Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nurburgring (2010)
Specifications
Overview
| Country of origin | GB |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Petrol |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
| Production years | 2011-2015 |
| Chassis code | D |
| Gearbox | 6-speed manual |
Performance
| Power | 205 PS |
|---|---|
| Torque | 250 Nm |
| Kerb weight | 1307 kg |
| Power-to-weight | 154.6 bhp/tonne |
| 0-62 mph | 6.7 sec |
| Top speed | 143 mph |
Powertrain
| Engine | 1.6-litre inline |
|---|---|
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Induction type | Turbocharged |
Running Costs
| Insurance group | 34 |
|---|---|
| Combined MPG | 37 mpg |
| CO2 | 178 g/km |
| Price new | £22,295 in 2011 |
| Price new (inflation adjusted) | £33,776 (as at April 2026) |
The Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition was one of those cars that sounded a bit like marketing bravado, but turned out to be much more serious than expected.
It took the already lively Corsa VXR and gave it the sort of hardware usually reserved for more grown-up performance cars: Bilstein dampers, uprated springs, Brembo brakes, lightweight forged wheels and, most importantly, a proper mechanical limited-slip differential. Top Gear described it as a “comprehensive nose-to-tail upgrade”, with the LSD being the key ingredient that transformed how the car put its power down.
Power was lifted from the regular car too, with the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine producing around 205hp, enough for a claimed 0-62mph time of about 6.5 seconds and a top speed around 143mph. That made it genuinely quick for a small hatch of the period, but the bigger story was the way it drove. Auto Express noted the lower ride height, Bilstein suspension and Drexler limited-slip differential, all aimed at reducing roll, improving traction and cutting the understeer that could otherwise plague powerful front-wheel-drive cars.
On-road performance didn’t quite match the on-paper promise. Against the more polished Renaultsport Clio and the more mature MINI Cooper S, the Corsa Nürburgring felt loud, boosty, aggressive and slightly over-eager to prove itself. It was not the last word in delicacy — contemporary reviews still found the diff quite forceful and the experience less pure than a Renaultsport Clio — but it had real bite, and it gave the VXR badge some much-needed credibility beyond straight-line yobbery.
Now, it has become one of those slightly misunderstood modern-classic hot hatches. The reputation is mixed: loved for its attitude, rarity and proper mechanical upgrades, but approached with caution because Corsa VXRs have long been associated with engine issues, particularly the dreaded ‘piston 4’ failure on the 1.6 turbo. Used-buying coverage from PistonHeads and Autocar both flag misfires, smoky idle, lack of power and cooling/piston-related problems as things to watch carefully.
That leaves the Nürburgring Edition in an interesting place today. It is not the most sophisticated hot hatch of its era, nor the safest used buy, but it is one of the most characterful. In a world where small hot hatches have become rarer, heavier or simply disappeared, the little Corsa now looks like a wonderfully daft relic: a short-wheelbase hatchback with a turbo punch, serious chassis hardware and just enough menace to make every roundabout feel like a qualifying lap.
Road Tests
| Road test | Source |
|---|---|
| TOP Gear | topgear.com |
| Pistonheads | pistonheads.com |