2003 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo

This VX220, first registered on18 June 2003, is an immaculate example of the 200bhp turbo variant which will do a sub five second 0-62mph and a top speed of 150mph. It’s been with the vendor, the 4th owner, since Spring 2007 and he’s enjoyed it for nearly thirteen years; clocking up 24,000 of the 44,000 miles on the car.

He chose it initially because of its comparative rarity and unconventional nature, not being a Lotus but having some of the genetics. For him, the car filled a gap for a lightweight and minimalist sports car to add to his collection of vehicles at the time (which included a Cherokee and a 911). His intention was to cherish it forever as a summertime toy but health issues have prompted a sale.

So, what kind of person would own a Brilliant Yellow, VX220 turbo pocket rocket? It’s not really the kind of car you’d expect a semi-retired Chartered Accountant to have tucked away in his garage but that’s exactly what the vendor is. He’s also got a 1969 MGB GT and a 1998 Mercedes SL500 as well as a “his and hers” pair of BMW Minis as daily drivers. It just goes to show that our petrolhead affliction doesn’t discriminate by stereotypes.

True to the cliché, however, the vendor is fastidious (borderline OCD according to his wife) about maintaining his cars and the paperwork associated with them. For example, he has created a spreadsheet to keep track of all servicing, MOTs and costs associated with the car. He also says that as an “advanced motorist” and old-fashioned conscientious driver, he has always taken care not to rev the engine until the oil is warm, avoids hitting kerbs, checks the tracking frequently and buys the best tyres possible.

The car is standard Turbo spec with an uprated radiator fitted by Plans Motorsport on their advice, along with an engine cover rain shield. It has a Tullet rear silencer, which extracts a bit more power and sounds great but the original silencer has been kept to go to a new owner if desired. The car has been de-badged but again the badges have been retained. There is also a storm cover with the car although it has spent the last thirteen years in an insulated garage/man-cave attached to the house.

Very few colours beat a brilliant yellow for a small sports car - it really suits the shape and helpfully makes it more conspicuous when otherwise a low sitting car might go unnoticed in a rear view mirror. The black wheels, roof and grilles contrast nicely with the GRP bodywork which appears in very good condition and well looked after.

A small amount of cosmetic repaint was done professionally to deal with stone chips on the passenger door but if you didn’t know it you’d be hard-pushed to notice where; so expertly has it been done. More vulnerable areas behind the turbo model’s enlarged side intakes have PPF covering applied and this remains intact.

Save for a little patch of surface bubbling on the rear offside wing, the paint finish across the car is very strong from the angular mouth to around the distinctive stacked tailpipes at the rear. The sometimes-tricky-to-take-off roll-up targa soft-top also presents well and shows no sign of a forceful or clumsy removal.

The original satin black 17” alloy wheels appear in good order with pristine (never kerbed) rims and are shod with Bridgestone Potenza tyres all round. We never tire (sic) of pointing out that a matching set of good quality rubber is a great indicator of careful and dutiful car ownership without regard to cost.

If our words and pictures aren’t enough to satisfactorily portray the condition of this VX220, you are welcome to arrange a viewing with the vendor at his home near Basingstoke. Press the ‘Contact Seller’ button above to send him a message.

The interior of the VX220, like other lightweight minimalist driver’s cars, could never be called luxurious but the designers have managed to attain a functional beauty with the eminently more practical exposed metal and plastic surfaces. The wide, structural sills and door shuts mean that the two seats snuggle up to each other with merely a handbrake lever’s width between them.

Needless to say, for such a well cared for car, the softer materials of the dashtop, wheel, gaiter, seats and door cards are in excellent condition. There’s some light scuffing on some of the harder surfaces but nothing of any real significance. An aftermarket stereo with aux input has been fitted but in such cars most of the auditory entertainment would likely come from the engine and exhaust notes.

Beneath the fitted mats, the floor is smooth and flat - a good indication that the car has never suffered impact damage which would cause rippling or creases in the floor. Around the door shuts and the undersides of the doors themselves, the paint is beautifully clean and apparently blemish free.

The front compartment, not to be confused with a front boot as it has no storage, is neat and tidy; full of radiator, servo, wash bottle and electrics. The VX220 carries no spare tyre just a can of tyre-weld. In the rear, there is a small storage space behind the engine, big enough for an overnight bag and to store the roof when the weather allows. The engine bay itself is in a similar condition to the front, clean, tidy and clear of any obvious oil seepage from the mechanicals, even on the underside of the boot lid.

The undersides of the car bring to mind the earlier skateboard reference - the whole underneath is cloaked by a clean, flat undertray; not only improving the cars aerodynamics but also rendering the car’s mechanicals near impervious to spray and debris from the road surface.

The vendor still uses the car regularly and states that all works very well.

First tested in 2006, the online MOT history validates the low mileage and documents a largely faultless existence with just a few failures, although nothing serious. The current MOT certificate is valid until 31 May 2020. The car comes with an impeccably organised lever arch file full of old MOT certificates and invoices for parts and work done since the car’s first annual service back in 2004.

Early work was carried out by Vauxhall main dealers and in current ownership has been meticulously looked after by Plans Motorsport who specialise in cars such as the VX220. The service booklet is full of stamps and also documents the four owners of the car.

All invoices for a very comprehensive annual servicing and MOT testing routine have been diligently retained in chronological order along with a true accountant’s spreadsheet totting up the costs of ownership. Nothing beats a good, ordered history file and if an owner can look after the paperwork as well as this, it speaks volumes of how he’s taken care of the car.

The VX220 is an excellent little car and a rarity compared to the Elise - even more so in Turbo specification - and this beautifully conspicuous yellow example is a real gem with light, delicate handling and plenty of low-down grunt and top-end power for a modern sub-tonne roadster.

This assiduously cared-for lightweight sports car is ready to rock and the new owner will have nothing to do other than tax, insure and splash in some petrol before accelerating away to sunny (hopefully) weekends full of uncomplicated driving fun.

Despite the apparent performance advantages of the Vauxhall, the contemporary Lotus badged cars have held their value better. However, that means that to those in the know there’s an opportunity to grab a high-performance bargain here for somewhere between £10,000 and £14,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Overton, near Basingstoke, Hampshire; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.