Vauxhall

2016 Opel GT Concept 9

2016 Opel GT Concept – RWD Turbo Triple Under Sexy, Blown-Glass Exterior Design

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Opel is trying to get its mojo back.   The German firm and its Vauxhall twin have taken a pounding in the last few years in terms of desirability and brand affinity. This Opel GT aims to realign the firm with modern Euro values and driving ideals. Best place to start? A lightweight purist’s special! This Opel GT’s design is what will make a big splash, but we like what is underneath even better. A front-mid mount for the turbo 1.0-liter triple sends power to the back wheels.  Simple pleasures! A six-speed sequential manual and 8.0-second sprint to 60-mph are …

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1987 Buick GNX by ASC McLaren – Detail Photo Flyaround Inside and Out

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The GNX left a sweet mark on the brand and perhaps the car business in general.  It was the announcement of POWER and speed — rejoining mainstream car lines after more than a decade of downsizing, Cimmarons and K-cars. The heart and soul of the GNX is of course its McLaren-upgraded V6 engine. The 3.8-liter, intercooled turbo was a revolution at the time. Its output bested most V8s and its power delivery was the best part. Through the also-racier standard automatic transmission in the GNX, the giant lump of turbo torque made the most of its lag. Momentary boost-up for …

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Track Drive Review – 2016 Buick Regal GS – Flypaper Handling Is Now $3k Cheaper!

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Autobahn Country Club might be my “Happy Place.” Recalling this track’s frisky bends, howling tires and full-throttle straightaways brings a smile instantly. Buick invited us to flog their performance flagship, the 2016 Regal GS, around the Illinois track and autocross to show off the machine’s latest updates: new colors and a price that is much more approachable. How approachable!?  A cool $3,300 off the base price for the GS takes the entry level to $35k versus near $38k before.  Three drivetrains continue for 2016: FWD auto, FWD manual and AWD automatic. The GS AWD we tested out still comes in …

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6.5s, 143MPH 2015 Vauxhall Corsa VXR Arriving In May Priced From 18k

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The new Corsa VXR is priced and on its way to showrooms in just two weeks time. The base Corsa VXR comes in at £18k with standard Recaro seats, a 202-horsepower turbo engine and performance topline stats of 6.5-seconds to 60 and a 143-mph top speed. Overall, the biggest changes to the Corsa VXR versus the previous model are up front and from the driver’s seat. The nose is now all-new versus both the previous Corsa VXR and the base Corsa range, with a deep lower bumper, forward-facing grille in a low snout area, and a new integrated air intake duct …

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1973 Vauxhall Firenza 25

1973 Vauxhall Firenza Showed Rare Sports-Coupe Elegance and Futuristic Style

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Okay, okay. At first glance, this Vauxhall Firenza looks impossibly dated and recalls a Chevy Chevette for anyone in the USA. But think of the Firenza in the context of the Ford Mustang II, Pacer and Gremlin. The 1970s was a pretty gross period in car design overall. Shrinking engines, sloppy style and floppy suspensions are preeminent themes of the 1970s, from the cheapest cars to the priciest Lamborghini’s. The Firenza was a flagship sports coupe for the Vauxhall brand, introducing aerodynamic shrouds for the headlamps under flat glass, a single-piece nose design with integrated airdamn, and a pointy hood …

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2004 Vauxhall VXR220 16

2004 Vauxhall VXR220 – A Design Icon and Style Tastemaker

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When the first-gen Elise was sweeping up accolades, the smartest people in the room might have seen three holes in the perfect-handling bliss that was the new Lotus. — The design was odd and the detailing was all-wrong. The bug-eye lamps and curvy shapes recalled a dune buggy more than an exotic supercar — The original engines were low on torque and not globally certified for emissions — Distribution within the tiny Lotus boutique dealer network was extremely limited Vauxhall was able to bring solutions to these three issues in one fell swoop. Huge industrial might behind it, design talent …

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SuperSedan Debrief – 1993 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton

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The Lotus Carlton was not just a hero because of its massive turbocharged engine and rear-drive handling balance. Not just an icon because of its Lotus-honed grip and track prowess. Not just a stylish executive saloon that suddenly competied with Audi and BMW thanks to its sweet wide fenders and aerokit. Not just a British national champion because it was created by Vauxhall and Lotus, and built there too. Little Opel input was needed for asked-for, nor help from General Motors across the Atlantic. Nor simply an extremely-rapid autobahn missile with a Vmax of more than 180-mph. The real reason …

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Corsa VXR Front

2015 Vauxhall Corsa VXR Packs Koni Shocks and Limited-Slip Diff!

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  The hot hatch market in the UK is one of the fiercest and most-competitive anywhere in the world. So to have any street cred selling millions of luke-warm mini-cars, a brand needs to have an aspirational hero at the top of the range. A car that will make Richard Hammond laugh and hoon, you might say. The Corsa VXR is a direct response to the global love-fest that surrounds the Ford Fiesta ST. These two mini-cars are Britain’s top-selling vehicles, so any tweak or change in their style and performance is rapidly noted by all drivers. Especially lead-footed teens! …

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2015 Vauxhall Corsa Brings Adam Opel-style Nose GIF header

2015 Vauxhall Corsa Brings Adam Opel-style Nose, Better Engines and Cabin Refinement

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Official Details are out for the next Opel/Vauxhall Corsa – which is by far the division’s greatest seller around the world. 370,000 units per year is nothing to sneeze at, especially as these buyers are in the highly-desirable under-40 age segment. While that might not seem like a cool or hip demo, it is actually pretty low by industry averages. 2015 Vauxhall Corsa     Vauxhall reveals fourth-generation Corsa First official pictures of New Corsa ahead of late-2014 launch New engines, transmissions and engine technology New interior with IntelliLink Set for unveil at Paris Show, October 4-19 Luton – These are …

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Regal CT GIF

Low-Volume Specials – Buick Regal Country Tourer Could Be Yours… At A Price

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When a long-term product plan from GM was released a few years ago by a disgruntled employee CMO to a German newspaper, the revelations about what exactly lay ahead for Opel were quickly silenced. Luckily, it was not the Guardian who received the documents. The one thing I recall before all the news … went away … was the Country Tourer name for a potential Vectra replacement wagon.   An all-road-style option for families who not only need AWD, but need some extra ground clearance and gravel resistance on the lower panels as well. These are not some kind of …

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2014 Vauxhall VXR EXTREME Geneva Concept GIF Stretch

Vauxhall Astra Hits 300HP In VXR-topping Extreme Spec — A Production-Ready Front-Drive Z/28?

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The latest Astra from Opel in Europe and Vauxhall in England is a really handsome machine. Surprisingly, it pips even the latest Focus on style, even in hum-drum TopGear “Star in a reasonably Priced Car” trim. The LEDs (at night) are far better than anything out of Woking, so far, glowing a bright white around Dunsfold on the rainiest, grayest days of this never-ending winter. The upgrade here adds 30 horsepower, a huge carbon-fiber overhall outside for racing aero, and a very impressive grip setup. I was trying to think of what race series this car seems from — and …

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Opel-Insignia-Sports-Tourer-286338

Low-Volume Specials – Buick Regal Country Tourer Could Be Yours… At A Price

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When a long-term product plan from GM was released a few years ago by a disgruntled employee to a German newspaper, the revelations about what exactly lay ahead for Opel were quickly silenced. Luckily, it was not the Guardian who received the documents. The one thing I recall before all the news … went away … was the Country Tourer name for a potential Vectra replacement wagon.   An all-road-style option for families who not only need AWD, but need some extra ground clearance and gravel resistance on the lower panels as well. These are not some kind of “country” …

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EuroChevy Runs out of Gas - Opel Monza Concept5

EuroChevy Halted in Favor of Opel / Vauxhall – But What About the ManU Jerseys!?

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  EuroChevy Runs Out of Gas In what seems like a curious move from General Motors, Chevrolet today reports it will no longer promote or sell Chevy-branded cars in Europe by the end of 2015. This is a very complex decision, but one that has sound business principles at its core. Europeans do not want to buy Chevrolet cars. Period. Most new brands, like Infiniti, face an uphill battle to sway these entrenched buyers with very specific brand loyalties to local marques. But let us say Infiniti started at a brand index of 0, and is working to move that …

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