Vauxhall launches Insignia VXR Supersport

Supersport badges don't usually come cheap. Especially if the words "Jaguar", "Bentley" or "Bugatti" are anywhere near it. But now there's this, the new Vauxhall Insignia VXR Supersport - it costs less than £30k, and it'll do 170mph...

It replaces the previous Insignia VXR in fine street sleepery style - beyond the badges, there's only a set of blue Brembo stickers on the brake calipers and a splash of bespoke instruments to distinguish it - all the good stuff's underneath...

Now Vauxhall's thrown the old 155mph speed limiter in the bin, the 321bhp 2.8-litre turbo V6 can stretch terminal velocity to 170mph. The engine, which has a racecar-esque micro-alloy forged steel crank and die-cast alloy sump, still gets it from 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds via an all-wheel drive system though, which is the same as before.

But one very important thing has changed. The pricetag. At £29,995, it's £3670 cheaper, making it the UK's fastest sub-£30,000 car. And it's not like you get less kit (well, apart from that speed limiter) - you get Vauxhall's HiPerStrut front suspension, which maintains negative camber and reduces the dreaded understeer, and FlexRide adaptive damping system (just like the new wafty Cascade rag-top) with a VXR setting for extra raceyness.

The only thing that'll get near it for bangs per buck is the £29,995 316bhp BMW M135i.

Which would you rather have, TopGear.commers?

And in case you're wondering, the old cars pictured are a Vauxhall C10 ‘Prince Henry' and the UK's first 100mph production car, the 30-98.