Table of contents for June 2018 in Performance Vauxhall

We were incredibly excited to hear Vauxhall’s announcement presenting the all-new Insignia GSi as the quickest Griffin to ever lap the Nürburgring. Admittedly, we were unsure what relaunching a badge that’s laid dormant for twelve years would mean for the much-loved VXR range of Vauxhalls, but we didn’t let these thoughts prevent us from visiting Bruntingthorpe proving ground, where Vauxhall/Opel head of performance cars and motorsport, Volker Strycek, was waiting to hand us the four-pawed GSi’s keys. As excited as we were to experience a first drive of the car, we wasted no time in asking the ex-DTM Calibra pilot what the future holds for VXR. Find out what he told us by flicking to page 44. In recognition of GSi’s return, we’ve dedicated much of this issue to fantastic…

More often than not, the string of cars which appears on a petrolhead’s motoring CV highlights an easily detectable pattern of preference. Be it dedication to the output of a specific manufacturer, an apparent love of forced induction, or an affection for a particular body style (hello to all you cabriolet fans!), there’s every chance somebody who hasn’t met you will be able to determine your favourite flavour of four-wheeler from a quick glance at a list of the cars you’ve owned or modified over the years. Never has that been truer than when considering the various Vauxhalls owned by Ashlee Summer Bailey. “I’ve always loved personalising my motors,” says the highway recovery driver (yes, really) with a smile. Not that tuning is the first thing that springs to mind…

We’re about to wax lyrical about the new sporty Insignia, but before we delve into detail concerning the launch of the first Vauxhall in twelve years to wear a GSi badge, let’s deal with the elephant in the room: the future of VXR. Like you, we were worried about what the reintroduction of GSi means for the survival of the most aggressive factory Griffins ever produced, particularly when there appears to be a lack of successor to the Astra J VXR (a hot hatch launched in 2012), and when the V6-powered Insignia VXR is being replaced with the inline-four we’ve come to spend time with in and around Bruntingthorpe proving ground (the former Royal Air Force based used to test, develop and drive some of the world’s most powerful four-wheelers).…

As the home of chocolate giant, Cadbury (and the confectioner’s popular tourist attraction, Cadbury World), Bournville beats you about the head with the company’s trademark hue. It’s everywhere, from noticeboards to the railings of the nearby train station. They’re proud of Pantone 2685C here, and as a decent Black Country lad, Tom Parkes is every bit as enamoured. As if to prove the point, a full respray in the colour most commonly associated with the sweetest of sweet wrappers was one of the very first mods applied to his Corsa B project car. “There’s a guy in Dudley who painted his Nova the same shade,” he explains. “It’s a car I’ve loved for a long time, and is wellknown on the local car scene.” Tom was impressed enough to update…

A blow-off valve (often referred to as a BOV, dump valve or recirculating valve) is simply a pressure relief valve that allows excess boost pressure to escape when the throttle is shut. On most conventional applications, when the throttle is wide open, the boosted air from the turbo is going straight into the engine, but what happens when the throttle closes during gear changes, lift-off or braking? In these situations, the boost air is stifled by a closed throttle body, encouraging air to travel back from whence it came! The air hits the spinning blades of the turbo, resulting in a distinctive ‘chatter’ sound (known as ‘turbo stall’, but often mislabelled as ‘wastegate chatter’). This condition is less than ideal, although on most moderately tuned road cars, isn’t massive cause…

facebook.com/PerformanceVauxhallMag @PerformanceVaux Fancy seeing your Vauxhall in our Hall of Fame? It doesn’t matter if you’ve modified the latest VXR or a classic retro ride, we want to see your cool creation! Email a brief spec, a few pics and a bit about yourself to dan.furr@kelseymedia.co.uk. We’ll get back to you ASAP.…

Extraordinarily popular throughout its entire seven-year production run, there was a time – and not too long ago – when you couldn’t slide past a supermarket car park without spotting a Vectra B. Be it saloon, hatchback or estate, the second-gen Vectra (the first was an Opel re-badged for the UK and marketed as the Mk3 Cavalier) was crazy common. Two rustifying, crustifying decades later, however, most have been despatched to the great scrapyard in the sky. That’s distressing news, especially when you consider the fact that the 2.5-litre and 2.6-litre GSi-badged Bs made even the hottish SRi feel dowdy. Think specially-tuned V6 engines, attention-grabbing alloys, barking exhausts and distinctive front bumpers with instantly recognisable gills. Vauxhall released less than 4,000 of these runout racers into the wild (and only…

PMR AIR FILTER FOR INSIGNIA GSi The air filtration experts at ITG have joined forces with Vauxhall-supported BTCC team, Power Maxed Racing, to produce a performance air filter for the new Insignia GSi. Offering a thirty percent increase in surface area when compared to the standard GSi intake component, this specially-branded PMR by ITG air filter is a direct ‘plug and play’ replacement for the standard part, offering maximum performance at low cost for the super-sporty Insignia (the quickest Vauxhall to lap the Nürburgring). GSi owners can order direct from Power Maxed Racing by using the contact details listed below. PRICE £66 CONTACT si@powermaxedracing.com or call 01789 330727 MISHIMOTO OIL COOLERS Proper oil temperature regulation is key to extending and preserving the life of your car’s stock or high performance engine. American…

Chasing numbers is an irresistible pursuit many Performance Vauxhall readers will have an addiction to, but there’s a single, solitary figure Wolverhampton wanderer, Andy Frost, wants to catch up with: the number five. He’s already light years ahead of the rest of us when it comes to horsepower – his Victor FD VX4/90-based Red Victor 3 is pumping out close to 4000bhp, energy that contributes to the Vauxhall’s claim as being Europe’s fastest and quickest street legal car. It goes without saying that the long, red speed machine is the world’s fastest and quickest Griffin, a fact recognised by the manufacturer through a period of support which saw Andy sprint along the quarter-mile in a time so rapid RV3 was crowned the world’s fastest and quickest street legal car. An…

BTCC Media Day is known for throwing up a few surprises, but we definitely clinched the crown for biggest shock on what proved to be a wet and windy Donington Park on 27th March. At 10:30am, hidden beneath their sleek, tailormade covers, the Power Maxed Racing (PMR) Astra Ks were wheeled out of their garages, each car ready to be presented to the heaving mass of photographers, television camera crews and motorsport journalists. In the lead up to the big reveal, we didn’t make a fuss of the new livery dressing each car, meaning we’d managed to keep the identity of our new joint title sponsor a closely guarded secret, which is no mean feat in the realm of professional motorsport! Everybody in attendance at Donington expected to see a…

Much has been written about the performance benefits of forced induction and turbocharger technology, but what of the supporting equipment that keeps boost pressure under control? The world of modified motors all too often gets hung up on the size and quoted power capabilities of a snail-shaped bhp booster, but even the world’s greatest turbocharger won’t deliver the performance it promises without the assistance of accurate boost management. Granted, a giant Garrett or a cool KKK is an exciting engine component to tell your mates about, but the wastegate and actuator you invest in (and the way these parts are set to operate) are just as crucial as the specification of turbocharger your car makes use of. It’s with this in mind that we’ve taken an in-depth look at the…

There’s something about the lure of a front-wheel drive, two-litre Vauxhall that never gets old. Whether you were brought up on a diet of Novas powered by Red Tops or Mk5 Astra VXRs with performance yet to be unleashed, a sporty Griffin channelling big bhp through its front wheels is hard to beat. Nail the ‘loud’ pedal, hang on to the steering wheel and wait for the fireworks! Granted, today’s sports cars may be loaded with gadgets (yawn!) and are faster point-to-point, but they lack the raw, visceral appeal of a proper hot hatch with the wick turned up. For Tom Sharpe, owner of the heavily modified Vauxhall we’ve come to look at near his home in Cheltenham, serious firepower can’t come at the expense of driveability, which is why…

After quarter-century away from dealer showrooms, the Corsa GSi makes a welcome return later this year, reinforcing the manufacturer’s “performance through dynamics” theme used to great effect by the recently launched Insignia GSi (see page 44). Taking the key chassis and design elements from the Corsa E VXR, Vauxhall claims it has created a more agile and purposeful driver’s car with the added bonus of the same cabin space and efficiency of the regular Corsa. The new GSi retains a three-door body with a raft of exterior design cues to set it apart from the standard model. Large air intakes and a honeycomb grille dominate the car’s front end, while deep sill extensions and carbon trim adorn its flanks. At the back, a chunky spoiler not only defines the GSi…

The National Exhibition Centre’s Classic Car & Restoration Show may be preceded by the annual Classic Motor Show held at the same location, but for fans of restoration, modification and live demonstrations showcasing cars being returned to their former glory, the later event is the one to attend. Of course, you’ll find beautifully presented and vigorously polished vintage vehicles at both automotive extravaganzas, but the Classic Car & Restoration Show gives DIYers and owners of tired four-wheelers the opportunity to spend time asking experts for advice. Among those dishing out their pearls of wisdom at this year’s bash (held at the end of March) was a selection of presenters from popular restoration-themed television shows, including Car SOS and Wheeler Dealers. Arguably more of an attraction was the presence of various…

Who are you and what do you do? My name is Gary Conway. I’m Managing Director at Vauxhall VXR service, maintenance and tuning specialist, GCAP Performance. Pleased to meet you, Gary! When was GCAP established? I founded the company in 2012. Prior to that time, I’d become known for building a number of impressive modified performance Vauxhalls, including a 450bhp Astra H VXR. Back then, it was unusual to find a Griffin producing such strong, reliable power. Soon after completion of the project, I was asked by a high number of VXR owners if I would work on their cars, a demand that led to GCAP being established. Where is the company based? Notting Hill, which is within kicking distance of the A40 in West London. The workshop is easy…

Take a walk around the annual Classic Ford Show and you won’t have to wait long until you stumble across a Mk2 Escort powered by a Red Top. Vauxhall’s high-revving two-litre powerplant has long been the envy of the Blue Oval boys, who have used the engine to great effect in many of their rally machines. Now try to bring to mind an encounter you’ve had with a Vauxhall powered by a Ford engine. It’s not quite so easy, is it?! Perhaps this is because lifting the bonnet of an Escort and revealing a C20XE will probably garner appreciation from those standing nearby, whereas opening the hood of your Vauxhall and admitting its power comes from a Ford will probably see you on the receiving end of verbal abuse, especially…

When it comes to top level motorsport, works race cars are built to exploit regulations laid out in the rule book of whichever series is being contested. Keen to push their creations to the limit of what’s allowed, manufacturers tend to exhaust their cars for a single season before retiring them in favour of newer, more modern racing machines built to test the following year’s rules. On and on the cycle goes. Many redundant works cars are shuffled away into storage by their respective manufacturers. Relegated to the status of ‘expensive ornament’, these specially-assembled speed missiles live out the rest of their days occasionally being wheeled out as showpieces. Luckier cars find new life in the hands of private teams. Lacking the resources major marques have at their disposal, these…

Back in the 1980s, executive saloons tended to be wallowy old barges. If we’re being honest, the second-gen Carlton was no different. Moreover, “wide-opening doors” and “Herringbone Tweed” may well have enticed your grandad, but brochure-friendly Vauxhall sales spiel did little to excite the enthusiastic petrolhead. Then, in 1987, the world of rear-wheel drive Griffins got a shot in the arm with the launch of the futuristically-named GSi3000. Powered by a potent three-litre straight-six delivering a dash to 60mph in 7.8 seconds, not to mention a top speed of close to 140mph, this all-new Carlton featured half-leather seats, a trip computer, cruise control and a digidash big enough to give owners of Mk2 Astra GTEs an inferiority complex. Mechanically, disc brakes featured in each corner, while ABS and a limited-slip…