Comparison: 2014 Vauxhall VXR8 GTS vs. 2014 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507

    As you might have noticed, I don't review cars only sold in Europe very often, and you might be wondering why. The answer is that most of them are small, affordable hatchbacks made for city driving. But there are a few exceptions, and the Vauxhall VXR8 GTS is definitely one of them. Most of you are probably used to a high-performance sport sedan with around 400-500 hp, but the VXR8 GTS has 576 brake horsepower, which bests the BMW M3, the Audi RS5, and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, by at least 69 hp. But is it all about raw power? No. It is just as much about precision and handling as it is about power and torque. 

2. Vauxhall VXR8 GTS

    The fist time I ever heard of the VXR8 was on Top Gear, when Richard Hammond did a double-review of the current Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst and the Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo (a small ute*), but since then, the Maloo has been cancelled and the regular VXR8 has received a facelift. The VXR8 has 139 hp than before, and is a lot quicker. 0-60 takes 4.8 seconds, which is half a second slower than the C63 (how does that work?). That is one of the many examples of how the VXR8 is bested by the C63 just because Mercedes' engineers haven't only focused on sheer power, they've also paid attention to things like weight distribution, handling, and many more things that really help the car go faster. 

These aren't sold in the U.S., so I couldn't find a picture with left-hand drive

1. Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507

    Now you might complain that the VXR8 should have won because it has 69 more hp than the C63 and to be honest, that's a completely valid argument. But you know what? That doesn't matter, because the C63 is faster, which proves that power isn't always the key to speed. 0-60 in the C63 takes 4.3 seconds, which is plenty fast, but isn't nearly as fast as the coupe version. As you might have guessed, the C63 AMG Edition 507 produces 507 hp (surprise) and 450 pound-feet of torque. The interior is slightly more stylish than the VXR8's, and you can tell that Mercedes has spent more time than Vauxhall designing the interior. But the main reason the C63 wins is because it shows up a near-600 hp brute using 69 less hp and still beats it in performance. It handles better, and not only that, but it feels more precise and does better on the track. 

*An "ute" is a small pickup/jalopy sort of thing originating in Australia