Closely akin to the recently unveiled Holden W427, it looks like the Vauxhall VXR8 is going to receive the heart of the beast. That is the 570HP 7.0L Corvette Z06 engine.

The flagship edition of the Vauxhall VXR8 is will be priced around £55,000 ($110,000) when it goes on sale later this summer and looks like the perfect complement to Vauxhall’s fresh new look.

Estimates suggest that the VXR8 will hit 60mph from a standstill in approximately 4.5 seconds and easily reach its electronically-governed 155 mph. The VXR8 will likely never be seen in the rear view mirrors of the Audi RS6 and the BMW M5, but is the price justified?

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Vauxhall was had one of the coolest car logos since its inception in the 1930s. With its last iteration only being five years old, Vauxhall has decided to update the Griffin again. The new-for-2008 mythical half-eagle, half-lion beast, is intended to represent Vauxhall’s renewed focus on their new approach to design.

Vauxhall has recently introduced redesigns of the Astra and Corsa and the all new Insignia. These designs have been very well received by the public and the hope is to reinforce this freshness with the new Vauxhall logo. Vauxhall’s hope is to have the logo accepted as still being born out of tradition, while at the same time balancing with modernity.

The official public unveiling of the logo will be this July at the British International Motor Show. After that, it will be mounted to the new Insignia and then of course applied to all other cars in the Vauxhall line-up shortly thereafter.

[Source: Vauxhall]

PRESS RELEASE:

VAUXHALL’S GRIFFIN FLIES TO NEW HORIZON

Long established as the face of the marque, Vauxhall’s Griffin will be given a new look for 2008. The new incarnation follows the rapid progress Vauxhall has made in vehicle design and overall brand perception in recent years, underpinned by the success of both Astra and Corsa models.

Displaying a more dynamic and contemporary look, the new Griffin will make its first appearance on the new Insignia, which will debut at the British International Motor Show in July. It will then appear progressively on every all-new Vauxhall launched in the future.

Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall’s Managing Director, said that the new-look Griffin represented far more than just a badge re-design: “While the new-look Griffin pays homage to our 100 year-plus manufacturing heritage in the UK, it also encapsulates Vauxhall’s fresh design philosophy, first showcased in the current Astra, and set to continue with Insignia.

“This recent evolution of the brand has resulted in Vauxhall’s incredible sales success over the last three years. Its retail share in the UK has increased significantly, while the manufacturing plants in Luton and Ellesmere Port produced in excess of 220,000 vehicles, with 59 per cent going for export, and the remainder making an important contribution to domestic sales.”

First public airing of the new Griffin will be later this summer, on Vauxhall’s Griffin House HQ in Luton. Retailers’ corporate identity will begin the change of the new Griffin in August 2008.

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Packing a punch of 420 hp and 400 lbs of torque, the VXR8 launches itself from 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds and will stop it from the same speed in less than 120 ft thanks to its monstrous disc brakes.  The striated muscle under the skin just waiting to be used is none other GM’s 6.0L LS2 V8 mated to a six speed manual. A six speed auto is also available, but I think I’ll pass.

Vauxhall had no intention of making the VXR8 a sleeper and the 20″ wheels and a bodykit just as muscular as the LS2. The front and rear clips on the VXR8 visually scream with aggression.

Let’s hope the G8 GXP uses its UK brother as a benchmark for sibling rivalry.

[Source: Vauxhall]

PRESS RELEASE:
DON’T MOURN MONARO - HERE COMES THE VXR8!

· New Vauxhall supersaloon on sale in July, priced at £34,995
· 6.0-litre V8, 420bhp, 0-60mph in 4.9 secs.
· First VXR model available with an auto gearbox

Motoring enthusiasts across Britain mourned the passing of the Monaro. The only Australian-built car to be sold in the UK offered raw and exciting performance thanks to its 6.0-litre V8 and rear-wheel drive set up.

But the thunder from down under hasn’t stopped yet - in fact it’s only going to get louder. Vauxhall has announced the arrival of a new Aussie musclecar - the VXR8 - and it’s more powerful and exciting than even the legendary Monaro.

The dramatic-looking new saloon is powered by the same 6.0-litre V8 as the outgoing Monaro VXR, but revisions to the engine have made it even more efficient. It now develops a massive 420PS and 550Nm of torque, giving it enough grunt to sprint from

0-60mph in just 4.9 seconds. No other supercar offers this sort of power for anywhere near the VXR8’s price.

Yet the VXR8, based on Australia ’s Holden HSV Clubsport R8, offers more in the way of practicality than the outgoing Monaro, with four doors and space for all the family.

Although practical, with a spacious boot, comfortable, long-legged cruising ability and luxuries such as climate control and leather trim, the VXR8 is certainly no softie. Driver aids such as the stability system and traction control can be turned off at the flick of a switch - perfect for drivers who want to hone their skills on a track day!

And VXR8 goes as well as it stops, too, with powerful 365mm front disc brakes that slow the car down from 60mph to a standstill faster than a Lamborghini Murcielago or BMW M5.

In response to customer demand, the VXR8 will also be the first VXR model to be offered with an automatic gearbox. In order to maintain the control which VXR buyers require, the optional £1,400 self-shifter has a manual override and a sport setting which ensure the performance isn’t blunted - in fact the auto is only half a second slower to 60mph than the manual!

Satellite navigation and 20-inch wheels will be offered as options for those who want to make their VXR8 look more distinctive and help find their way to the best driving roads. Even with all the option boxes ticked however, the VXR8 is still around half the price of other cars with comparable performance. As all fast car fans know, Aussie rules…….

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