Next level Vauxhall Corsa VXR for sale

The Corsa VXR has always existed in a curious place in the hot hatch hierarchy. Not as polished as a Fiesta ST, not as talented as the Clio RS, yet not so far removed from either that it didn’t deserve an enthusiastic fanbase. That’s exactly what it got. Most good-looking Vauxhalls are rewarded this way, and that’s especially true when we’re talking about a slightly unhinged, energetic little rocket that valued excitement over finesse. The model was, after all, a descendant of the Nova, one of those cars that serves as a source of middle-aged memories, alongside Two Dogs lemonade and hearing “Slide Away” on the radio.

By the time the Corsa reached the E generation in 2014, it was a world away from those humble beginnings, but some things hadn’t changed. This included the tuning input from Courtenay Sport, a firm that once featured in the pages of Max Power almost as often as top-heavy teenagers from provincial towns. Vauxhall may have extended its brilliantly memorable performance car ambitions at arm’s length over the past decade, but the internet suggests Courtenay is still going strong and doing what it did best.

We’re happy to hear this, just as we’re happy at the prospect of an apparently well-maintained Corsa VXR that has benefited from what we suspect is the Stage 2 tuning package. In any case, there’s an upgraded exhaust, intake and apparently a dyno report attesting to the gains made via an ECU remap. The seller doesn’t specify what’s actually on the printout, although Courtenay’s website suggests the changes should have produced around 240bhp and 245Nm of torque – enough to handle in a supermini.

Of course, it wouldn’t be unusual for such modifications to be accompanied by a laissez-faire attitude to maintenance as the car moves between owners, but this VXR has just 47,000 miles on the odometer thanks to three keepers, all of whom seemed to have understood the importance of keeping a full Vauxhall service history. More generally it looks really good, and someone has even gone to the trouble of installing Apple CarPlay, which is a nice touch.

It still looks good, too, in Mineral Black – vaguely menacing on 18-inch alloy wheels, but without the obvious overload of Vauxhall’s brighter colours. But the real reason to consider the VXR is no different from the ST or RS: apart from the latest Mini Cooper JCW, there’s no modern equivalent of the pocket rocket – or at least not one powered by combustion. And there are few better ways to do your bit on the open road than by delivering death to a front-wheel drive supermini via an oversized petrol engine.

Especially one with Piper’s soundtrack. A grin machine if ever there was one, and yours for a fiver less than a bag. Fairly pricey for a VXR, we’ll admit – it’s certainly possible to get a decent one for a few thousand less – although the dealer clearly thinks the car’s condition, extras and history speak for themselves. Given the number of alternatives, especially in the Ford camp, they may have to wait a while for the right hot hatch buyer. But that’s always been part of the VXR’s charm. In the end, someone goes home very happy.