Miss England to front Vauxhall's Help for Heroes campaign

LONDON - Vauxhall is putting its brand behind Help for Heroes, the armed forces charity, in a two-year partnership.

Vauxhall has pledged to raise money for the charity and has signed-up serving soldier and current Miss England Katrina Hodge to front its efforts.

The car manufacturer has planned a series of events called Vauxhall VXR Power Events that will include "high-adrenaline" activities such as karting and motor racing.

The fundraising events will kick off in April, when Vauxhall dealerships around the country will launch their own fundraising initiatives to support Help for Heroes.

A Vauxhall spokesman said that the partnership was a good fit with the company, which has provided military vehicles for the armed forces in the past.

Vauxhall Beats Porsche, Audi & Jag As Car Choice Of Lotto Winners

New millionaires make B-line for Griffin-badged cars!

LUTON, UNITED KINGDOM – February 25, 2010: There’s no doubt that Vauxhall has raised the bar when it comes to producing premium cars at sensible prices, but an Ipsos MORI survey has now revealed that even lucky National Lottery winners are keen to splash their cash on models from one of the UK’s most popular brands.

In a survey of 100 National Lottery publicity winners who’d won £1 million or more, Vauxhall ranked No.4 in their automotive wish lists, in front of prestige brands like Range Rover, Porsche, Audi and Jaguar.

In total, 15 per cent of those surveyed purchased a Vauxhall after they received their winnings, illustrating how even newly-minted millionaires need cars that are practical, yet stylish, well-equipped and luxurious.

It is perhaps no surprise that cars were revealed as one of the most popular purchases for National Lottery winners, with 36 per cent choosing to visit a car showroom before visiting either an estate agent or even the high street shops*.

“This is great news for Vauxhall,” said Andy Gilson, Vauxhall’s Marketing Director. “It goes to show that, while exotic brands like Ferrari and Rolls Royce may feature further down National Lottery winners’ shopping lists, they’re still a pragmatic group at heart - but one that still recognises quality and value!”

Vauxhall Ampera road-trip

Spy shots show hybrid ahead of 370-mile road trip to Geneva

Vauxhall's Ampera is taking the scenic route to Geneva! First unveiled in concept form at last year's Geneva Motor Show, these pictures show the petrol-electric hybrid in training for its grand entrance in Switzerland this year.

Vauxhall bosses will drive a prototype model of the car from their headquarters in Russelheilm, Germany to Geneva just in time for it to take its place on the Vauxhall stand.

The Ampera uses a hybrid set-up that means it is driven by the 150bhp electric motor at all times. When the battery runs out of charge- after around 40 miles- a 1.4-litre petrol engine kicks in to act as a generator and recharge the battery.

All this means that the 370-mile journey from Germany can be completed while producing around 40g/km of CO2 and managing 176mpg economy.

These pictures are also the first that show a production prototype Ampera out in the open and, thankfully, the original concept's brave design has not been dulled down. There's a few mild tweaks to the nose and rear bumper but the futuristic looks are mostly intact.

Bosses revealed that the Ampera is scheduled to begin production at the end of 2011. When it goes on sale early in 2012 it's expected to cost around £30,000.

The New Vauxhall Astra Accessories Range

What will your all-new Vauxhall Astra be doing today? Ferrying your young ones to nursery or school? Load lugging from the DIY store? Perhaps it'll be living the highlife and transporting you off to your favourite restaurant or on a weekend break?

Whatever the occasion, you've got it covered with the Vauxhall Accessories range.

Stunning looks come as standard with all-new Vauxhall Astra but turn even more heads with the Vauxhall Astra Styling Pack. Boasting sporty VXR front lower spoiler, side sills, rear lower skirt and tailgate spoiler, it is supplied, painted and fitted for £1,499.

Then keep your shiny all-new Vauxhall tidy with tailored velour floor mats and a set of four mud flaps, available across the model range from £128.99.

At just £27, the Safety Pack is a must-have for all Vauxhall drivers. Complete with warning triangle, first aid kit and hi-visibility vest, it's reassuring to know you have every eventuality covered.

With bike racks, tow bars and much, much more on offer, take a look at the full list of accessories available from Vauxhall at your local retailer.

All New Vauxhall Astra VXR

Hottest Astra ever caught testing; packs 250bhp 2.0-litre turbo for 0-60mph in six seconds and a 150mph top speed.

These are the best shots yet of the fastest Astra ever! The high-performance VXR model looks set to shake-up the hot-hatch market as it goes head-to head with the Focus ST and VW's Golf GTI.

Our spies caught this protoype undergoing winter testing and while it may look like a regular five-door model, look closely and you'll spot the widened track and revised front end, complete with larger air intakes.

That's because under this mule's body lies the new three-door only Astra VXR. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, the new VXR should put out around 250bhp and 320Nm of torque. That will be good enough for a 0-60mph time of 6 seconds and a top speed of 150mph.

But the newcomer won't just be quick in a straight line. Vauxhall's adaptive FlexRide suspension means drivers can choose to put the car in 'Sport' or 'VXR' mode which will improve throttle response and stiffen the suspension for more agile handling. For a softer ride, drivers can simply push the 'Standard' button.

The finished article will have the visual muscle to match its performance with a coupe-like body, complete with a rakish roofline, ground-hugging body-kit and a large central exhaust pipe replacing the twin exhausts shown here.

Inside, as with the rest of the Astra range, the newcomer gets a totally redesigned cabin with high-quality soft-touch materials will be used, while equipment including a Bluetooth phone connection and an MP3 compatible stereo are set to appear.

The Astra VXR will be publicly unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September this year. Sales will begin in early 2011 starting at around £22,000.