Vauxhall, thinking out of the box, announced they are not going to bother with the traditional ways of launching a new car with the new Astra VXR- wasting time talking about the stereo or rear legroom – and instead let the journalists get one on one with the hot hatch and discover it for themselves. It’s called the Astra VXR Media Sprint Challenge and it will be staged at the Rockingham circuit.
That’s going to be awesome. The journalists get to race each other on the track to post the best time. This way they get to know the car’s handling characteristics first hand. No road test, no matter how thorough, could deliver the same experience. And it’s not just a mini track day either.
The journalists will complete a three hour, 110 mile route on the roads surrounding Rockingham, before a safety briefing for the sprint event. Each driver will then be allowed a sighting lap, followed by a half-hour slot for two timed runs. As an MSA event, journalists are required to hold a relevant race licence and use approved safety equipment during the sprint. Now that’s what I call a press event!
the new Astra VXR is powered by 280PS 2.0-litre turbo-charged engine which gives it a 0 to 60 time of 5.9 seconds and a max speed of 155mph. This gorgeous car starts at only £26,995 and that makes it good value.
