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E-Series Clubsport R8 shipping out to the motherland

HSV’s latest E-series Clubsport R8 is being exported to the UK. Vauxhall, GM’s UK subsidiary is expected to take around 300 Clubsport R8’s a year. They will be re-badged and sold as the Vauxhall VXR8.
The VXR8 will replace the old VZ series Monaro which


HSV's latest E-series Clubsport R8 is being exported to the UK. Vauxhall, GM's UK subsidiary is expected to take around 300 Clubsport R8's a year. They will be re-badged and sold as the Vauxhall VXR8.

The VXR8 will replace the old VZ series Monaro which Vauxhall sold as the Monaro VXR. Obviously William in Vauxhall's 'Corporate Names Office' has a stutter, a poor imagination or both. It seems every Vauxhall with a spoiler is a VXR something-or-other.

The E-Series car will feature a few specification tweaks but essentially will be the same Clubsport R8 that Australian's can buy. That means 6-speed manual or Auto options and no Magnetic Ride Control as seen in the GTS. The 6.0-litre LS2 Chev engine will be rated at 307kW's and have the same stump-pulling 550Nm available in the Aussie spec car.

The old Monaro while not setting the UK sales charts alight has developed a devoted following in the UK. It even rates as one of Top Gear's favourite cars. Mr Clarkson blamed its ability to consistently produce user friendly lurid powerslides (read: oversteer nicely) as the main reason he suffered a bad back after testing it.

Top Gear will no doubt get their hands on one of the E-Series cars shortly and it will be interesting to hear their verdict. I think they will be staggered by what the relatives of their convict exports at Holden and HSV have achieved with the E-Series. As no-doubt will the new owners of the new VXR8.

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