The noughties gave us some true future classics, although not all were appreciated equally at the time.
Take the Vauxhall VX220, which made its debut in 2000. The two-seat roadster may have a following today, but it failed to ignite the wider buying public’s enthusiasm during the early years of the new millennium – despite its eye-catching looks and a genesis that involved the expertise of one of the finest sports car makers in existence.
Because under the skin, the VX220 shared much with the contemporary Lotus Elise as the product of a partnership between Lotus and Vauxhall. It was built at Hethel and shared many crucial parts with the Elise S2, including the stiff, aluminium chassis tub. It also benefited from Lotus’s know-how with glassfibre bodywork and suspension tuning.
Being a mainstream car maker – and to put a bit of distance between the VX220 and the Elise – Vauxhall opted to temper its new roadster by giving it a longer wheelbase and a wider rear track than the Elise, plus a driver’s airbag and ABS. It chose 17in wheels over the Elise’s 16s, too, although it stopped short of adding air-con and electric windows.
Rather than the Elise’s K-series powerplant, a strong, 145bhp 2.2-litre Ecotec petrol engine was shoehorned in, which was enough to propel the 870kg VX220 to 62mph in 5.6sec.
In 2003, the option of a 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit from the Astra GSi became available, resulting in blistering performance, as a 0-62mph time of 4.7sec attests, despite being heavier than the previous model, at 930kg. The new VX220T also sported cosmetic changes, such as large side air intakes and a spoiler.
Thrill seekers today usually opt for the Turbo, but the 2.2 shouldn’t be overlooked as a car to deliver a sense of occasion and driving pleasure.
In 2004, the 2.2 unit was dropped, leaving just the Turbo. Vauxhall gave the car one last hurrah in the same year when it released the thumping VXR220. Using the Turbo’s powerplant, the VXR220 hiked power from 197bhp to 217bhp and was lighter than its Turbo sibling. Getting a hold of one today can be difficult as only 60 were built.
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