Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme gets 300bhp

The Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme (pictured) gets 300bhp

When the Vauxhall Astra Extreme popped its head above the parapet at the end of January as a potential range-topping Astra, we did wonder if it was going to get more power as well as suspension and cosmetic tweaks. It is. Vauxhall still aren’t saying just how powerful the Extreme is, but they do say it will have ‘more than 300 pS if (and probably, when) it goes in to production.

That should be enough to give the Astra Extreme performance notably better than the 5.9 seconds 0-62mph the standard Astra VXR can manage, but that won’t be down to just the extra power.

Vauxhall say they have managed to cut the weight of the Extreme by 100kg thanks to liberal us of carbon fibre, which is used for the roof, back wing, diffuser, front spoiler, bonnet, suspension cross-bracing, engine cover and even the wheels.

Vauxhall has also dropped the steel wings and replaced them with ones made of aluminium – which weigh a little of a third of the steel wings – and other weight saving measures not only add up to the 100kg weight saving but make the VXR Extreme more agile.

Sensibly, with 300bhp going through the front wheels and poetntila for impressive performance, Vauxhall has also fitted a set of beefy Brembo six-piston brakes with 370mm discs up front and specially developed 245/35 tyres on 19″ rims for grip.

To make the Astra VXR Extreme seem even more like a track car for the road, Vauxhall has discarded the back seats and fitted a roll cage, thrown in a set of Recaros and six-point belts.

If Vauxhall do decide to do a limited production run of the VXR Extreme – and that’s dependant on reaction at Geneva – it’s not going to come cheap.

But with the UK already the best-selling market for the Astra VXR it seems likelyt there will be enough UK buyers to justify a production run.

The Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

By Cars UK