Vauxhall cars have undergone something of a renaissance recently. Whereas previously, a large section of their line up was regarded as a little stodgy, a little uninteresting, they now have models in their catalogue which can be regarded as the best example of a type.
One of these Vauxhall cars is the Monaro, which flaunts a monolithic 5.7 litre V8 engine – as the saying goes, there’s no substitute for engine capacity, but the real surprise comes when you look at the price tag. The price of 0-60 in 6 seconds and 330 bhp is just over £29,000 – this is the most powerful car you can get for that money! If you are mad, you could plump for the 6.0 litre engine and 0-60 in 5.2 seconds – that’s for a smudge over £36,000 – but the 5.7 is the real bargain here.
The first example of Vauxhall cars ramping up their image is the new Tigra convertible. This is certainly worth a look – the electric-foldaway metal roof offers better security than a fabric top and the old Tigra’s dull-as-ditchwater drive has been consigned to history – but again it’s the price that makes it special – under £14,000. OK, it’s only a two-seater but considering the old Tigras were a nightmare for rear passengers, this is actually for the best.
Our final spotlight on Vauxhall cars is the VX220 - reinvented with more power than in its original incarnation, it will now hit 60 in less than 5 seconds. This car is fun, fast and has exceptional handling thanks to Lotus’ involvement. In short, it costs just £25,000 for one of the fastest A to B cars around, and you will never again be embarrassed by anything on a country road.
In summary, there are some absolutely blinding Vauxhall cars out there at prices which demand that you snap their hands off. Take a look at our reviews of the Vauxhall range to see for yourself.