170mph Vauxhall Insignia VXR SuperSport

Vauxhall have today released a high-performance version of their Insignia, the VXR SuperSport.  On paper it is faster and cheaper than the BMW 135i M Sport.  In fact it has a higher top speed than any other sub £30,000 car on the market in the UK today.  It will do an, unlimited, 170mph.

The XVR SuperSport produces 325bhp from it's 2.8 litre V6 Turbo ECOTEC engine.  It will do 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds.

Thankfully, given the power on offer, the VXR SuperSport comes with four wheel drive, so it won't be as lairy as it's natural predecessor, the Lotus Carlton, which was a true tail-happy monster.

Vauxhall have fitted the VXR SuperSport with HiPerStrut front suspension - to maintain negative camber - and FlexRide, which is Vauxhall's adaptive damping system.  It also comes with a VXR button to increase stability at higher speeds.

The Insignia VXR SuperSport is basically an attempt by Vauxhall to relaunch the top-end version of their biggest saloon.  The price, £29,995, is £4,000 less than the previous range topper - the VXR - and signifies that, at last, they seem to have regained some of their fight.

The name, the aggressive styling, the power, the four wheel drive, the top speed and the price combine to make this an exciting proposition.  Whether that actually transfers to reality on the track and road, when compared with, smaller, rivals such as the BMW 135i M Sport and Audi S3, remains to be seen.

The deathly dull Insignia has desperately needed a halo car to shine a light over the lower echelons of the range.  The VXR range went some way to fulfilling that role, this car finishes the job.

The Insignia VXR SuperSport is available to order today from approved VXR dealers and comes with Vauxhall's lifetime warranty.

Lotus Carlton

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