spring and the next-generation Corsa before the end of 2006. A hot version of the Tigra has been ruled out, though, as the company isn't confident that the drop-top's chassis could cope with the kind of power buyers would expect.

Meanwhile, time is running out for the VX220 line-up. Production of all variants will cease within the next 12 months, and bosses are still undecided about whether or not a replacement model will be sold in the UK.