Vauxhall VX220

The Vauxhall VX220 (sold as the Opel Speedster in mainland Europe) is a British-built mid engined, targa-topped, 2-seater sports car introduced in the summer of 2000. It was built in both right-hand drive and left-hand drive versions at the Lotus Cars plant in Hethel, Norfolk, England. It was sold as the Vauxhall VX220 in the UK, and as the Opel Speedster in the rest of Europe.

It was branded the Daewoo Speedster in the Asian market, in both right and left hand drive. The car has a lot in common with the Lotus Elise, yet Opel/Vauxhall claims few parts are interchangeable. Both cars are characterized by strong performance and superb handling. Produced by Lotus at their Hethel, Norfolk factory, the VX220 carried the Lotus internal model identification Lotus 116 and the code name Skipton for the 2.2N/A version and Tornado for the 2.0 L Turbo. The chassis utilizes an aluminium chassis tub that weighs only 150 lb (68 kg). The car also features bodywork which is made entirely of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). The entire car weighs in at only 2,050 lb (930 kg), much lighter than most small sports cars. The normally aspirated version used a Opel Astra all aluminium alloy 2.2 L Z22SE engine giving 108 kW (147 PS; 145 bhp) in a car weighing 870 kg (1,918 lb) — originally designed for Opel/Vauxhall by Lotus, it arguably gives the VX220 more mechanical Lotus content than the Elise. The Turbo model, introduced in 2003, used an Opel designed cast iron block 2.0 L Z20LET engine, producing 147 kW (200 PS; 197 bhp) but weighing 930 kg (2,050 lb). The Elise S2 was designed by Lotus to have 16" front wheels and 17" rear wheels. Opel/Vauxhall decided to fit 17" wheels front and rear to the VX220/Speedster for aesthetic reasons, which reduced the handling performance of the car. A removable hard-top can be fitted as a factory or aftermarket option, providing - arguably - better looks and aerodynamics.