Performance
The emphasis is on strong pull for good driveability rather than outright power, but the new car's weight gain takes its toll. Even so, motorway cruising is fine. In ascending order, there's a 1.8 petrol, 2.0 turbodiesel, 2.2 petrol and turbodiesel and a 3.2 V6.
Ride & handling
The Vectra has always had a good ride. Following revisions in mid-2005, it's now sharper to drive. Suspension and steering changes make it feel more tied down on B-roads, with firmer, more positive steering.
Refinement
This is probably Vauxhall's greatest success with the new Vectra. The absence of significant noise is hugely impressive, and makes the cabin a hushed place until you are well above the UK speed limit. Even the engines stay in the background until revved hard, and all the controls, with the exception of the gearlever, move with slick precision.
Vauxhall Vectra Still the Worst car in its class
Oh no it's a Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback but this one good
Performance
There are three petrol engines and three diesels, but the 1.0 and 1.2 petrols are best avoided if you do a lot of motorway miles because the Corsa is no lightweight. The 1.3 diesels, especially the 89bhp version, suit the car well but are quite expensive, so the 1.4 petrol is our pick.
Ride & handling
The chassis is shared with the Fiat Grande Punto, but it has been retuned by Vauxhall. There are two settings - a standard arrangement that makes the car good to drive but gives a nice ride into the bargain, and a firmer set-up for the SXi (optional with Design trim) that's a bit too extreme for UK roads.
Refinement
By and large, the Corsa’s an extremely refined car. The 1.7 diesel rumbles more than we'd like but most of the others are pretty quiet, even when working hard, and there's little road noise in the cabin. The five-door body stirs up more wind noise then three-door along the flanks, but neither is bad
Nice but not that nice Audi R8 Coupe
Performance
The R8 is crafted almost entirely from lightweight aluminium and powered by a rear-mounted 420bhp 4.2-litre V8 engine, so it comes as no surprise that performance is not for the faint-hearted. Working the engine to its maximum dispatches the 0-62mph dash in just 4.6secs and sends the car to 187mph.
Ride & handling
Thanks to bags of traction and immense cornering grip, the R8 can be driven safely as well as quickly. The chassis is wonderfully taut, resulting in minimal body roll, yet the ride is fluid and extremely comfortable. Should you overstep the mark, and you'd be pushing it hard if you do, there's a host of electronic drivers aids and phenomenally powerful brakes to help you regain control.
Refinement
Drive it in town or drive it to the South of France, it makes no difference. The R8's cushy ride makes it comfortable while the slinky shape skims through the air with minimal resistance, reducing wind noise to a minimum. Even the V8 engine, which bellows a deep timbre through its four stubby exhaust pipes, is superbly balanced and devoid of vibration and mechanical racket.
From Russia With Love TVR T350 Coupe
Performance
TVR builds its own extremely potent 3.6-litre six-cylinder engines, and the 350bhp version powers the T350C from 0-60mph in 4.4sec and on to 185mph flat-out. These are supercar-quick figures, which make the Blackpool car seem good value.
Ride & handling
TVR does not fit traction control or electronic stability programmes to its cars. Instead, the T350C relies on a very well set-up chassis with masses of grip and accurate, honed steering that keeps the driver fully informed. The ride is firm, but not too stiff, and the T350C can deal with urban streets as easily as it devours back roads.
Refinement
The TVR suffers no more noise intrusion than most cars offering similar performance. Its engine makes a glorious noise under full throttle but settles down to a cultured growl when cruising. Road and wind noise are ably sealed out at the national limit
