Vauxhall's Aussie M5 unleashed

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Source: AutoCar

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Here's something to make you forget about congestion charging, road pricing and ever more tax on the motorist. For just £34,995, you could have a rip-snorting, 414bhp V8-powered muscle car on your drive.

Vauxhall is bringing over the Holden HSV Clubsport R8 from Australia, rebadging it the VXR8 and flogging it to us lucky Brits from July.

In typical Aussie muscle-car fashion it's about as subtle as Roo in the dunny, or whatever it is they say. We're already looking forward to driving it.

Under the bonnet is the same 6.0-litre 414bhp, 406lb ft V8 as in the now-defunct Monaro. That's enough to shoot this four-door five-seater to 60mph in 4.9sec and on to a governed 170mph top speed - only 7mph slower than the legendary Lotus Carlton.

The antisocial antipodean's urge should also be more than adequate to ensure a whole heap of tyre-smoking drifting action (if you turn off the standard stability and traction controls, naturally) since, following in the tradition of all great Australian muscle cars, it's rear-wheel drive.

If you’d rather just cruise around, enjoying the rumble of the V8 from the quad exhausts, the VXR8 will also be available with an auto box, though it does have a manual override. The Monaro, the VXR8's immediate predecessor, was manual only.

Meanwhile, for those of us who think that 414bhp simply isn't going to be enough, there's a supercharged version of the VXR8 on the way too. Ripper, as they say Down Under.
 
Holy!!! :eek: ..... looks amazing, at least the ozzies are sticking with the angular, angry Vauxhall look instead of the new curvy European look, I was so disappointed with the new Corsa because it looks too cute!
 
That's a nice car, it's pretty much what I expect an Australian muscle car to be, and from the sound of things, it won't dissapoint. The Monaro was a success, I see this one following it.
 
Take a good look my fellow American members, this is probably going to make it to America as the Pontiac G8 GXP sometime late this year, maybe early on in 2008. Although, they could surprise us and call it the GTP, and reserve a GXP model for an LS7-powered sedan?

...Now THATS an M5 killer!
 
I still haven't seen a Monaro :grumpy:

Vauxhall are certainly doing a good job importing the Aussie bruisers, and at an awesome price aswell.
 
I still haven't seen a Monaro :grumpy:

Really? I don't know why but Ive seen absolutely tons (well about 10)..... They look amazing, really wide and different to most UK cars, it looks more American in its styling, very nice!
 
Really? I don't know why but Ive seen absolutely tons (well about 10)..... They look amazing, really wide and different to most UK cars, it looks more American in its styling, very nice!

There's not really a big Vauxhall customer base down here. Due to the number of Ford supply factories (Down to 2 now I think) I tend to see more Ford performance cars. There's like 5 Focus RS in my locality alone.
 
-> I like the way it is styled a lot better than the G8 that were getting here. :indiff:
 
What can I say, you europeans are pretty lucky to get this. It looks really mean and appears to have performance to back it. Can't wait to see our version over here.

Chevys from the USA
Saturns from Germany
Pontiacs from Aussieland.

I'm liking what I'm seeing. Now if Ford would do something similar...:rolleyes:
 
Will I be chastised if I say I like the G8 better?

Its a tough pick between the two, as I think they are both great-looking cars. I guess it comes down to personal taste, and I have to say that the arrow-heads and the kidney grilles do make the Commodore look pretty good in Pontiac form.

...I'm more interested in how Pontiac will use the car and translate their look to it...

ExiegeExcel
I still haven't seen a Monaro

I find that kinda odd. I see a GTO or two, several times a day. Quite a few of my neighbors have them in the surrounding area, and although the late-model ones are usually loved more for the 6.0L LS2, there is a really nice Bermuda-Blue GTO 1.0 with the 5.7L LS1 that I see almost every day... Even in the snow...
 
What can I say, you europeans are pretty lucky to get this. It looks really mean and appears to have performance to back it. Can't wait to see our version over here.

Chevys from the USA
Saturns from Germany
Pontiacs from Aussieland.

I'm liking what I'm seeing. Now if Ford would do something similar...:rolleyes:
I just wish the FPV platform would come to the UK.
 
I'd hate to be running one of those in the UK with your fuel and insurance prices, but glad to see more Australian product heading overseas!

I just wish the FPV platform would come to the UK.

Perhaps in 2008 when the all new Falcon model arrives. I'm surprised that Prodrive haven't used their resources to import a few FPVs to the UK (considering they own FPV). Probably not worth the cost for the volume of sales though.

However, I do seem to remember someone selling LPG Falcon Utes in the UK a few years ago.
 
^ It does make me wonder how hard it would be to get one imported. Considering that you guys are importing Mustang GTs on a regular basis, and the similarities between American and Australian safety/emissions testing are rather strong, would it not be easy to import? I mean, from what I understand it is a lot easier to bring an Aussie car here than it is with almost any model from Europe, which I personally find quite surprising.

...And since you've got everything in the "right" place, it wouldn't be too hard for you to adjust to it either...
 
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