Both are high performance estate cars. Both cost around £50,000. But can the big-hearted, rear-drive Vauxhall VXR8 Tourer possibly compete with the superbly-finished Audi RS4 Avant? Steve Sutcliffe tries them back-to-back to see which is best.
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Really enjoying these video comparisons
Steve Sutcliffe is doing a good job with these. Kudos to him and the production team.
As for the cars, yes clearly the Audi is the more capable, but two things. First, as someone mentioned earlier, the VXR8 is quite a bit bigger (and heavier). It's the size of the A6, and I would've thought, something like the S6 would've been more appropriate to compare the Vauxhall against. Second, although the Audi's interior is of much better quality (something that wins various Audis a lot of points these days), it doesn't 'look' any nicer than the VXR8.
The gearbox of course
I am amazed to hear him speaking so dismissivley about having to use a manual gearbox.
When he was learning to drive and falling in love with cars, cutting his teeth as a journalist, did he keep thinking every time he drove an Integrale, Impreza, NSX etc, 'this is all very well, but it is such a shame the car won't change gear for me'.
I still want to hear an argument from the proponents of these fake-blipping dual-clutch boxes against a hypothetical line-correcting steering system. If it was faster/smoother/more economical, why not? Where does it stop?
Has a commercial airline pilot found flying nirvana in an A320? Or would he rather fly a Spitfire?
Steve, you forgot to mention
Steve, you forgot to mention the Vauxhall is ugly as sin.