Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: £35,105 to £35,995
Quick, rides well, not a typical Vauxhall.
A bit on the large side, cheapish interior, rear wing a bit lairy.
The VXR8 is a fast, powerful but usable saloon and provides a lot of muscle-car fun for not very much money.
The VXR8, at just over £35K, may be a cheap car to buy, relative to its power and performance, but you'll need fairly deep pockets to keep it on the road.
The quoted combined fuel economy is 18.5mpg, but if you drive it the way that howling V8 demands, it's more likely to be in the low teens in real-world situations.
It won't be cheap to insure, either. It's in Group 20 in the old ratings and 50 in the new ABI (Association of British Insurers) ratings.
And with CO2 emissions of 365g/km, the VXR8 is in the top road tax band (Band G) and will see you paying £25 a day in Congestion Charges when the new rates are introduced in London in October 2008.
