New Vauxhall VXR8 GTS gets 576bhp & costs £54,999

The new Vauxhall VXR8 GTS gets 576bhp

If you’re going to make your most potent saloon car more powerful, you could just tweak the engine management a bit to add a few more horses. But Vauxhall have gone a bit further with the latest VXR8 GTS – it gets a 6.2 litre V8 from the Camaro ZL1, a whole 150bhp and 140lb/ft of torque than the old VXR8.

Vauxhall has based the GTS on Holden’s new GEN-F GTS – Australia’s maddest production Holden – and the increase in power comes courtesy of a supercharger, new exhaust system. new air intakes and improved cooling. It’s a massive amount of power from a ‘mainstream’ saloon and makes the GTS the cheapest way to grab more than 500b hp in the UK.

All that power goes to the back wheels through a standard six-speed manual box (auto is an option) with torque vectoring and Magnetic dampers helping with a choice of Touring, Sport and Track modes. And with all that power the new GTS will need all the help it can get to keep its rubber intact.

Vauxhall say the new VXR GTS has much better body control and a much more compliant ride than the old model, better stopping power thanks to forged aluminium six-piston callipers and two piece discs and comes with a set of 20″ alloys.

Cosmetic tweaks include a new front end with new grill – which makes the GTS look bigger – to ensure enough air gets in and a new diffuser housing the quad exhaust pipes at the back. Inside the GTS gets leather sports seats, new centre console, new switchgear and new instrument panel with suede-style inserts for a more premium feel.

Vauxhall has also upped the ante on technology on the new GTS too, with everything from Forward Collision Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, Reverse Traffic Alert and Automatic Park Assist to a heads Up display. Your VXR8 will now flash and beep at you endlessly.

The new Vauxhall VXR8 GTS goes on sale in the UK today at £54,999 with first customer cars arriving before the end of 2013.

By Cars UK