Astra VXR in Auto Express Fuel Test

[Catherine]

Not sure if it has been posted this week, but there is a thread on Pistonheads about a fuel test conducted for Autoexpress (using a well known Pistonheaders Rolling Road).
Tests were conducted using an Astra VXR and a Polo 1.2, to find out what affect the various grades of fuel had on BHP figures. Apparantly the Astra (A Vauxhall Press Car) could only put out a mximum of 221bhp at the fly.wheel.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...&f=141&h=0&p=2
On page 3 of the article the owner "vixpy1" is suggesting that Vauxhall are either telling porkys or that the car is not very well. Personally I would have thought another option to consider would have been his rolling road not being set up properly?
Anyone else have any thoughts?

[N3 VXR]

i thought the flywheel figure was pretty inaccurate tho? asits only a calculation? think someone said something bout as long as its within 10% its generally regarded to be ok

[Catherine]

Then really as someone who operates a rolling road for a living he should know that shouldn't he rather than suggesting "Mr Vauxhall has been telling Porkies or the car was knackered".

[Sparky]

Perhaps we would be more convinced of their agrument if they where to quote roadwheel figure.

[Catherine]

Yes agree, he makes some reference to Auto Express not wanting this as it may confuse people.

[caspy]

I have used this rolling road, my only critisism would be air flow. I imagine the car pulled timing due to heat issues.
Vixy knows his rolling road stuff, but these VXR's have their heat issues as we all know. Again, its a best guestimate of flywheel power, fwhp much better guide.

[paulmcc]

I had my VXR on the rollers today in Lisburn, N Ireland. The graph below is quite a bit better than the one in autoexpress. I had just finished a tank of Ultimate and filled up full with Sainsburys Super and by the time I got the the rolling road a quarter of the tank had run through.
239.1bhp and 242.1lbft which is pretty good. Getting the stage on map on thursday or friday so fingers crossed it all doesnt go pop!
http://www.snapshop.eu/vxr.htm
Sorry but not to good at making links so you may have to copy the address into the task bar: http://www.snapshop.eu/vxr.htm