| First Drive | Berlin, Germany | Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition |
Key Facts
Pricing: £22,295
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: three-door hatchback
Rivals:
Renaultsport Clio 200,
MINI JCW,
Fiat Punto Evo AbarthCO
2 emissions: 178g/km
Combined economy: 37.2mpg
Top speed: 143mph
0-62mph: 6.5 seconds
Power: 202bhp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 207lb.ft at 2,250rpm
In the Metal: 
True, there are about four million* 1.2-litre Corsas in and around film rental emporium car parks across the UK that look sort of similar to the VXR, but the real deal still looks sharp. The Nürburgring version gets twin, big bore tailpipes to replace the central triangular one of the regular VXR, some cheesy Nürburgring badges and a couple of new colours.
But apart from the leather Recaros, which we like, this is categorically not a £22,000 car, mostly down to its iffy plastics. It's spacious though, and the driving position is good for all.
Driving it:
Grip, grip, grip, grip, grip. When it comes to high speed cornering zeal, the VXR Nürburgring Edition (NE) is in the front-wheel drive elite. A proper mechanical limited slip differential (LSD) is responsible, but at times it feels like The Force is.
At the risk of sounding like we're chastening Vauxhall for making the car so good, the grip characteristic is both a blessing and a curse, because, while the LSD gives the steering wheel new levels of obedience, it also takes some of the involvement and feel out of the process. Not a great deal, but the hugely impressive nature of its turn-in is sometimes at odds with a feeling that your steering inputs are going through a very complex refining process before being committed to the road. That obvious transition doesn't happen in the very best hot hatches.
But it's a really good fun little car to drive, because this turning ability combined with the strength of the engine make it so easy to drive fast. It also sounds like it's in a noisy huff all the time. Again, that's a good thing. The gearbox could do with a touch more weight, but it's not a big deal.
What you get for your Money:
The changes to the regular VXR required to make the NE are many. The brakes are replaced with a Brembo set, both stronger and lighter; the suspension components are ditched to make way for Bilstein springs and dampers - 20mm lower than the standard setup; the ECU is remapped; the exhaust is exchanged for a sportier unit with twin pipes and reduced back pressure; and the turbo is tinkered with. Result: 202bhp, up from 189.
But the cost jumps from under £19,000 to over £22,000. Vauxhall justifies it by claiming that, were VXR owners to perform these upgrades themselves - and many of them do, not including the LSD - it would cost much more and come without the manufacturer warranty. Still, the Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup costs less than £17,000.
Worth Noting
Much of the work that's gone into the Nürburgring car here, including the LSD, will be used to make sure that the forthcoming Astra VXR gives the hot hatch elite a proper fright. It bodes well, for if the Astra has the smaller car's outright grip and poise, but adds power, quality and a more manageable price tag, it has every chance of knocking the sensational Renaultsport Mégane 250 off its perch.
Summary
Instead of trying to satiate everyone's appetite for silly power figures, Vauxhall has focused on chassis balance and grip. In doing so it has basically created a track car for dummies, whose ability makes fast driving a simple case of press the throttle and turn. It's too expensive, though, and we still think we'd take the Clio 200.
*Not remotely accurate.
