Vauxhall Corsa VXR review

Vauxhall's second crack at a go-faster Corsa that's gunning straight for the Fiesta ST. Admittedly, not much has happened under the bonnet as the same 1.6-litre turbo engine from the old car powers the front wheels, just with new air filters, intercooler and a reworked Remus exhaust previously only seen on limited editions added.

But the chassis has received a comprehensive nose-to-tail revamp. Sitting 10mm lower with trick dampers from Koni, plus all-new bushes, uprights, a stiffer rear suspension setup, different anti-roll bars, and, for the first time, a two-stage ESC system, it's a serious shopping list.

One that you can now also extend thanks to an optional Performance Pack. It's a commitment that'll relieve you of £2,400 but morph your VXR into a de-badged version of the TG award-winning Nurburgring Edition by adding a more damping sport setup, larger, more powerful 330mm-diameter four-pot Brembo brakes (they're 308mm as standard), 18-inch wheels, and, best of all, a voodoo Drexler mechanical limited-slip differential sandwiched between the front wheels. It's a brilliant addition which we salute Vauxhall for engineering in.