The largest Civic Type R club forum

[Andy-type r]

I might sell my megane as I will likely be having a company car in few months time due to job change. So I was thinking it would be nice to have a weekend/summer car.

Something quick, good handling and if it has a soft top the better? So anyone with any experience of the vx220 turbo as i'm quite interested in these.

[chris wheela]

Never had one or drove one so feel free to skip reading this! Interiors VERY basic dont even think it has carpet does it, but aren't they stupidly quick and when modded they can be litterally some of the fastest cars out there?

[Andy-type r]

Never had one or drove one so feel free to skip reading this! Interiors VERY basic dont even think it has carpet does it, but aren't they stupidly quick and when modded they can be litterally some of the fastest cars out there?

Creature comforts don't bother me as it'll be used 6 months of the year only. its purely for fun and when the suns out. Yes i've heard can be remapped stage 4 to about 290bhp and 930kg I believe.

[Daz W]

Why not get a proper Lotus Elise?

[Mark83]

Buyer's guide in the latest EVO magazine.

[ben-111]

Why not get a proper Lotus Elise?

My mate has at vx220 turbo, apparently the vx 220 is more lotus than the Elise, the engine in the Elise was nothing to so with lotus whereas the engine in the vx lotus helped develop, something like that anyway

[Wingnuttzz]

I like these a lot and would be seriously tempted by one. I can't them getting much cheaper than they are at the moment though.

There was an excellent buyers guide on Pistonheads, worth a read!

http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=52&i=26231

[Gozza]

Why not get a proper Lotus Elise?

My mate has at vx220 turbo, apparently the vx 220 is more lotus than the Elise, the engine in the Elise was nothing to so with lotus whereas the engine in the vx lotus helped develop, something like that anyway

Not quite true. I worked very closely with the guy who worked on the VX220 project on the engine side at lotus (he also designed the pistons and crank for the MP4-12C M838T). For both NA and turbo'd VX220's the lump came from the GM parts bin. The NA engine was kicked out by the bucket load for astras, vectras and zafiras and have zero tuning potential from stock. Increasing the fuelling just a bit would pop the balancer shaft.
The turbo one has more tuning potential but is still a GM lump and is also found in the astra and zafira. He told me it also ended up in the Lotus Europa S but this was done under a deal struck with GM. They may have had carried out some engine management tuning, but all internals were left stock. In fact he also told me that instead of tuning an NA VX220 you were better off finding a turbo'd zafira in a scrappy and transplanting the engine, as it would bolt straight in.

[davey j]

Courtney offer a load of tuning packages including a supercharger conversion for the 2.2. It was an oeAmerica. Buying a turbo version in the first place is obviously going to be cheaper bang for buck, but don't write the n/a version off. Having test driven a few myself I can say they are adequately quick as they are without the cooling issues you get with the z20let version. I didn't buy one purely because of leg room issues. Cracking cars if you can get over the badge snobbery. It is, for all intents and purposes an Elude.

There is some compatibilty with saab stuff, which have better flowing heads, sodium exhaust valves and stronger valve springs if you decide to charge an n/a lump.

[davey j]

Should have read oem fitment in north America. Sodding phone kept spazzing out when trying to edit.

[Rambo]

been out in a n/a one and wasn't to impressed, getting in and out is fun as well. Went out in a supercharged from n/a vx and still wasn't impressed in comparison to the Elise 1.8, but the turbo one, apart from breaking down a lot are a worthy car for anyone.