Although the margins are academic, there's something rather satisfying about driving a Vauxhall Vectra that's faster than £145,000 worth of Mercedes SL65 AMG, especially when that Vectra is sold in Vauxhall dealers for less than £25,000. Granted, the 612bhp Mercedes is electronically limited to 155mph whereas the Vectra strains every of its 276bhp to reach its 161mph top speed, but that little nugget of Top Trump one-upmanship never fails to cause a smile. The rest of the VXR package also gives cause for satisfaction.

No, this isn't just a version of the old 208bhp 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine previously used in plush, over-stuffed Vectra Elite models. Instead, this is an advanced 2.8-litre V6 turbocharged powerplant, a variant of which has seen action in the Saab 9-3. It's also a very satisfying engine, being low on turbo lag with healthy reserves of torque - some 262lb/ft - and able to put a little breathing room between itself and the engine fitted to the Astra VXR. Variable valve timing and a twin scroll turbo help to keep the power delivery as linear as possible, reducing the old 'bog and surge' characteristics of many such turbocharged installations. Vauxhall reckon the car will hit 60mph from rest in just 6.1 seconds and will dispatch the 50-70mph sprint in fifth gear in a mere 7.6. This is a car that demands respect.

But is it going to get it? There are a good many customers looking for a credible performance car who wouldn't even contemplate a Vectra. Despite burgeoning competition success, the car has yet to build a following. Vauxhall could have set about trying to change perceptions by making the VXR as outrageous as possible, but thankfully they've concentrated on engineering rather than gratuitously outrageous styling. In fact, the VXR cosmetics are almost low key. The twin trapezoidal tailpipes are probably the biggest clue as to this car's intent, but other than that there have been subtle changes made. The front end features a deeper front bumper incorporating a honeycomb mesh and a V-shaped grille. A small rear spoiler and a lowered bumper are fitted while 18-inch alloy rims are a standard fitment. Those looking for a worse ride can choose the 19-inch optional items.

"Some serious thought has gone into the engineering of this car"

My advice would be to stick to the standard items. If the ride and handling on other Vectra models is anything to go by, you'll gain very little and lose quite a bit. Best to keep the VXR looking a little understated so that it'll come as an even bigger surprise when it puts a move on its rivals. It's certainly got a serious power advantage over its direct opponent, the Ford Mondeo ST220. This is a car that cedes 59bhp to the Vectra and which also gets to 60mph a whole 1.4 seconds slower. When comparisons are this direct, that's an eternity. There's still plenty of reasons to buy the Ford. It's steering, handling and styling are still near the top of the tree and attractive discounts are available, but it looks comprehensively outgunned by the Vectra.

The premium marques have eroded much of the mainstream market share in the past few years, but even companies like BMW and Audi will have a tough time taking on this Vauxhall. Probably the closest rival Audi can put up is the 200bhp A4 2.0T S line which is nowhere near as rapid as the Vauxhall but scores in terms of looks and image. Likewise BMW's 218bhp 325i SE is priced close to the Vectra but would be left in the VXR's wake. Otherwise, it's tough casting round for credible opponents to match against the Vauxhall on a performance per pound basis. The Mazda6 MPS is an option but Honda no longer make a fast Accord and Jaguar never really followed through on their promise of a hot X-TYPE. Unless you're prepared to stomach the big bills associated with running a rally replica like a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo or a Subaru Impreza STi, there's little to touch the Vectra. Perhaps the most direct rival is its sister car, Saab's 9-3. Available in attractive Aero Sport Wagon guise for only a little more than the Vauxhall, this makes a decent fallback option if you're afraid to admit you rather fancy the super Vectra. It's nowhere near as focused as the VXR though and it doesn't take long to figure out why.

It's usually pretty easy to separate a serious car from a wannabe. Just take a peek through the front wheel at the braking setup and that'll tell you all you need to know. Most hopped up hatches skimp on brakes because adding horsepower is often a whole lot cheaper than completely re-engineering a car's braking system. Not so the Vectra VXR. The 345mm diameter brake discs fitted up front are hefty items and are comfortably bigger than those fitted to serious performance cars like the BMW M3. The 292mm rear discs are also a serious piece of kit. A new evolution of Vauxhall's IDS-plus (nothing to do with ex-Tory leaders) system is used, making the Vectra the first production car from a mainstream manufacturer to feature the latest generation electronic damping control - comparable systems are currently only available on a handful of low-volume supercars. The sophisticated system minimises body movements exceptionally quickly with the help of two separate processing modules. The result is claimed to be a noticeable enhancement in body roll prevention and damper control while still maintaining the Vectra's trademark ride comfort.

In developing the VXR, the engineers had a number of key objectives in mind. Not only must the ride quality and refinement levels be maintained, but the chassis and steering responses had to be sharpened. The car had to sit lower to the road on lower profile tyres yet noise, vibration and harshness needed to be kept to acceptable levels. The steering is a little quicker than the standard Vectra, but in truth, the Vectra's steering was already one of its strongest suits, so only a mild tweak was necessary.

Vauxhall are looking to boost Vectra sales to private buyers. The VXR is a great way to improve the car's image and it's appeal is widened by the long wheelbase estate version. A sensible performance car that doesn't skimp on the fun factor is a tough brief but Vauxhall think they've pulled it off. The opposition may have to up their game considerably to top this effort.