Astra VXR gets 0-62mph time

Fact-fuelled pedants and hot hatch obsessives, some manna: the mechanical multi-plate limited slip differential fitted in the upcoming Vauxhall Astra VXR creates its locking effect with a ramp angle of 45 degrees under acceleration!

And under deceleration, this Drexler diff creates its locking effect with a ramp angle of 90 degrees! Ninety!

Why is this important? Because, together with the High Performance Strut - that reduces front wheel camber changes and reduces torque steer - stiffened springs and a lower ride height, Vauxhall has confirmed that its new Astra VXR hot hatch will complete the 0-62mph dash in 5.9 seconds. And that's good.

Gallery: the new Vauxhall Astra VXR

Naturally, that 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot with 278bhp and 295 torques also helps, with Vauxhall claiming "robust mid-range performance". The engine - lifted from the Insignia - gets a new intake system designed to stuff as much air into the turbo as is physically possible, building its 1.5 bar charge (25 per cent more than the Insignia) from 1,400rpm. Fourteen hundred rpm!

Vauxhall promises a "jet-like" noise under full throttle too, between the mid-to-high rev range, so you won't need to practice your favoured ‘vroom vroom' noises. But you will anyway.

So how does this stack up to its competition? The last VXR was quicker to 62mph (6.4secs) than the old Golf GTI, and the upcoming Mk7 Golf will only get around 230bhp. The Focus ST - yes, from The Sweeney - will get around 247bhp, so expect low sixes for that.

Even the excellent Megane Coupe RS 265 does the dash in six seconds dead - still a tenth off the VXR's pace.

Naturally, we'll see how this new hot hatch drives when we get our hands on it next month, but we're rather excited... Are you?

Top Gear drives the new Vauxhall Astra GTC