Here’s your second batch of photos from the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, that makes it 155 photos in all. We start part 2 with the very cool Maserati Alfieri concept and end with the very cool Volvo Concept Estate. Cool!
Tag: VXR
This Opel/Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme is about to hit the halls in Geneva and while there may be more exotic cars from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and some unknown Euro startup manufacturer not many will be quite as cool as this.
Much like the equally awesome Renault Megane R26.R, this is a hi-po stripped out shopping trolley-turned racecar made street-ready once more. Only at this stage it’s nothing more than a concept model. It will need a favourable reaction from the public to encourage GM to sign off on a low-volume production run.
We don’t know anything specific about the Extreme’s power output, suffice to say it should comfortably top the 206kW found in the regular Astra VXR. Rumours say 300PS (220kW) should be given a serious nudge. The 2.0 litre four-pot will be mated to a 6-speed manual box and proper limited slip diff.
We do know the Extreme is 100kg lighter than its now clearly mundane donor model. The weight savings have been made in part thanks to a mix of carbon fibre and aluminium body panels. There’s a half-cage in the back in case you bin it and Recaro racing seats up front to keep you strapped in nice and snug.
Those ingredients have been complemented with a wild body kit, adjustable suspension, big brakes and 19″ alloys shod with semi-slick tyres.
Just do it!
Opel is bringing a refreshed line up of Insignia models to Frankfurt and Vauxhall UK brings us up to speed on the VXR SuperSport. In short, it’s their go fast version of the mid-size Insignia, available as Hatch or Sports Tourer (pictured).
Of course, it’s the estate layout that’s the pick of the bunch. The warmed over Insignia packs a 325PS (240kW) punch and it can reach 100km/h in 5.9 seconds (6.1 seconds for the estate). And if Opel had the balls to stick it out in Australia for a bit longer, well, they probably wouldn’t have offered this model here anyway.
So join us for an all purpose whinge at the cool cars we sometimes miss out on in Australia. For this VXR SuperSport Sports Tourer is very, very cool.