| This week I test drove the Vauxhall Astra VXR and | | | | part of the Vauxhall lifestyle but in many ways, the |
| was asked whether I was the type of person who'd | | | | Astra VXR is part of the automotive equivalent of |
| buy this type of car - a powerhouse of a hatchback. | | | | The Usual Suspects. The world of the hot hatchback |
| "Well am I?" I thought, so here's my CV. I don't profess | | | | has always been comprised of familiar faces that |
| to be many things but I like to think of myself as a nice | | | | have been slugging it out over many years. The |
| guy, who's hard-working, law abiding, music loving, car | | | | current crop includes the main five suspects: Vauxhall |
| worshipping and sport mad. I also like to advertise | | | | Astra VXR, Honda Civic Type R, Ford Focus ST, |
| myself as somewhat of a film expert and enjoy | | | | Volkswagen Golf GTi and RenaultSport Megane. |
| dropping into conversation with like-minded people the | | | | It's a formidable line-up worthy of the silver screen but |
| Spanish language film I saw last night or what actually | | | | seeing as I had the keys to the Astra, let me throw |
| happened in The Matrix. Until this week however there | | | | some facts and figures at you - starting with the |
| was a gaping hole in my film repertoire that ensured | | | | styling. Aggressive doesn't begin to do the Astra |
| that my cinematic ramblings were denounced quicker | | | | justice - even Vauxhall's advertising slogan of 'GTi - |
| than Usain Bolt running the 100 metres - I had never | | | | RIP' had an air of hooligan about it. Huge alloy wheels |
| seen The Usual Suspects. | | | | adorn the gaps in the wide and low-slung body kit, with |
| Having been garnered with more stars in reviews than | | | | a roof mounted spoiler and mesh front grill completing |
| the night sky above me, it seemed odd that I'd never | | | | the look. It's a bold statement which gives the |
| taken time out to watch it. The content seemed up my | | | | impression the car is travelling at serious speed even |
| street too, with the film being billed at the time of | | | | when parked at the kerb. |
| release as 'the Reservoir Dogs of 1995', so plenty of | | | | When the 2.0 litre turbo-charged engine is awoken it |
| guns, violence, swearing and death then - not Toy | | | | does happily propel you to speeds that befit its looks. |
| Story in other words. So I finally settled down 13 years | | | | Developing 240bhp, the Astra VXR covers the |
| later than intended and can report that if I had any | | | | 0-60mph dash in a mere 6.2 seconds but more |
| clout as a film critic there would be another maximum | | | | importantly for a front wheel drive car, develops no |
| five stars winging their way to Bryan Singer's | | | | discernible torque steer thanks to more processing |
| masterpiece. | | | | power than a string of computer shops. Vauxhall |
| The premise is far from simple, but involves five | | | | honed the Astra's chassis at the fabled Nurburgring |
| criminals being brought together by the police in unusual | | | | racing circuit in Germany and it shows. Despite the |
| circumstances and being blamed for a lorry hijack they | | | | twisty roads and sheep that kept darting out in front of |
| (in all probability) didn't commit. Whilst biding their time | | | | me, the Astra avoided becoming an abattoir on |
| before release, they decide to wreak revenge on the | | | | wheels thanks to responsive handling and the |
| police and make a tidy profit whilst doing so. | | | | aggressive front end scaring them off. |
| Throughout the film a mystical master criminal called | | | | My only concern is that to develop 43bhp more than |
| Keyser Soze is mentioned and via a serious of | | | | the Volkswagen Golf GTi and Honda Civic Type R, |
| flashbacks and narration from one of the five | | | | Vauxhall have bolted on a turbo that with all the will in |
| suspects the story unravels, culminating in a bloody | | | | the world means one thing - lag. Often I found myself |
| finale aboard a container ship and a twist so | | | | in the overtaking position only for all that power to |
| implausible that it contorts your brain into believing it's | | | | have a sit down, make a cup of tea and then decide |
| possible - who is Keyser Soze? The beauty of the | | | | to get to work. There were also occasions when |
| storytelling is that you know there will be a twist but | | | | having zoomed past the car on my inside that the |
| cannot pinpoint how or who will be involved. | | | | engine wanted to have another brew before stopping |
| It was a similar scenario I found myself in whilst driving | | | | the flow of power. That said 43bhp is one heck of an |
| the Astra VXR. Obviously gunfire and hijacking aren't | | | | advantage over the rivals so it's worth waiting for. |