Vauxhall Astra VXR Nüburgring edition

Are any of you as annoyed as me at the new Vauxhall Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition? You might think it has 500bhp, race suspension and a full aero package to help it tame the world’s most challenging track, but no – it has white paint, big wheels, dark windows and, spare us, carbon-fibre-effect wing mirrors. Calling it the Astra VXR Chelmsford Edition would be a more honest reflection of its aspirations. My beef is not with Vauxhall – it’s a cynical marketing ploy but it’s not as offensive as the 1999 Rover-BRM, which was little more than a Rover 200 with a yellow gob and horrid seats. The guilty party is the Nürburgring, in allowing its name to be devalued in this way.