| |
 |
| |
|
| |
Vauxhall VX220 Turbo
Our Thoughts
Lotus know how, Vauxhall economy ?
|
|
| |
|
| |
Background
The VX220 was first revealed at the London Motor show in 1999 and went on sale the following summer. The car was limited to 1000 units in the UK. The car was based on the original Lotus Elise and built alongside it at Hethel by Lotus.
The VX220 Turbo was introduced in March 2003, and replaced the 2.2-litre normally aspirated standard VX220. This increased both power and torque. The rest of the car remained more or less the same.
|
| |
1st Impressions - Exterior Styling
|
| |
My initial reaction to the VX220 when it was first launched was that it looked a bit too much like a toy. Compared to the Elise Mk1 it looked a less focused. However looking at the black VX parked outside my house I realise how much my thoughts have changed. In fact I prefer its looks to those of the Mk2 Elise. Furthermore the VX is actually a less common sight on the road and as such has a bigger visual impact.
The design is very effective at distancing the two cars, it is only when viewed from above the similarities become more apparent. The VX looks wider than the Elise and in some ways more aggressive.
Viewed from the inside the shape is very interesting and one of the best views of the car is the one through the side mirrors. Throughout the week I enjoyed this view over and over again. It certainly reminds you, that you are driving something a bit different, a bit exciting.
One view from the inside that doesn't work as well is that of the bonnet at speed. The bonnet is not fastened down at the edge nearest the windscreen, so once the speed gets up the bonnet corners flaps around - which is a bit disconcerting.
|
| |
Interior Styling
|
| The first thing that hits you entering the VX is that it's very Spartan. The kit levels are at the bare minimum: you get a radio, heater, and wind up windows. Luxury items include a cigarette lighter and a drinks holder.
|
|
| Attractive and Functional - but Basic |
|
The leather seats are attractive and firm. The passenger seat is actually fixed, whereas the driver's seat moves forward and backward and has an inflatable lumbar support (a bit like the device to take your pulse). The Seats are quite narrow (for me), but the lumbar support allows you to fluctuate the seat position (or your position in the seat) and this helps on long journeys. I did four and a half hours in one stint, thanks to lots of traffic, and I was actually pretty comfortable at the end of it.
There are certain build quality concerns inside the car. The horizontal part of the dash doesn't meet the vertical part. Or the gap between them is pretty big and more so at the end nearest the passenger. We noticed the same on another car we tested last year. Also the floor at the front of the passenger foot well had some red sealant showing. Finally the VX220 badge on the dash looks tacky.
The car has a starter button, which is actually very under-played. I actually forgot it was there the first time I got in and was wondering why the car wouldn't start when I turned the key.
The driving position is good, you sit low in the car (well virtually on the floor) and your legs are straight out in front of you. The side of the car is wide and covered in plastic that is designed to emphasise the chassis construction. A look mirrored by the handles you turn to open and close the windows.
The Momo steering wheel has a Vauxhall logo in middle, which doubles as the air bag. The wheel is a great shape, which encourages a light touch and in return gives very good feedback. The only issue I had with the wheel was the position of the horn buttons (which was on either side. I found this a bit awkward and I sounded the horn by mistake a number of times, both on the track and on the road. Which apart from being pretty embarrassing could be a bit dangerous.
In front of you there is a speedometer on the left and revometer on the right. Below the speedo is and LCD displaying information such as the oil temperature, odometer, and trip odometer. In addition it also houses the various warning lights.
The gear stick is a little longer than I actually expected but works well. Initial reaction is that it's a bit wobbly but once you start driving that thought goes out of your head.
From the drivers seat visibility is a little restrictive, this is mainly down to the cars height, Most other vehicles on the road tower above you, so the car is not for the faint hearted. Rear visibility is very restrictive as looking through the rear view mirror is akin to looking at a small wide screen television; you are limited to the view between the head restraints. As mentioned before the view through the two side mirrors is enhanced by the side view of the car, and generally using these mirrors is good enough.
Getting in or out is an interesting proposition, but well discuss this in the practicality section below.
The car has no central locking but does have a remote alarm.
|
| |
|
| |
Ride, Handling & Steering
|
| |
Any car that Lotus has had a hand in is likely to excel in this area and the VX is no exception. The car rides firmly but this is not a problem on roads. During the 8 days we tested this car we sampled everything from baby-smooth motorways to the very worst b-roads, not to mention the far from smooth surface at Bruntingthorpe proving ground. At no point did we feel that the VX rode too hard or was too uncomfortable. Obviously the goalposts of your expectation are moved and if this were a saloon car then perhaps we would be stating things slightly differently. But in this car the ride is good.
Handling is great, the car is very 'chuckable'; turn in is good, and whilst there is a slight tendency to understeer this is controllable. The fact that the car is rear wheel drive means that the opposite is also possible and it is when you start to exploring this that the sting in the tail can hit. If you push the rear out just that bit too far, you can get into a spin. But we are talking really pushing and something you'd expect on the track not on the road.
Anybody familiar with track days will probably have seen an Elise spin, I certainly have several times on several occasions and this is generally due to the car pushing the drivers abilities rather than it's own. In the right hands the VX can do some magical things.
The steering is also very good. The combination of the great wheel and also the car setup mean that you have a delicate input device. The wheel encourages finesse and in return streams back lots of information about what's going on beneath you. The speed of the wheel is also very impressive and means you can really control the car.
|
| |
Engine, Gearbox and Performance
|
| |
|
| |
| 198bhp / 185lb ft from the 2.0-litre turbo means no wanting for power. |
|
The VX 220 turbo ditches the 2.2-litre engine of the VX 220 and replaces it with the turbo charged 2.0-litre from the Astra Gsi. Power is up to 198bhp (from 145bhp) and torque is up to 185lb ft (from 150lb ft). The result is nearly a second off the 0-60 time (4.7secs vs. 5.6secs for the standard VX220). Top speed is up to 151mph (from 137mph).
Compared to the fastest Elise (the 111R) the VX220 turbo has 10bhp and 52 lb ft more. This means acceleration and mid range power is easier to achieve as you don't have to rev the engine as hard. On the track things are pretty close, Fifth Gear (and Tiff Needel) tested both and the difference on the track was negligible.
The car gets a 5-speed manual gearbox. The actual lever has a longer throw than expected. This is partly to do with the fact that the car has no centre tunnel so the stick needs to come up from the floor. What it does mean though is that there is less than a hand span between the stick and the steering wheel. Which is obviously good news when you are on the track, or on the road. The change itself is positive you can feel the gear engage.
As the car has plenty of torque the requirement to change gear isn't as pressing and the lack of a sixth ratio is also not missed.
|
| |
|
| |
Practicality
|
| |
| Some compromises for daily use. Widescreen TV rear view. Suprising space. |
|
OK, so practicality and a VX are not normally expressed in the same sentence, but everything is relative.
Lets first discuss entry and exit procedure. It's not easy to get in or out of the VX. This is especially true when the roof is on. There is no clear technique for doing this, I spent 8 days with the car, driving every day and certainly on the day we took the car to Bruntingthorpe made a lot of entrances and exits. My technique worked well but the bruises on my legs probably suggest it is far from ideal. For the record my technique was to sit straight into the seat and then swing my right leg in and over the sill. To get out I held onto the roof at the front and rear and flicked my legs out followed by the rest of me. If anyone has a better technique let me know!
With the roof off getting in and out is a lot easier. To get in you stand on the seat and slide down it into the sitting position. To get out hold onto the top of the windscreen and the back of the seats and voila you're out.
So how easy is life with the roof? Actually pretty easy. After your first attempt things get a lot simpler. It is even possible to take off the roof from the drivers seat (obviously when you are parked). Although putting the roof on does require you to be outside.
A direct result of this is that cloud watching becomes a frequent occupation. As you have to stop to put the roof on, you do have to keep have an eye on the weather. It's quite good fun trying to guess if the clouds ahead are over the road you are on.
The general feedback was that the roof was far better than the one on the mark 1 Elise. Thanks to a veteran of two Elises for that.
Boot-wise the VX actually surprises; the boot is quite big. The only restriction is the aperture, which is quite small, so you can get a lot of little things in it, but big things need to take the place of the passenger. There is no space for luggage under the bonnet but there is a small space behind the seats.
The VX has a pretty small 38 litre / 8 gallon fuel tank. Combined fuel economy is actually pretty good at 33.3mpg. (The other figures for the car are 23.7mpg for urban and 43.6mpg extra urban). Even so the range is only 226 miles and as a result I visited the petrol station 4 times during the week.
A rating of 220g/km is pretty good considering.
|
| |
Conclusion
|
| |
Every day life with the VX is a compromise mainly down to the ungraceful and sometimes painful entrance/exit and general basic-ness of the cabin. However in terms of performance:pound ratio little comes close.
With the VX220 turbo costing £26,495, rivals obviously come no closer than Lotus's own Elise. Performance-wise the 111R is closest, and that costs slightly more at £27,995. The Lotus has the badge but is also more common and so things are pretty even. Caterham and Westfield both offer road / track weapons at similar prices with equal ability if not practicality. After that the competitors are all niche players.
The most frightening thing about the car was the effect it had on me when I got back into my M5 after a week in the VX. The seat felt ridiculous, really padded. I felt like I was sitting on a bunch of cushions and the car itself felt high up too. It was really noticeably how different the cars felt. Reassuringly the M5 did still feel very fast though.
VX as my second car - yes please !!
|
| |
Neil
|
| |
|
|
|
|
