For most of us, recordings of early morning TV’s V8 Supercars provided a healthy dose of exciting Australian racing saloon action. The sight and sound of these big-inch bruisers thundering around Mount Panorama is not easily forgotten and, thanks to clever use of badge engineering, our daydreams of attacking The Esses and The Dipper could be fulfilled behind the wheel of the Vauxhall VXR8.
Vauxhall had previously imported and re-badged the Holden Monaro Coupé to good effect. This was very much an old-school, 6.0-litre LS-powered muscle car (also sold in the US as the Pontiac GTO), which was very appealingly priced below £30,000. It was never a huge seller, but it found a solid number of enthusiast owners – many of whom added a supercharger for dramatic effect.
As a follow-up, Vauxhall launched the VXR8 saloon in 2007. Just as before, this new saloon was in effect a re-badged Holden Special Vehicles Clubsport, but from a technical standpoint it was a far more impressive package. Power initially came from the vocal and grunt-laden naturally aspirated 411bhp LS2 V8 engine, with a Tremec M10 manual gearbox. One of the biggest improvements was a new multi-link rear suspension, which made the original VXR8 a solid starting point…
In 2009 the substantially upgraded VXR8 Bathurst edition was launched: big brakes, adjustable suspension, a lairy colour scheme and powered by the 6.2-litre LS3. This could be optionally equipped with a Walkinshaw Performance supercharger kit, pushing power to 552bhp. Soon after this, the VXR8 briefly went off sale in the UK, as HSV was in the process of launching an updated version.
By 2011, a revised Vauxhall version appeared. It got a new face, and with it came plenty of serious upgrades under the skin. There was an automatic option for the first time, as well as a set of Magnetic Ride Control dampers, which really improved the handling. However, the basic 425bhp Clubsport started at £45,000, with the top-spec GTS nearer to £50k, so it was no longer the bargain it had been.
That really didn’t matter, though. Vauxhall only ever planned to bring in a few hundred each year, but in 2013 it went even more niche with the introduction of the Maloo. Known in its homeland as a ‘ute’, this was a hilariously pointless, yet completely lovable, 425bhp pick-up. Perhaps more usefully, Vauxhall also started to bring in the handsome and spacious VXR8 Tourer at this point.
In 2014 there was the introduction of the blown GTS, which, thanks to a chargecooled supercharger, pushed power to 576bhp. At £55,000 it was still £20k cheaper than an E55 or M5, but sales were limited to a very small pool of enthusiast buyers. It continued in the UK until the plug was pulled in 2017, with the GTS-R the run-out model.
It’s now five years since GM closed Holden’s last car factory, marking the end of Australian car production. The VXR8 remains a real hardcore enthusiast choice, as it always was. If you can stomach the fuel bills, it’s a unique and thrilling experience.
Common problems
• All the engines are good for huge mileages in standard form, and up to 850bhp if tuned correctly. Many have been; just ensure it’s been done properly – and the clutch upgraded, too.
• Body panels are expensive to replace, as are lights and trim, so make sure it’s all up to scratch. Corrosion isn’t a huge issue, though factory rust-proofing wasn’t great.
• Various bushes are prone to wearing, so check for knocks and clonks.
WHAT TO PAY?
Although you might expect depreciation and wallet- crippling fuel consumption to have hit the VXR8 hard, the low numbers brought into the UK mean that prices have actually held up pretty well.
Earliest versions have barely dropped below the £10k mark, and you’re looking at closer to £13,000 to get a decent example, with the later 6.2 cars closer to £20k. Facelifted 2010 cars are even rarer and command £25k, even £50k for the newest supercharged ones.
