Used buying guide: Vauxhall VX220

Unfortunately, when the VX220 was new, badge snobs couldn’t see past the Griffin on the front and the VX – although it shares little with the Vauxhall Corsa or the Vauxhall Astra – was often overlooked in favour of more premium-badged vehicles. In mainland Europe, it fared better, having been given the more fashionable Opel Speedster moniker.

Today, things are a little different and the VX220 is finally getting the recognition it deserves as a quick, distinctive, likeable, modern classic.

What we said then

9 August 2000: “The VX220 has a strong 2.0-litre engine, and when it’s attached to a turbo, it pushes the lightweight body along to 60mph in less than 5sec. The gearbox is well matched too, being usefully slick and helping to power along the car whether it is tackling twisty country lanes or even cruising on the motorway. Even so, you will still get around 30mpg overall, which is pretty good for a car that delivers almost supercar levels of handling and performance.”

How to get one in your garage

An expert’s view

Jon Seal, Jon Seal Sportscars: “This is a lovely car and tremendous fun on the right roads. The only problem is VX220s are thin on the ground now: I’ve only got one in stock. As for prices, there are asking prices and there are real prices. I think right now, it’s hard to sell as people are asking way too much for them. I guess they are at least still relatively good value in comparison to the contemporary Elise.”

Buyer beware

Engine: The 2.2 Astra-sourced engines have a reliable reputation. Listen for any rattles on start-up as the VX220’s biggest pitfall can be the timing chain, which is known to bow out at around 60k miles. When accelerating, listen for any knocks at the rear, because this could be the harsh sound of engine mounts failing, which can mean a £300 repair bill. The 2.0-litre Turbo unit has a cambelt, which requires a change at 60k miles.

Transmission: The gearchange is naturally clunky but you shouldn’t have any problems getting into first or third gear. If there’s any hesitation, get ready to walk away because, should it fail, replacement gearboxes are expensive to fit and are becoming less common.

Body: It’s mostly glassfibre and split into three sections: a front clam, centre section and rear clam. Although the clams can be purchased from specialists, they can be expensive to buy or repair and many insurers might write the car off even after a low-speed accident. Windscreen repairs require the full windscreen – including plastic surround – to be removed, which involves removing or shifting the front clam. Paintwork blistering can occur if the car has been left out in frosty weather.

Brakes: Although the 2.2 came with ABS, the units can fail and owners are known to disconnect them. Check for override switches on the steering column, as this could have been fitted by the previous owner. Being an older car, it’s worth pumping the brake pedal to get the brake fluid flowing before setting off – especially if it isn’t a daily driver.

Interior: When the VX220 was released, the heater was rather useless and many owners upgraded them using a third-party heating matrix. The door sills are made from glassfibre, and if sat on, they can crack. If a sill protector is in place, it could be masking a nasty surprise. Look for any water ingress in the boot as there are a few relays in there, leading to various electrical gremlins if they get wet.

Also worth knowing

A Lightning Yellow special-edition model limited to 100 was offered with the 2.2 from 2001. It has a numbered plaque, from one to 100, although there’s no performance difference.

Of the estimated 9160 VX220s built, only 1465 remain at the time of writing.

Various 2.2s have now been supercharged using GM bits, taking the cars to more than 220bhp and rivalling the VXR220’s performance.

Beware accident damage. In a car like this, it’s common and the glassfibre panels are fragile. If you must opt for a Cat D or C car, be very thorough about checking repair work.