Vauxhall VXR220 Turbo 1999 Review

The Vauxhall VXR220 creaks and ticks as it trundles along the slow suburban streets of Luton in the UK, not far from the Vauxhall Heritage Centre where it lives. The ride is firm, the seats are snug but unforgiving, and trying to get into the car requires freakish contortionism.

It's so low you have to approach speed bumps with the caution of a bomb disposal expert, you can't see past any traffic, rearward vision is ambiguous, there's sod-all space for luggage, no stereo, not even a glovebox... and it's about as practical as a fridge in the Antarctic.

But when you find a nice winding ribbon of road and let rip, all is forgotten, for the VXR220 delivers freedom as few others can.

The Vauxhall VXR220 never came to Australia through official channels, but it's one of those cars that I always yearned to drive. Now that I have, I'm feeling a bit impulsive.

It does that to you.

In 1999 the Speedster Concept was shown at the Geneva motor show, a wild roadster design exuding aggression, and a year later the production VX220 was born, a naturally aspirated 2.2-litre roadster with a removable roof that was based on the (then) all-new Lotus Elise Series 2.

The tiny 3.8m long mid-engined, cloth-roofed roadster was the result of a collaboration between Lotus and GM, after the former company ran into a spot of bother. The Lotus Elise Series 1 had saved Lotus but didn't meet impending crash safety regulations coming into effect in the year 2000, and Lotus didn’t have the capital needed to develop a newer, safer platform.

So in stepped GM's German division, Opel, with fistfuls of cash – and the proviso the car should be modified to fit larger GM engines – and the Opel Speedster was born.

Built between 2000 and 2005 at Lotus's factory in Hethel, Norfolk, the tenacious midget was badged the Opel Speedster in most of Europe, the Vauxhall VX220 in the UK and a single car was badged the Daewoo Speedster as a promotional vehicle for Asian markets. The rear-drive roadster tipped the scales at around 875kg when fitted with the 2.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which pumped out 110kW of power, enough to accelerate the VX220 to 100km/h in six seconds.

It was claimed that only 10 per cent of the VX220's components were shared with the Lotus, including the tub. Some of the differences include 30mm longer wheelbase and slight wider rear track (+20mm) for the VX220. Due to its GM-sourced four-cylinder engines, the VX220 was heavier, slightly more luxurious but torquier than the Lotus Elise Series 2, the latter using 1.8-litre Toyota engines.

When the VX220 was launched to the global media by soon-to-be Holden boss, Peter Hannenberger, in 2000, he told journalists at the time, "Lotus is acknowledged as a master of ride and handling."

In late 2002 the hard-charging VX220 Turbo made its debut, propelled by a more convincing 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, pumping out 147kW and 250Nm. This car was properly fast, 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds and a top whack of around 217km/h.

Then in 2004 the VXR220 was born, pumping out more power and torque from the turbo 2.0-litre mill, 162kW and 300Nm. It also landed fettled suspension, performance brake pads, new wheels and tyres. It was slightly heavier at 930kg but still scorched from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h, and addressed criticism of the previous cars that they were prone to mild understeer.

Fast-forward a decade and this car, the first of just 65 cars and used as a development vehicle, accelerates with magnificent intensity. To call it addictive would be a gross understatement.

Within a couple of seconds of leaving town, suburbs and speed limits shrinking in the distance, the car comes alive and it has me hooked. Pin the throttle in third gear and between 30 and 60mph (about 50 and 100km/h) a turbocharger whistle emanates from over the shoulder as the revs (and G-forces) rise. The engine adds to the chorus in the higher reaches of the power band, all of it contributing to the drama.

It proves tractable from just 1400rpm, feeling considerably more powerful than its 162kW would suggest. Viva la light weight!

"People loved it," says Simon Hucknall, PR Manager for Vauxhall and VX Motorsports, of the VXR220. "It's true to say there was a lot of snob avoidance, Lotus vs Vauxhall, but for those that saw beyond the badge, they recognised it was in many respects a superior road car.

"It's reflected now. The prices you pay for them are on par, second hand. It was an important car, and along with the [Holden-sourced] Monaro, which launched here about the same time, it really established the VXR brand in the UK."

Propelled forward with grin-inducing rapidity, the lack of any electronic driver aids sees the rear end twitch on damp sections of road. Despite this the car generally has a kung-fu grip on the bitumen, and on a drying road the creaks and rattles fade into the background as apexes are triangulated, the car seemingly an extension of one's mind as it flits through corners at a whim.

Black Speedline alloy wheels denote the VXR model fitted with semi-slick tyres. Grip is very good, corner speed very fast, engine power mashing torsos into the bucket seats as it blasts out of corners.

"A lot of work was done on the suspension: bespoke wheels, tyres, dampers, springs, an altogether more focussed car than the standard model," explains Hucknall.

The suspension is firm but not as teeth-rattlingly stiff as the Lotus Elise. On smooth roads it's scintillating to drill through corners, on bumpy B-roads less so (but still mad fun). Indeed, it dances through corners and changes direction with the hyperactive zeal of an adolescent Meercat. And best of all, it makes you feel alive.

Hucknall says that while the Lotus Elise and VXR220 were based on the same platform and made in the same place, "they both had unique characters".

"The Vauxhall had narrower tyres at the front and it had more tendency to understeer, so it made it easier to drive on the road," he said.

To that end, one of the unique changes to the VXR220 that helped eradicate much of the 'safe' understeer was the adoption of smaller alloys wheel at the front axle. All other VX models featured the same diameter rims front and rear.

Despite unassisted, heavy steering, the microscopic MOMO steering wheel requires very little input to get the car turning, enhancing the connection between man and machine. You sit very close to the centre of the car and feedback is very good via the front wheels, providing a clear sense of what the car can (and can't) do.

When honking along a bumpy country road for instance it pays to relax one's grip slightly on the wheel, such is the feedback. Because of the car's roofless nature, there's also a chassis flex.

The spartan nature of the cabin reminds you what this car is designed for. The only controls in the cabin are for heating/cooling, lights, wipers and indicators. Bare metal foot wells make the car feel like a race car and a lack of carpeting means it sounds like one too.

"The whole essence of that car was the fact it was so pared down. The seats are thin, it's low weight," adds Hucknall.

Deceleration is significant – nay, momentous. The car's light weight means the anchors, which have upgraded pads and a new ABS servo, have less mass to deal with and the car pulls up with incredible authority.

The VX220 Turbo won several major awards the year it arrived in 2003, including Top Gear's car of the year plus Car magazine's performance car of the year, and it's not hard to see why. The VXR220 turned up the tempo even more, and in the simplest of terms it's a Lotus Elise with improved ride comfort, a stronger engine and a lower price.

Equipped with a five-speed manual transmission that has the kind of mechanical feel rarely experienced today, the VXR220 makes rowing through the gears seriously involving, each change followed by a blast of acceleration should you so choose.

The super short-throw gearshift doesn't feel loose, a surprise considering its vintage. The clutch is super light and easy to modulate with little chance of stalling, even on uphill starts. Indeed, for something so fast it's surprisingly easy to drive.

Will we see a reborn VXR220? 

"I would love to think there would be, but these days with economy of scale, it's tough," lamented Hucknall, but latter added with a grin, "Let's never say never."

The steering is sharp, acceleration crisp, engagement levels off the flippin' scale. The VXR220 has its shortcomings but is now high on my list of must-have roadsters and was a fitting last hurrah for the unique VX220. It would be the ideal weekend warrior, the kind of tool that not only blows away the cobwebs, but delivers freedom like few others.

2004 Vauxhall VXR220 pricing and specifications:
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 162kW/300Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Drive Type: Rear
Wheels/Tyres: 16-inch front, 17-inch rear, 195/50 R16 front, 225/45 R17 rear
Brakes: 288mm ventilated discs (f); 288mm ventilated discs (r)
Value: $40,000

What we liked:
>> Nimble chassis
>> Huge power reserves
>> Immense deceleration

Not so much:
>> Chassis flex
>> Cramped cabin
>> No shopping bag hooks