Megane 225 Astra VXR Golf GTI.Don't care if the VXR was quickest.Golf for me please Megane looked ok.Don't understand how it smoked so much!

M5...I would ignore every other gadget button and gizmo and just keep the magic "M " button depressed at all times In fact why ever drive with that button disengaged mad.

M5...I would ignore every other gadget button and gizmo and just keep the magic "M " button depressed at all times In

I agree.......

The old 2.2 Astra GSI had more power than the chassis could handle, so not sure why Vauxhall hasn't learned in the years since that came out... :thumbdwn:

Golf for me

I really REALLY don't like the look of the VXR, it's not a pretty car, I much prefer the controversial looks of the Megane 225.

I had a look at the VXR at Goodwood and the interior was a mass of plastic, the seats looks great apart from the leather, if they did a cloth option they'd be much nicer!

The old 2.2 Astra GSI had more power than the chassis could handle, so not sure why Vauxhall hasn't learned in the years since that came out... :thumbdwn:

becase its a new car and new chassis :confused:

I quite liked the Astra,Vauxhall's are a heck of a lot better looking then they were a few years ago

becase its a new car and new chassis :confused:

Yep, and they clearly havent learned their lessons from their last cars.

Do they still claim they are "Tuned by Lotus"

Could be there will be suspension upgrades available already though. 240 bhp is a lot to carry on a FWD car which weighs under 1400 kg. Apparently there are two suspension variants - you can have active damping for

Saab who pioneered the fwd turcocharged production car reckon that 250bhp is the absolute maximum you can shove through the front wheels and manage to still drive the car everyday without too much drama. But then their cars are heavier, better sorted chassis, and equal length drive shafts, also the turbo provides very progressive power. Why, when GM now own saab, have they not learnt anything from them?

I cant think of any performance astra's that have ever handled, the worst being the mk2 gte.

It would have to be the 225 Megane for me if i had to choose one of the three.

Re the M5, I was gobsmacked when he was saying how bad he thought it was.......until he pushed the "M" button. What a transformation! Like you are all saying, what a pointless button. Surely if you pay 60k for an M5, you want an M5, not something else and now and again its an M5. WTF is all that about.

I want one, I want one, I want one!!!!

Saab who pioneered the fwd turcocharged production car reckon that 250bhp is the absolute maximum you can shove through the front wheels and manage to still drive the car everyday without too much drama. But then their cars are heavier' date=' better sorted chassis, and equal length drive shafts, also the turbo provides very progressive power. Why, when GM now own saab, have they not learnt anything from them?

I cant think of any performance astra's that have ever handled, the worst being the mk2 gte.

It would have to be the 225 Megane for me if i had to choose one of the three.

Re the M5, I was gobsmacked when he was saying how bad he thought it was.......until he pushed the "M" button. What a transformation! Like you are all saying, what a pointless button. Surely if you pay 60k for an M5, you want an M5, not something else and now and again its an M5. WTF is all that about.

I want one, I want one, I want one!!!![/quote']

Golf GTi easily wins for me. The Renault looks good on paper but plummeting depreciation, dodgy electrics and poor build quality lets it down. I should know I own one and I'm getting rid of it for a Fabia vRS on Sept 1st.

As for the VXR??? Well Its pointless having a car with all that power if it cant deliver it

THE M5 HOWEVER IS JUST AWESOME

Golf Gti for me too, every time

It looked so much more solidly built than the other two and looks fantastic in red.

Ok so the golf is 200bhp but you can remap it to almost 240 anyway

I was also surprised by the way the vauxhall understeered around the track

Renault for me. My views on the new Astra can be found on here somewhere anyway. Not a big fan of the new Golf

I'll take the new Focus RS please

Chris

ST :haha:

ST :haha:

Nah - I'm waiting for the RS :P ST will be good, but I'd like a Ford which holds its value

Chris

Mmmm Fords, mostly crap but the only ones I'd consider would be a Lotus Cortina or an original unmolested Series 1 RS Turbo!

Can't like the renault, it's *** is too big, but good std spec with leather sat nav etc, you want that on the golf GTI you are looking at a car around the

The M5' date=' what a noise, and Clarkson drove one with working indicators, (well sort of), must be a BMW first, thought they were a delete option especially on M cars![/quote']

Well, they weren't self cancelling themselves. Must be because BMW assumed they never get used, so didn't bother to design a cancelling mechanism for it.

Surely if you pay 60k for an M5, you want an M5, not something else and now and again its an M5. WTF is all that about.

basicly for the simple fact you can turn to someone and say "hey i drive a BMW M5" instead of "I drive a 535i"

i dont care what anybodys says those little bikes that fold up in the boot were the best machine on the show lol

basicly for the simple fact you can turn to someone and say "hey i drive a BMW M5" instead of "I drive a 535i"

No no no no no! what I mean is why have the "M" button in the first place? Why would you want it not to be an M5 at any point when that is what you have bought. Why have the choice to make it semi skimmed instead of full cream?

LSD would sort the astra, jsut as it would in the vRS.

Question is can the Astra go further than 240

I also wonder how much history has a part...hasn't Clarkson ripped most Vx's apart?

Can't wait till he gets a ford to review...will he be able to temper his GT40 heartache.

Anyhow, Torque steer.....erm power steering, hold onto the wheel

Anyhow, torque steer, be less brutal with the throttle

i recon the vxr will be good because it will be a drivers car and not a car the only half needs the driver because its electronic

i am unable to be less brutal with my throttle, it seems to be digital :confused:

and the M button is no different to us having boost controllers, when i am just pootling about i have it turned down, when i want fun i turn it up

also the M button changed the seat)coolest thing ever!), suspension and the power so more of a complete package