The Vauxhall That Got People Talking

Every so often a manufacturer with a settled, even predictable product portfolio will unexpectedly produce something dramatically different. Even big corporates can go ‘leftfield.’ 

Sometimes these cars have the marketing department’s fingerprints on them. They’re designed to create a buzz that elevates the brand and increases showroom footfall. Other examples have been more serious attempts (with the investment to match) to broaden the product portfolio and target those elusive, prospective customers who always seem to buy elsewhere. And without being unkind, there are some real oddities nobody can fathom. 

In recent times, Volkswagen made a bold move to entice the world’s captains of industry into their fold by offering the plutocratic Phaeton. Aston Martin sailed into unchartered waters with their tiny Cygnet which was designed as “a luxury solution to urban mobility.” 

But arguably the best example of a manufacturer producing a surprise package comes from Vauxhall and their VX220 which broke cover at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show.  

Not many showgoers were expecting workaday Vauxhall to unveil a lightweight, high-performance and genuinely sleek roadster with far more sharp edges than Toyota’s MR2 or Mazda’s MX5. Vauxhall had another surprise in store when comedian Griff Rhys Jones promoted the car wearing baggy blue underpants and a grubby vest. A deeply surreal TV advertising moment. 

Marketed as the Opel Speedster in Europe, the VX220 owed its more than decent agility and acceleration to its shared Lotus Elise platform. All the fundamentals for a proper driver’s car were in place and that included a stripped-out cabin without cupholders, electric windows or aircon and a driving position that put you close to the floor, legs outstretched.  

Comfort and everyday practicality were off the agenda. Keeping the weight down and maximising driver enjoyment were everything. The first VX220 had a stated 0-60mph time of just 5.6 seconds and most reviewers commended the rapid steering and almost complete absence of body roll.  

The story of the VX220 is, however, wedded to the Lotus Elise. Right from the outset there was an unhelpful question hanging in the air: why not just buy a more desirable Lotus?  

The VX220 was easily dismissed as a quick rebadging exercise. This was unhelpful and inaccurate, not least because Vauxhall equipped the VX220 with their own engines. Initially, the VX220 was powered by a 2.2-litre 145bhp unit taken from the Astra Coupe which was more potent than the 1.8-litre 120bhp MGTF unit in a standard Elise. Later models gained the seriously punchy 2.0-litre turbo with the power cranked-up to 200bhp and even more time shaved off the 0-60mph sprint. 

Quite why the feisty VX220 proved hard to sell and lasted for just five years is up for debate. Nearly all the key magazines deemed it a credible roadster and Vauxhall was praised for throwing off the shackles. However, this positive PR did not translate into orders for dealers. 

But in the deeply mysterious world of automotive brand management, the VX220 may have ultimately been a secret win for Vauxhall. Who knows how many people came through the doors of a jobbing Vauxhall dealership having heard about the VX220 but ended-up buying a top-end Vectra or Astra?  

Early examples of the VX220 with the torquey 2.2-litre engine are now insurable as classics and they’ll soon be joined by the Turbo variant. If you can find one, you will have nabbed an entertaining roadster that proves anyone can break away from the ordinary. 

Which would you rather have: a Lotus Elise or a Vauxhall VX220? Tell us in the comments.