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Video: Vauxhall’s BTCC Super Tourer absolutely flies around Hockenheim

20th August 2024
Simon Ostler
We’ve been indulging in some classic Super Touring action over lunch today, enjoying the sight and sound in particular of this Vauxhall Vectra BTCC car from the 2000 season which was raced by Jason Plato, Yvan Muller and Vincent Radermecker, winning several races along the way.

The most extreme touring cars ever built, the Super Tourers were first introduced in the BTCC back in 1990, and their tenure in the championship would come to an end at the end of the 2000 season, so these cars were the most advanced versions of racers developed by the likes of Vauxhall before they were outlawed.

Powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 310PS (224kW) at 8,400rpm, these cars were far more complex than that might sound and proved to be too expensive for manufacturers to justify development.

And so the era of the Super Tourers came to an end. But there are still plenty of them out and about in regular action on track days and historic race events, we even welcomed them to Goodwood for the 74th Members’ Meeting. In this video by Belgian-Motorsport we can see them flying around Hockenheim as part of the Historic GP, with an extra helping of action at the Nürburgring’s Oldtimer GP.

Seeing these cars up to speed is always a treat, and here they’re looking and sounding much like they would have done back in 2000, with gritty gear changes and rasping engines.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Logan Sargeant storms up the Hill at the 2024 Festival of Speed

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  • BTCC

  • Touring Cars

  • Super Touring

  • Hockenheim

  • Nurburgring

  • Vauxhall

  • Vectra

  • race

  • historic

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