Battle of the super-saloons - Vauxhall VXR8 takes on the BMW M5 

Plus loads more fun to drive and who buys a car to drift on the road.I bet it would be the VXR that would be admired at the lights,not the common everyday bmw.

where is it 160k less?

Robert b b it was $160k less when new here in Australia

Thanks mate, well said Holden has done very well for themselves.

On behalf of America I must apologize for the foolishness of GM. This is a superb make and I only wish they'd tried to promote it more than they did. Beautiful car, superb handling vehicle. Excellent horsepower.. even the V6 models. This should still be available for us.

@@vannjunkin8041 fun fact the V6 is the same in camaro however the Aussie varient built here has more power then the camaro v6

The only Ozzie thing about the Holden is the badge it’s all parts taken from a shelf lol 😂

@@pnb3876 bs Holden has Holden products end of story It ain't just a car company selling GM cars

By driving it first.

nowdays you should be happy about any car with power and a manual transmission...

It's OUR Earth, not Gods.

Soulware3D It's an expression...

Tim Wepunkt Nah. Too antiquated, and plus the Tremec TR6060 isn't the best feeling gearbox either. Really too notchy and agricultural. Unfortunately the alternative is a similarly outdated 6-speed torque-converter 6L90E automatic.

You do know that there is such thing as a bad manual gearbox. He is talking specifically about this car, he would have not said that statement if it was a decent manual gearbox.

But he didn't say - it's a bad manual - give me a good manual any day. He went strait for the auto request. Audi R8 is said to have the best manual shift of any manual car at the moment. He didn't ask for that one did he... No.

Bug Video View He didnt ask for Audi R8 manual shift because it isnt offered in the Vauxhall VXR8.

But you can get the BMW auto in the VXR8?

Bug Video View VXR8 has its own auto option

+Darren Simons YES!!!! I laughed out loud at that, next he'll want a self driving car

This guy can't appreciate a real gearbox

+Darren Simons I laughed too, but Sutcliffe is a racer, through and through. That is why he is always testing cars on tracks while others might head for a nice Welsh backroad.

I know right! if there was a manual version of the m5 I would have it, but since it isnt I would have the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V or the Vauxhall vxr8

+Darren Simons 9/10 cars with the option to go with the dual clutch. Thats why

G9 Music ever stop to think that he's probably driven both cars before this was even filmed? He's obviously a professional given, a)the way he drives, b) the way he speaks about the cars and c) the fact that I don't think he could've just 'acquired' these two cars for a bit of fun. In saying that, I live in Australia, and the vx, or as its known over here, the Holden VF GTS, is an amazingly set up car, and while the BMW is also just as good, everyone has different tastes. For me personally, I'd knock them both off and go for a 1976 HQ Kingswood or a 1975 XB Falcon simply because i love old aussie muscle :p On a side note, gotta love that supercharged LS3 rumble

+G9 Music well the BMW is better

+Tyler Durdon Rubbish, Bmw have not sounded good since they stopped production of the F10 E60 n/a.

Rubbish, Australians can't build cars.

Ok I really don't remember making that comment. I don't really hold that opinion. But I agree they are not a good pair of cars to review, especially considering the price difference.

Says the guy with a 458 as his profile pic. You do know that the only gearbox offered there is a flappy paddle right?

Probably it shows more about how awful VXR's manual is.

I know right, Whatever happened to the love of driving rather than being driven.

Calde Ailis That transmission is amazing. I have it in my camaro 1le. It's not instantaneous but the shifts are crisp and accurate. Sutcliffe is just a hefty old man who has gotten to used to be pampered by German luxury sedans.

Gabe Phelan Someone is clearly a euro car snob. My camaro is quicker than a base 911 or an M3 and I only spent half that.

Wich point? There is nowadays no reason for manual transmission. The DCT from BMW is perfect! Much quicker than MT!!

HoubiDV Faster doesn't mean better. There is no challenge in driving a paddle shift car. It rev matches down and up shifts for you, and it applies the clutch for you. Driving a really good 3 pedal is like nothing else.... fast shifts or not.

Alexander Lavoie Ok, point taken. MT is for you and many others more fun. But anyway, faster does mean better...laptimes for example. The M5 is in the US also available with MT, not sure wich magazine it was but they said "forget the MT, get the DCT". I would never even consider MT nowadays, especially in traffic you will love automatik :D cheers

I drive a 6 speed MT every single day and I literally would never have it any other way. And lap times just aren't relevant in the real world. I drive on the street.... not the track. I want something engaging and fun to drive. Even a Toyota Camry from 1998 with a MT is fun. Smiles per mile is BETTER then track times.

Alexander Lavoie Tell that to the McLaren P1, or Porsche 918... Lol no but I daily drive a 5-speed MT M3, so I getcha.

bit sad how right you were at the time of writing this

Very nice car indeed but sadly not available with the steering on the other side :/

***** The E-Series was, Holden sold them to the middle east as left hand drive, it's called the Lumina CR8 I think...

***** Its offered else where as a different car. In the states its basically the Chevy SS. All its missing is the super charger.

Maad Dan MrGovenator1 I don't think their is a Vauxhall VXR type of car here in Europe :/ the AMG models are just way too expensive. This car is just perfect, nice looks it is rare and you got a lot of power!

Maad Dan MrGovenator1 oh and it's cheap!

Well put, sir/ma'am!

7:39 ...it also has a really warm and approachable kind of personality I've heard.

Not a Vauxhall

MrHeyfuckoff Wow i couldnt agree more mate just what i was gonna say!!!

MrHeyfuckoff are you kidding it looks so fucking shit, does not look classy at all. It is just basic dead weight

Despite the BMW weighing quite a fair bit more?

yer because it has a fucking massive twin turbo on it? do you know how much weight they could save on the r8?

The vxr looks rubbish, the car shouldn't exist

OMG!!!!! Thank uuu. You were right on point, I hate when they lie to try to make it seem like 5he BMW is better. BRITISH MAN WALKING = BMW 30,000 more for 5he BMW for what!!! To drift!! U were spot on!!!

notbased onaholdenwhatthe fuckare yousmokin

*ROWDY85* Because its not based on a Holden, it just fuckin is a Holden.

what is the hsv based on dumb dumb?

STEVEN SEGAL A Holden, but the Vauxhall is based on the HSV. yes technically they're both based on Holden but when they say the "Vauxhall" is based on Holden, it makes it seem like Vauxhall put all the mods into it not HSV.

Bad Drivers Of The Illawarra who cares what it is most holden are rebadged Daewoos

It's not a commodore. It may share a base, but this is the HSV version I believe.

LegacyOfFear A bmw m5 is still a 5 series isn't' it? This is still a commodore.

bummaggots What? A BMW M5 is not a 5 series. 1. BMW puts it in the "M" series. 2. The M5 has different brakes, engine, drive train, interior, aerodynamics, suspension, yadda yadda the list goes on. Sure, it may LOOK like a 5 series, but it is far from.

SmileyLegoGuy Yeah I suppose the same it true of the commodore. Engine, diff, suspension, etc are all different. But it shares the same chassis.

I don't think it can even be said that Holden is playing catch up to M5. It's just way too far off. I mean, the quality of the interior alone in the VXR8 is not even on the level of a BMW 1 series, let alone an M5. M5 is proper luxury, executive sedan, with all the qualities that go with that, PLUS it has amazing performance. VXR8 just has performance, everything else suffers because of it.

And it would stand out more in the UK i would imagine also

+xXDahChubChubXx That's what I'm doing. I think the V is a better sleeper, which is my preference.

For anyone wondering, here in Australia the VXR8 or GTS is under $100,000 and the M5 is $230.000+

Mine has 753hp it will eat the M5

VXR8 also looks unique, BMW well it just looks any BMW

Typical pom

I’m assuming you’ve not tried to keep traction in a Commodore/VXR… I got ticketed for “aggregated and sustained loss of traction” trying to corner in the wet (it started slipping but was coming around nicely so I drifted the corner)

Ikr

Lol 😂 ozzies just can’t not take criticism get over it

Well yes, I'm not a bmw owner due to basic reliability crap. But the engine and chassis setup on an M5 absolutely rapes a hsv. It's called the M5 class for a reason. It's been the best drivers sports sedan for like what...2 decades? There's a reason it's 120k more than a hsv in Australia. And....they still make it so I guess BMW is doing something right. And Germany isn't exactly a cheap labour country so before anyone says Australian labour was too expensive. But for reliability btw ain't exactly a prize winner.

***** its also simple economics. The BMW doesn't offer enough to justify the price premium

***** The Vauxhall (Holden) is cheaper than the BMW that is for sure but that is not the only incentive. I have owned an LS powered Holden before and I can tell you I love those engines and the whole Holden experience. The LSX engine is a powerhouse with buckets of low down torque and although it may not have the higher rev limits of the Euro V8's, when you experience the thrill of driving them, they really are amazing value. Plus, the Holdens are relatively simple cars as are the engines. So you can get a hell of a lot of power out of them with relatively modest amounts of money spent. There is no denying that the BMW is by far a more superior product. However I remember my experience owning an E Class Mercedes. Technically it was a great car with all kinds of accessories...when it was going well. Once everything started going wrong, it became a nightmare that eventually I couldn't wait to be rid of. If you ever get the chance to test drive an LSX powered car, I strongly recommend it. They are a great experience.

@@MaTtRoSiTy:... I've no wish to seem super critical, but, apart from you, and this comment from me, there's no-one else on your thread. So who the hell are you talking to!!!????

My sentinents exactly. And that tandem drift was oh, so sweet.

Not everything is about price, and I think many would disagree with you about it being a waste of time. Yes, there's a significant difference in price, but that doesn't mean they aren't competing for the same market. In Australia the price difference is even greater $90k vs $250k+. If we just compared cars based on price we'd never get a Nissan GT-R vs a Porsche 911 Turbo or Ferrari 458.

good point.

No one is saying that how well a car goes sideways is how well it handles, its just more fun to do and often to watch as well.

True, as much as I love watching this pretty M5 go sideways, there's probably a lot more to these cars than drifting and doing straight line runs. I expected at least a small handling test on the circuit.

I agree mostly. Although I do believe that on the limit, while drifting, you can tell a lot about the car's balance and mainly how well the weight is distributed. However!!! Reviews shouldn't be 8 MINUTE long drift sessions! I mean yeah talk about it, do it to check the balance and feel on the limit but there is so much more to a car than that.

All these "tests" are kinda silly. None of my friends or me for that matter that have the money to buy cars like this EVER go to a track. We use the cars for their comfort now that we can afford them. We use the power for shits and giggles in a straight line. I'm of course talking about any person I've EVER met. I'm sure some people would take their daily driver to a track but I just don't..never seen anyone do it either :) They don't drift them either. "Yeah sure mate - I'll drift my Jaguar S type R!". What the fuck!!?? seriously?? I see why a test like that would make bad television though.. gotta entertain people I guess.

He also said that the vauxhall is more comfy , i vote for the combination between comfort and performance

+OziBeerMan The nail has been hit on the head!

OziBeerMan I agree with what you said but the vxr8 is more of an enthusiasts car. It's one of those cars where you either love it or you hate it

I’ll take the BMW.

Precisely correct. the dumb BMW M5 - still does not have GM's great magnetic ride suspension....but Ferrari uses it in their great 599, and Benz uses it on top of the line model under licence to GM. Holden GTS and Vauxhall VXR8 use it. And it is not just in the suspension system where BMW is inferior. It can't win races like Daytona or the Bathurst Enduro's. As a result of reader disenchantment with Steve Sutcliffe, how about the editor sacking this useless commentator who can't drive and replace him with a true person of Knowledge. Meanwhile, real car enthusiasts enjoy your VXR8's and invest the savings around 43,000 pounds (86,000 dollars)... and buy some shares, a new boat, or a world tour. Anything is better than being ripped off by the Krauts.

And to start the cars off at 30mph advantage to the turbo in which u are going into the power band of the BMW where the manual with supercharger ur choking it down in the power band.

TheKanetube please take the gtsr w1 against that bmw and it will eat rubber for days, the bmw will never stand a chance

PGN-GODSQUAD agreed

Exactly give me the G8 GXP.. I'll dog that M5 rather superbly

Couldn't have said it better....

That engine started life as a corvette engine and then received a super charger in the cts-v. It's the same architecture as the lt88 in the Silverado but the ignition timing, valves and fuel injectors are worlds apart.

Its a typical case of, you get, what you pay for. There is a big problem about image here as well. If you buy a really fast german or italian car, you send out the signal, you are rich and successfull. If you buy a really fast and relatively cheap car made somewhere else, you send out the signal, that you mistankenly think you are a racing driver. A car like the VXR8 is simple as uncool, as a car can possibly be.

And in reality both these cars are completely pointless. A standard BMW 5-series is already so good, that even Top Gear admitted, its hard to see, why anyone except idiots would put up a lot of extra cash for the needlessly overpowered M5. So the car to actually go out and buy with you own money is a standard BMW 5-series for the same money as the VXR8. No it won´t have 550 hp, but so what? Is a dinner at a restaurant better, because you get 4 times more meat on your plate, than you can actually eat? I think not.

Yeah and people still buy the M5/RS7/E63/Panny even though it's much more expensive. People who buy these kind of cars can often afford them and don't even think about the VXR8. It's a great car but at the same time, a BMW/Audi/Merc/Porsche is still something above the VXR8. I do like the VXR8 but if I were about to buy a new fast saloon I would go with the M5 to get a car I actually want even though it cost a shit load more.

His point was, which to buy if you intend on driving like this, wiseass. Obviously for everyday driving the m5 would hardly lose to the holden, opel thingy.

methaman1 But it's so irrelevant because no one buys these solely to do that. Here's how I see it. Autocar are trying to react to the Chris Harris phenomenon. Hmmm....Chris Harris sure does drift alot in his videos and people seem to like that....I know! Let's do a video about drifting powerful saloons that will fix everything! Overlooking the fact that Chris Harris offers far more than that in his reviews and they are generally quite thorough and balanced. Drifting is just a by-product of him having fun with the cars. Also, he's an incredibly engaging personality. Of course I may be reading into it too much and Steve just wanted to muck around haha (I'm a fan of his by the way)

Drop it by C&A Performance and they will have this thing running 500 rwkw pretty inexpensively with no nasty taste in your mouth that you get after modifying a car :S

sorry but everyone buys a M5 and not a Vauxhall! just because the m5 is a bmw

Leon Kalogeropoulos lol thats the reason why no one buys it over here in Australia. because everyone is sick of the whole "i've got a bmw" cliche

ReaLzEdits ok maybe in australia but i live in europe and erveryone would buy the BMW and Not the vauxhal:D

Leon Kalogeropoulos You obviously completely missed the point of my comment. Which is yes, everyone would buy a BMW, which is why you would look unique driving a car that barely anyone else has in Europe. How many heads turn when a BMW goes by? None. Because they aren't interesting because everyone has one. Drive past in a HSV, heads will turn.

+Alexander Binovski lol they are shit cars, poorly designed and built

Tyler Durdon sorry have you read the review? Hardly shit and actually very well built

In comparison to a bmw it can only be shit. I think the reason you Aussies love the vxr is because you cant afford foreign cars. And the only reason someone would buy a vxr over an m5 is the price difference. The two cars literally cannot be compared

Tyler Durdon no its because it looks better sounds better is cheaper and has a manual gearbox none of this paddle shift crap

Its your opinion that it looks better. And you can get m5s with manuals which is what i would buy. The vauxhall is cheaper because it cant match the quality,performance, or brand of the bmw.

Why not get a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, since thats also 20k cheaper and its more powerful.

@@lilelf1075 dodge

holden wins by far the m5 needs a sports pack just to be in the same league as it.

+Dylan Mylius What you expected autocar to give a non biased review? ha! Kidding yourselves! Car enthusiasts get the BMW driving enthusiasts get the VXR! This hamfisted fool makes it look so shit. The only reason he didn't crash the BMW is 30k in computers simulating Micheal Schumacher! Haha!

I'd be inclined to agree with you, though my level of knowledge means that I don't know for sure. But on the face of it, much of what he said seemed quite contrary to what a LOT of other reviewers have said in favour of the big lovely special Vaux. Even Clarkson, and we all know him to possess a dirty big mouth that's capable of saying nearly anything nasty and ugly. But even Clarkson loved it, he absolutely loved it, and how well it drifted and handled, and thought it was all round fantastic value at the money. So, yeah, it does irk me also having people dissing something as nice and organic as a manual box and clutch. In the right hands, they can work art. And yes, I also agree thoroughly with you in regard to the £30k of driving aids. Shur THAT'S not feckin driving!!! That's just simulation, which just HAPPENS to result, in this case, in the car "interpreting" what you are like "emailing" it via the controls which are becoming more and more like, well, joy pads, and then further "instructing" the mechanical components as to what to do. The whole thing is just like one step away from outright simulation. Driving the VXR with everything off, is DRIVING. Just like the F40 - it's just down to between you, the driver, telling the car EXACTLY what you want it to do, and exactly WHEN you want it to do it.

in australia the m5 pure (poverty pack cheapest m5 is 70,000 AUD more expensive than the GTS

Steve Sutcliffe is lightyears better than you at driving.

Charlie Chaplin used that mustache first and he's a pretty cool dude, so you're just fucked in the head if you see Hitler when you look at the m5. LS engines are fucking archaic. BMW stoped using 2 valves per cylinder almost 30 years ago...

Both cars have kidney grills... I guess just because the M5 is German it automatically makes it a "Hitler Mustache"... damn people love to hate!

Archaic and very powerfull. Europeans have lost the Kiss rule,,Keep it simple stupid. Hi tech engines that need very specialised servicing and maintenance are only for the rich. And look at the V8 Supercars, the least powerfull most thirsty and most expensive engines were the quad cam 4 valve engines in Bettys Benz's and the Nissans.

methaman1 the bmw won’t smell 300 000 miles, the vauxhall will, 30k cheaper too I won’t fork over that cash for something that looks like a soccer mom will drive

comfort!!!!!! when have u ever drove any BMW and got comfort lolol wowwww that was way far fetch but i get it. but listen to the driver even his said that the Holden was more comfortable. and if you took that package off he would not have said the same things because the BMW would have been all over the place that is why they took that package so that they would not have gotten the ass handed to therm on that test run lololol but i get it. they always try to make the German car soooo much better untill they have to go into a shop for repairs then you are taking out a loan or waiting to save or tax time to get the car out.

Who ever said it was the best car? It may have made the most kw ON PAPER but check out the wheels dyno testing

then shut up

OneOfOne Ahahahahahaha dude 😂😂😂

Tom Forrest are you aussie? because i promise it does not at all every bogan from westy has one. They are pretty much dead weight with a big 6.2 litre engine to back up with the lack of technolgy and engineering

the BMW looks so boring

Tom Forrest I agree looks like a milk carton on wheels

Its true though i have seen so many BMW 3 series, 5 series that when i see this rocking its 'M' badges i just think its another one of those 5 series or 3 series (because they look the fricking same), To further my point about how shit the BMW is compared to the VXR8 is that it has a girly 4l TT when the VXR8 has a manly 6.2l V8 Supercharged N/A which means the VXR8 sounds a heck of a lot better and BMW's lets just say dont have the best reputation on the road.

Sorry i got a bit confused because of the older gen VXR8 that did have a N/A but no clearly a 6.2 is going to sound a heck of a lot better than a 4l TT and i am not uneducated in engines

Pfff fuck australia they should not drive such a car when they are so expensive im sorry for that Here in germany the problem of holding a car like this is gas ....

Mosakoe_069 what do you mean fuck australia ? fuck your ignorant i bet you own a peace of shit as well even though you have such cheap luxury cars!

pen15eagg Fuck Australia?,I see the Third Reich attitude is still prevalent amongst BMW driver's,we see it every day on the roads of Britain,the Jack booted superior arayan behind the wheel of their X5 Super Panzer,carrying out their four wheeled blitzkrieg on the other road users in their genetically inferior cars,barging their way to their destination without even the faintest whiff of consideration for other road users.Deutschland uber alles!

bud ley I guess you guys have a lot higher taxes on imports than native stuff?

bud ley You got to pay for that bmw logo on the bonnet that's why.BMW = Ripped off.

+Ben Mayo not about making it easier, how about faster

I'd rather have a car I enjoy driving and is a challenge than a faster car that doesn't really feel like I'm controlling it. Plus I could buy another car with 23k

The first part of your argument I understand, but the part about cost is ridiculous. If you take that attitude with cars, you might aswell buy a ford fiesta.

+Ben Mayo With the left over 23k, you could re-tune, upgrade the supercharger and still have a holiday with the family.

+Gus Sabatino The BMW is a better car no doubt about that when considered from just pure engineering. But when considering the price the Vauxhall is a the better choice. In terms of performance there is going to be little difference between these cars. I would say the BMW shaves it.

+Gus Sabatino They said he was paid by Honda when the CTR beat the BMW M4 around the track.. hmmm

@@bighands69 in terms of performance? they holden breaks will die within 5mins.

+nong333 mental statement

Your right, I apologise.

+Matison Lee Yes m8! i could not agree more. I cant believe this tosser has the gall to say this stuff to the world and think people are gonna accept it. Even beamer fans will recognise the bias displayed here. Boo to Autocar! lolol Competition pack my arse!

+Matison Lee You say you don't see how people find the beamer eye pleasing, I would ask the same question about the vauxhall.

+Tyler Durdon Its a vauxhall lol for fucks sake, i got a vauxhall atm and i cant wait to get rid of it.

+Tyler Durdon knob, its a rebadged HSV. A Holden. ....... clown

Tyler Durdon What a rude, little elitist bell-end you are! You can compare it to an M5 without the competition pack. M5s get eaten regularly by HSVs in competition here in australia all the time. As a matter of fact i cant think of a race here where an M5 has ever beaten an HSV. what was yr name again ? o yeh.... Tyler TURDon!!!!!

yesssss you are soo right, here goes another one who know his stuff. there is a old saying. you can fool some of the people some of the time but u cant fool all the people all of the time.

Cripes!! Really?!!

over-engineered as well, like digital speedo, seriously?!

Henry Drummond That my friend is what an Aussie does :)

+Henry Drummond so your saying that high quality european in their own country pull peoples heads ? back in their own country they are just another mass produced common piece of shit bmw where people there are used to seeing that garbage day in day out . the hsv is our own home brand . take the hsv over to germany and i guarantee it would pull more heads over there as its different to the common garbage they drive .

+Henry Drummond wish I was a bogan cos I cant afford one, in Aus ,around 95k for gen f gts , not sure what an m5s worth but an m3 is around 160k so m5 will be a deal dearer than that .around 200k I guess .cant tell me it's twice the car the gts is

+silverss onyoutube lol Germans dont drive common garbage. They drive high quality machines like BMW, Mercedes, Audi

lololol enough said hun. lls watch it over and take that special package they put on this M5 and then compare or put the Magnetic package on the VXR8 which is the best in the world and then go racing and the M5 would get smoke and will go trade it in and save 30,000

@@warrengibson3317 do a simple remap on the m5 boom 700 hp see ya

actually its 80.000 - 55.000= 25.000

CAG KESICI thats even better for vxr8

And inside it'll still be just a Chevy...