Vauxhall Reveals Radical New Astra VXR EXTREME

Vauxhall is set to reveal its brand new Astra VXR EXTREME at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The car promises to be unlike any other Astra to date, pushing boundaries to the extreme.

• Vauxhall is getting ready to officially unveil the Astra VXR EXTREME at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show later next month. If the public reaction is as positive as they expect, there is talk of it going into low-volume production, which we think will make it an instant classic among racing fanatics.

  The exciting new car is derived from the same Astra that completed the Nürburgring Endurance Championship, pairing it with the more street-sensible Astra VXR.

  Vauxhall has said that the new car is 100kg lighter than the standard Astra VXR thanks to liberal use of high-quality carbon components. It comes with a raft of high-strength, ultra-light materials that are used in a slew of components like the aerodynamically-optimised rear wing, diffuser, front spoiler, bonnet, suspension cross-bracing, engine cover, wheels, rear wheelhouse ventilation, as well as roof.

  One of the most noticeable features of the VXR EXTREME is its lower centre of gravity created through the in-house manufactured carbon fibre roof which weighs just 2.6kg (compared to the normal steel roof that weighs in at 9.3kg). The wings too been reconstructed and are now made of aluminium, weighing in at only 800g. The previous steel wings on the standard VXR weighed 2.2kg. All this weight loss gives a real boost to the agility of the car, improving handling and the power-to-weight ratio.

  And of course, the vehicle wouldn’t be very EXTREME if it didn’t come with a new and improved engine to boot. According to Vauxhall, the new VXR comes with a revised 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine that is now the most powerful four-cylinder unit Vauxhall has ever produced. The all-aluminium 296 BHP engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox through a limited-slip differential, making this the perfect car to take out on the track.

  The car’s insides have also been redesigned with EXTREME power in mind. The manufacturer has removed the back seats and installed a safety roll bar, added Recaro bucket seats with six-point safety belts from Schroth in the front and given it a suede-covered racing steering wheel with yellow stitching.

  Anyone interested in more news regarding this exciting car should check with their nearest Pentagon Vauxhall site where we’ll be able to give you the most up-to-date information as it becomes available.