Let’s take a quick look through the March 2012 issue of Total Vauxhall…

Our March cover car is a no-holds-barred turbo-killing brute of an Astra VXR!

VXRs not your thing? Try this über-cool 3-litre Monza-engined Ascona coupé. Class in a glass.

This matt black and turbo’d Tigra Twin Top has bags of power and style.

Imagine if Vauxhall or Opel had made a Mk3 Astra V6? Imagine no more…

Our buyer’s guide is on an amazingly affordable BTCC star – the Vectra ST200.

PLUS…

* GET £50 OFF YOUR CAR INSURANCE!!!

* Plus 20 other tips for how to lower your insurance – save £££s!

* Bike carb’d 2-litre eight-valve stripped Nova!

* All you need to know about turbos, and why you should get one!!

* ICE’d and street-styled Corsa D!

* We report from the Autosport International Show and Ted’s Total Opel Run!

* Find out how our project cars are getting on!

All this and much, much more in your Total Vauxhall March 2012 issue – in the shops now!

Too lazy/cool to go to a shop? Why not download it to your iPhone or iPad via the Apple Newsstand? Click here to download our free app so you can buy the digital version of the latest issue! www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/newsstand

Or SUBSCRIBE NOW to get Total Vauxhall delivered to your door! Click here to take advantage of our latest offer and to view our overseas prices.

xxx

Here’s what to look for on your newsagent’s shelves this month…

Don’t like VXRs? Don’t worry, we’ve also got a 3-litre Ascona, 2-litre 8v Nova, Mk3 Astra V6, Vectra ST200… Even a Tigra Twin Top! Have a sneak peek inside the latest issue here: www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/2012/02/16/total-vauxhall-march-issue-on-sale-now/

Too lazy/cool to go to a shop? Why not download it to your iPhone or iPad via the Apple Newsstand? Click here to download our free app so you can buy the digital version of the latest issue! www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/newsstand

Or SUBSCRIBE NOW to get Total Vauxhall delivered to your door! Click here to take advantage of our latest offer and to view our overseas prices.

xxx

The ultimate performance car event returns to the prestigious Silverstone Circuit for one day of thrilling track action, huge club displays and a massive performance tuning retail village.

Check out the ‘What’s on’ section of the TRAX website for up-to-the-minute developments on what’s happening at this year’s event – its going to be MASSIVE!

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If you want to be in the know with the latest developments for TRAX 2012 make sure you like their Facebook page… simply click here and hit like!

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If you want to be in the know with the latest developments for TRAX 2012 make sure you sign up to the TRAX newsletter! All you need to do is Click here and fill in a few details! Sign up to the TRAX newsletter here…

Let’s take a quick look through the December 2011 issue of Total Vauxhall…

Our cover car is a rare Carabo Verde Perl Astra Coupe powered by a monster 483bhp Z20LET.

We report from the Retro Rides show where we were drooling over some weird, wacky and wonderful Vauxhalls.

We check out two of Ric Wood’s motorsport Vauxhalls, including this brutal F1-spec V8-powered DTM Astra.

And we discover some motorsport at the other end of the financial spectrum – Novas, Corsas and Astras racing in a field!

PLUS…

* We tell you how to get to 176mph for under £10k with our Lotus Carlton buyer’s guide!

* Dougie tells you how to get started with MIG welding in our step-by-step guide!

* Find out how you can go VXR8 racing in the UK!

* We check out an awesome Time Attack Astra and Corsa B stage weapon!

* We terrorise the streets in a 260bhp Corsa C Turbo!

* We gawp at Ric Wood’s mental Thundersaloon Calibra!

* Find out how our project cars are getting on!

All this and much, much more in your Total Vauxhall December 2011 issue – in the shops now!

Buy the digital version of the December 2011 issue of Total Vauxhall for your iPhone or iPad via the Apple Newsstand!
Click here to download our free app so you can buy the digital version of the latest issue! www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/newsstand

You don’t have to wait till it’s in the shops… SUBSCRIBE NOW to get Total Vauxhall delivered to your door!
Click here to take advantage of our latest offer and to view our overseas prices.

Here’s what to look for on your newsagent’s shelves this month…

Have a peek inside the issue – click here!

Too lazy/cool to go to a shop? Why not download it to your iPhone or iPad via the Apple Newsstand? Click here to download our free app so you can buy the digital version of the latest issue! www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/newsstand

You don’t have to wait till it’s in the shops… SUBSCRIBE NOW to get Total Vauxhall delivered to your door! Click here to take advantage of our latest offer and to view our overseas prices.

Apple’s iOS 5 update has been and gone, and that’s good news for digital Total Vauxhall readers as the mag now appears on the shelves of Apple’s new Newsstand!

Get Total Vauxhall from Newsstand in iOS 5, from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or at www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/newsstand.

Apple’s Newsstand makes reading a digital copy of Total Vauxhall even easier.

Based on the GTC’s platform and powered by a 2-litre turbocharged direct injection engine, the Astra VXR produces 280bhp of power and a mighty 400Nm of torque, enough for it to achieve a top speed of 155mph.

But while the Astra VXR is based on the new GTC, it has benefited from a raft of bespoke chassis modifications, transforming it into a focused, high-performance coupe. Setting it apart from all other current Astras is a specially developed mechanical limited slip differential, which works on the front wheels. In conjunction with the GTC’s sophisticated HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut), the LSD provides the Astra VXR with exceptional lateral grip and traction through bends.

Further changes to the chassis include brakes developed by competition supplier, Brembo, and standard fitment of Vauxhall’s fully adaptive FlexRide system. In the Astra VXR, FlexRide features not only a Sport button, but a VXR button, offering drivers the choice of two, more focused stages of damper, throttle and steering control.

Much of the chassis sign-off was done at the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, and was overseen by Le Mans 24-hour race winner, “Smokin’ Jo” Winkelhock. “We have devised a great package that will convince even the most experienced and enthusiastic drivers – and not just on the Nürburgring!” said Winkelhock.

Visual identifiers for the Astra GTC comprise a set of specially sculpted front and rear bumpers, side skirts, an aerodynamic roof spoiler and two exhaust tail pipes in a trapeze shape. Inside, the VXR’s cabin gets bespoke performance seats with embossed logos in the backs, a flat-bottomed VXR steering wheel and upgraded instruments.

The UK is by far the Astra VXR’s biggest market in Europe, so sales interest in the car is set to be strong. More details, including pricing and on-sale dates, will be revealed early next year.

The competition deadline is this Friday 7th, so pull your socks up if you fancy taking part! 

https://www.futurecompetitions.com/autoglym-btcc 

Make your way over to the Nuts stand and you’ll be able to meet and chat with both of these lovely ladies! Nuts’ very own photographer will also be on hand to take your photo with the girls, which you’ll be able to tag yourself in at the official Nuts Facebook page. As if that’s not enough you’ll also be able to pick up your FREE copy of Nuts magazine, which the girls will be happy to sign for you. A day full of hot women and fast cars. What more could you ask for?!

Check out this link here:  http://www.traxshows.co.uk/2011/08/24/meet-the-nuts-girls/

This year the show is sponsored by Vauxhall tuning gurus, Courtenay Sport. They’ll be on hand to offer expert advice on any tuning  issues you might have.

This afternoon we will be packing up vans, setting up our stand and preparing for the show tomorrow. For those that are still haven’t booked tickets, check out our top 10 reasons to attend!

1. Live action from the past & present stars of the BTCC
BTCC legend John Cleland stole the show at the first ever Total Vauxhall Live last year as he was re-united with his iconic Cavalier for on track demos. This year Cleland returns to Castle Combe joined by another Ex-BTCC star and former sparring partner Jeff Alam, as well as the current 888 Engineering drivers Tony Gilham and James Nash!

2. Public track time for just £25
Get involved in the action and put your own Vauxhall to the test around the famous Castle Combe Circuit, in front of thousands of spectators. Track time is available on the day for just £25 per session. (Just make sure you don’t come a cropper at Quarry corner!)

3. Club displays
Away from the action check out displays of some of the finest performance Vauxhalls in the country. Expect to see huge displays from the UK’s biggest Vauxhall clubs.

4. Huge retail village and exhibitor area
If you are looking for parts  to finish your current project, look no further than the trade stands. Total Vauxhall Live will be packed with exhibitor stands selling everything you need from tuning services to bellhousings.

5. Westfield drift rides
Westfield will be displaying some of their VXR powered models at Castle Combe as well as giving you the opportunity to experience a drift passenger ride for just £10

6. Power & Style Awards in association with Yokohama
A hand picked selection of the UK’s best Vauxhall’s make up the Power and Style display, all vying to win a set of Yokohama tyres worth £500!

7. Rare & Endangered Display
As many of the finest retro, classic and one off Vauxhalls that we could lay our hands on, displayed on one massive stand. Certainly not to be missed.

8. Free Total Vauxhall Live Goody Bag
Head over to our stand, sign up to the show newsletter and claim a bag full of free show goodies!

9. 21 Years of the Lotus Carlton
TV Live will feature a special display celebrating 21 years of the Lotus Carlton and 20 years of the AutobahnStormers Club. <http://www.autobahnstormers.org/>

10. Enjoy the Sunshine
After a slightly damp PV Show it is good to see that the sun is set to shine tomorrow. And when then sun is out what better way to spend the day than heading to a race circuit for a day of high-octane Vauxhall action! Entry is just £18 on the gate with under 14’s going free with a paying adult, making it a great family day out. Plus you get the chance to meet the Total Vauxhall team, we will all be there on hand to have a chat and answer any questions that you have about the mag, our cars, your cars or any general Vauxhall related queries!

And both the drivers can’t wait to meet Griffin enthusiasts on the day. James Nash stated: “Away from the pressures of the BTCC it will be nice to meet everyone. Many of them will I’m sure be touring car fans and I know too that they’ll be equally enthusiastic about their Vauxhalls which I’m looking forward to seeing.” He added: “It’ll be my first visit ever to Castle Combe. I haven’t raced there before, not even in my Formula Ford days so I think it is going to be quite scary! Seriously, I’m really looking forward to the day and hope to meet with as many of the Vauxhall owners and supporters as I can.”

Whilst Tony Gilham said: “I have raced at Castle Combe before, mind you it was in a single-seater, a Formula 600 back in 1999. It’s a very quick track, though since I raced there they’ve put some chicanes in. More recently I’ve done a track day there for one of my sponsors Regal Autosport. Regal are Vauxhall specialists and are coming along to Total Vauxhall Live so I think it’s going to be both a fun and interesting day.”

According to John, “They looked like production cars that you could buy from a showroom, all painted up taking mirrors and bumpers off each other. It was really close racing but under the skin they were very technical cars. I would say, if you watch Formula One you might see half a dozen over taking opportunities nowadays whereas you’d see that in one lap in British Touring Cars.”

Last year he was reunited with his old Cavalier GSi touring car, at the first ever Total Vauxhall Live.  And this year both John and his Cavalier are back, but this time he’s joined by long-time team-mate and fellow Cavalier sparring partner Jeff Allam! Awesome.

Headline sponsors of Total Vauxhall Live, Courtenay Sport, will be bringing along two very special Westfield track cars. One has been mapped to 300bhp and the other a frankly ludicrous 380bhp! Keep an eye out for them doing hot laps of Castle Combe as it’ll be quite a spectacle.

Courtenay Sport will also be running a competition to win passenger laps in their Dunlop Production Trophy Astra VXR touring car, either with Adrian Churchill or Kevin George. (Son of BTCC legend John George) Be sure to go over and have a word with them at the Courtenay stand for more details on the Saturday.

Book your tickets in advance, quoting code 05TV and save £5 off the gate price. Simply click here to book your tickets before Midnight on Monday, July 25^th and pay just £13 entry.

Total Vauxhall Live

Castle Combe Circuit

Saturday, July 30th

 For more information about whats on at Total Vauxhall Live visit www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/live

Headline sponsors of Total Vauxhall Live, Courtenay Sport, will be bringing along two very special Westfield track cars. One has been mapped to 300bhp and the other a frankly ludicrous 380bhp! Keep an eye out for them doing hot laps of Castle Combe as it’ll be quite a spectacle.

Courtenay Sport will also be running a competition to win passenger laps in their Dunlop Production Trophy Astra VXR touring car, either with Adrian Churchill or Kevin George. (Son of BTCC legend John George) Be sure to go over and have a word with them at the Courtenay stand for more details on the Saturday.

 Book your tickets in advance, quoting code 05TV and save £5 off the gate price. Simply click here to book your tickets before Midnight on Monday, July 25^th and pay just £13 entry.

 Total Vauxhall Live

Castle Combe Circuit

Saturday, July 30th

 For more information about whats on at Total Vauxhall Live visit www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/live

Are you a member of a club who wants to attend TV Live but your club are not having a stand? Then come and be part of the Total Vauxhall Magazine Club Invitational. You can book tickets at club prices, just £13! You’ll get all of the same club benefits including Free Camping, the opportunity to display your car in the show and exclusive access to the site from 7am making sure you avoid the traffic!

Plus, we have two track sessions dedicated to the Total Vauxhall Magazine Invitational display. For just £20 you can put your own Vauxhall to the test around the Castle Combe Circuit alongside other club members that are part of the display.

To book go to www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/live <http://www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/live>

Quote code 05CLUB when booking and pay just £13 for entry plus receive your FREE camping pass and an EXCLUSIVE pass to be part of the Total Vauxhall Magazine Invitational Display. THE DEADLINE FOR TICKETS IS SUNDAY JULY 24TH AT MIDNIGHT!

Jackie Stewart, Allan McNish, David Coulthard, Dario Franchitti, Colin McRae, Louise Aitken‐Walker and David Leslie are some motor racing names used as proof that Scotland produces the best racing drivers in Britain.

This list comes from fellow Scotsman and British Touring Car legend, John Cleland.

“You’re talking about people that have won world championships, sports car world championships, Le Mans, Indianapolis,” John says. “The Scottish Motor Racing Club has more champions than any other motorsport club I have been in anywhere in the world, and I go round and speak at different dinners in the winter to a lot of racing clubs! Yes, they’ve got champions but none as many as this little club and to think that we’re a country of five million people population.”

The BTCC and Vauxhall legend is set to be one of the biggest names at Total Vauxhall Live. John made a name for his himself getting the best out of Cavaliers and in a championship that captured the nation’s hearts. “They looked like production cars that you could buy from a showroom, all painted up taking mirrors and bumpers off each other” he continues. “It was really close racing but under the skin they were very technical cars. I would say, if you watch Formula One you might see half a dozen over taking opportunities nowadays whereas you’d see that in one lap in British Touring Cars.”

The Scotsman competed in the championship with works Vauxhalls for ten years, and this suited him well as he explains, “If you’re happy working in an environment and they give you a car capable of doing the job and they pay you a good salary for the job then why move?” Before, during and after his years in racing, John has run Volvo and Jaguar dealerships in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.

“When I signed my first contract with Vauxhall, I was a Vauxhall dealer” John laughs, “and in the middle of that year, I terminated the franchise and put Volvo in. Through all my career with Vauxhall, I was selling another brand. I was just a professional driver, all I had was a crash helmet. I drove and someone sent me a cheque at the end of the month. It didn’t actually matter what I was selling, I could have been a butcher for all I cared, it just happened to be I was in the car industry.”

John entered the BTCC in 1989 winning the overall championship in an Astra GTE 16V. At this time the BTCC was made up for several classes with John competing in Class C. “The best I could ever do is come 10th, 11th, 12th or whatever but I could win the class,” John explains, “and I discovered that we were quicker than the next class up, the BMWs, and we were mixing it with them. So it was like ‘We could do a job here’. It went from a bit of fun and so on to ‘Hang on, this is looking good.’” In 1991, the sport changed to a one‐class championship meaning that everyone was competing for one trophy on equal terms. “I think that’s really what made it famous and what made it successful,” John argues, “the cars you saw flying through the air and spinning off in the gravel were what people would drive through the gates to watch the sport.”

“When it went to a one class series it made sense because when I won the championship in 1989, I won it from the classes,” he continues, “I felt that I really didn’t win the championship properly. But then again no one up to that point had. It had always been won from the lower classes, so when I won it again in 1995 from the front, won the races, set fastest laps – all of those things – the winning car and driver combination won the championship. Whatever went across the line first would win the championship with maximum points. Previously, you got a guy finishing 14th but actually leading the championship, which was confusing to the public.”

In the 1990s the BTTC became a Mecca to motorsport fans worldwide, highlights including John’s favourite racing memory; beating Nigel Mansell in torrential rail to win at Donington Park in 1998 and also his worst memory, losing the 1992 championship to Tim Harvey on the final day of the season.

“That championship was mine all the way and if it had been left to the three contenders that day, without the intervention of any exocet missiles, then that championship was mine.” At the end of the 1990s new rules savaged the sport. John understands why changes were made and why the championship perhaps doesn’t appear as exciting as it was during his career.

“It lost a fair degree of it’s momentum when a lot of the manufacturers all got married to each other,” John says, “like Nissan and Renault, and Ford owned Volvo, Jaguar and Mazda so why should they compete against each other? It also coincided with the motor industry struggling a bit in terms of profitability, so they looked at where they would save money and unfortunately motorsport got a bit of the chop. That’s why it sort of faltered a bit, it will never die but there are no manufacturer entries in the BTCC now.”

“But then again if you look at other successful formulas like the V8 Supercars in Australia and Nascar in America the manufacturers don’t actually pay a lot of money in that,” he continues, “it’s sponsors like Nescafe, Kodak and Viagra and whatever else goes on it. Whereas we’re not good at that in the UK, we use incestuous stuff like Mobil, Shell and Michelin tyres as sponsors. The Americans and Australians are really good at getting commercial sponsorship into the business which then makes it successful and stays alive, it’s financially viable. Williams were the only ones that brought in a big commercial name which was Nescafe on the Renaults.”

After retiring from BTCC in John raced in the Bathurst 1000 in Australia, ASCAR (the British version of the NASCAR Championship) and raced in the 2004 BTCC Masters race. He also co‐commentated the World Touring Car Championship for British Eurosport.

“I was talking about people I’d known,” he laughs, “I knew the engineers, the FIA, the tyre people. I could go in as a driver get the information that none of the other commentators could get. But it was a bloody hassle being away at the weekends. Being stuck in Amsterdam waiting for a flight to Marrakesh or something daft like that.” John cannot keep away from the track and this year he’ll be racing a classic Jaguar E‐Type in celebration of the car’s 50th Anniversary, with the final race held at the Goodwood Revival. “Yeah, quite looking forward to that.” But before then, he’s also coming along to Total Vauxhall Live at Castle Combe, where he’ll be reunited once more with his old BTCC Cavalier and also his former team mates Jeff Allam and Vince Woodman.

To find out more about the show, click onto the Total Vauxhall Live website which will give you details about tickets, track time and how to book a club stand – that’s right there is still time left! http://live.totalvauxhall.co.uk/

He’s one of the UK’s best known tuners and now John Thorne, founder of Thorney Motorsport, has launched a new TV show.

The show, Ultimate Car Tuning is on TV from 10th July every Sunday at 9pm on Sky 166 and Freesat 402.

During the series the team will look at the latest tuning products, feature some of the UK’s best cars and report from all the major car shows of the year.

There will also be advice from leading figures in the tuning industry and insight from some of the top car manufacturers.

In episode 1, John Thorne chats to UK Street Cars about the UK car club scene, before heading over to Superchips for a look at remapping. Whilst fellow presenters Suz and Ben head to Castle Coombe to check out Japfest, Europe’s Biggest Japanese Car Show.

And if you miss the show on TV, don’t worry. As all the episodes will be available via Ultimate Car Tuning’s catch-up service.

See episode 1 of Ultimate Car Tuning

Headline sponsors Courtenay Sport will be there with a fine selection of tuned road cars, along with 2010 Dunlop Sportmaxx winner Adrian Churchill’s Astra VXR. The team are once more in the mix for honours in the renamed championship, the Dunlop Production Touring Car Trophy.

Also, if you missed out last year you have another opportunity to see John Cleland’s BTCC Cavalier. John will be there in person too, and this year he will be joined by fellow Cavalier veteran Jeff Allam, and former Thundersaloon team mate Vince Woodman.

Fans of today’s BTCC are also in for a treat as both 888 Vectras and their drivers, James Nash and Tony Gilham will be in attendance and taking their cars on track!

If that’s not enough, it’s expected that there will be over 30 legendary Lotus Carltons in attendance as part of a special display!

Total Vauxhall Live is set to be one of the most exciting days of the year – make sure you don’t miss out! Check back every day to find out some more about the show and it’s features. Tomorrow: An exclusive interview with John Cleland about his BTCC race days!

For more information head over to http://live.totalvauxhall.co.uk/

I’ve never seen the film in full and I’m still not that sure of the plot either. From what I’ve been able to piece together it tells the story of a rivalry between a Manta obsessive called Bertie and a Mercedes driving yuppie. There’s also a sub-plot involving Bertie’s girlfriend, a wet t-shirt competition and an ‘anti-Manta radio station.’ Sounds great, doesn’t it? The soundtrack is right up there with Top Gun’s in terms of cheesiness, I keep expecting to hear ‘Highway to the Dangerzone’, and mullets abound.

All the naff acting aside the  car chases are brilliant in an over the top way, think 80′s Fast & The Furious and you’re pretty close. You really can’t argue with a motorway full of Manta GTE’s either, even if the choice of pink detailing on Bertie’s car might have been a questionable one. I can’t pretend to understand what on earth the film is trying to get at, apparently it has a cult following in Europe, but from what I’ve seen I really like it. For those interested a version with English subtitles can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FxLyMKu0GE

Another 90′s-tastic example that I’ve only recently remembered is SEGA Touring Car Championship, an arcade machine released in the wake of the hugely successful SEGA Rally Championship, later finding its way onto the Saturn as well. The game was based on the European DTM championship and was a right laugh as far as I can remember. As a kid I used to do a runner from school swimming lessons in order to play the game, so my memories of its gameplay might be clouded slightly by the illicit thrills of actually getting a go at it. Still, it had a decent recreation of the awesome Opel Calibra DTM cars so it can’t be that bad, right?

The second video shows what appears to be the same Commodore tackling a European hillclimb event and proves that it looks as good as it sounds. Proper racing with a proper soundtrack. Enjoy!

Monstering the Nurburgring

Making short work of a hillclimb

Sunday dawned damp, cold and slippery – not ideal conditions for a 333bhp car driven through the front wheels. However Bo didn’t let that stop him posting quickest time in practice with a blistering 1min 01.021. This boded well for qualifying where conditions appeared to have taken a turn for the better. That was until 8 minutes in when the Scottish weather decided it’d like to play a part in proceedings again and liberally coated the entire circuit with rain. Romain Levesque managed to battle through the very worst of the elements to take pole in his CRX, closely followed by Gerry Atkinson in his Seat Leon and Bo in third, all covered by an astonishing 5 tenths of a second.

This set the scene for a fantastic Time Attack final later in the day, by which time the track had dried enough for the front wheel drive cars to put their power down effectively. Bo registered a best time of 1min 00.415 on his second lap, just pipping David Thorpe in his Civic by a miniscule 0.250 seconds. However with the track getting ever dryer and rubbered in the competition was far from over. After twelve Time Attack laps Levesque was closer than ever to Bo’s time, finally besting him with a time of 1 min 00.222, a mere 0.193 quicker. Only half a second covered the top three front wheel driver runners in the end.

A quick glance at the post-Knockhill championship standings show Bo still leading Gerry Atkinson’s Seat Leon, 208 points to 178, very closely followed by Dave Thorpe’s Civic on 175. With the championship that close it’s certainly worth popping over to Brands Hatch on the 25^th of June for round three.