2003 Vauxhall VX220 2.2 NA from UK and Ireland
Summary:
The essence of driving in a jewel-like package
Faults:
Engine mount sheared. A £80 bolt-on repair.
Nothing else at all has gone wrong.
General Comments:
I saw a VX220 at the 2002 car show in Birmingham and fell in love. I saved up and bought one the next year.
The car is basically a Lotus with added GM reliability, and has proven very sturdy.
It is not quite so fast as the VX 220 turbo, but handles much better and is plenty quick enough for English roads.
The handling and communication is unimaginably brilliant to anyone not accustomed to racing cars or super cars. 60 MPH feels like 100 in this car, such is the rawness of the drive.
It rides much more comfortably than anybody might imagine, and certainly is not a bad long distance tourer.
Beautiful, fast, wonderful handling and reliable - so what are the downsides?
Well the bodywork is very vulnerable, being fibreglass, and there is zero sound proofing in the car so it is a noisy drive. Such a wonderful car, that I have now owned it ten years from new, and have not driven anything yet that drives better.
A real pity that they are not made anymore.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 11th June, 2013
7th Jul 2013, 14:09
Original poster here:
Took my VX to the Auto Italia car show in Leicester today. In such lovely weather the VX just can't be criticized: roof off, windows down, steering wheel writhing in the palms, engine thrumming away behind the head.
The ride is far, far better than you might think when cruising on flat-ish roads, and it's pretty comfy.
It even attracted a few photographers at the car show!