The last time you found yourself cut-up at the lights it was probably by some numbskull driving a Calibra.
Don’t let that put you off though. It has so much more to offer than not being a Cavalier .
Sorted:
It was a gorgeous looking car the Calibra, both in its heyday and now. Some folk have even compared it to Mazda’s RX-8, but they would be very wrong. That’s a good car and the Calibra, for all its sexiness on the cruising front, really isn’t.
From 1990, the Calibra squeezed out eight years of UK sales before becoming too geezer for its own good and dying of image problems. That roaming back end was apparently a bit of an issue too.
And while we are in a moaning mood, what kind of a colour option was ‘Rjoca Metallic’? Believe us, the type of person who bought a new Calibra did not under any circumstances drink wine.
Sweet:
Back to the good stuff.
The Calibra was an aerodynamic dream. Beauty with function, Paris Hilton with a brain, Michael with a career – a coupe that Vauxhall would never again replicate with such brutal efficiency. Though it pains us to say – as there are so many bilge examples out there – the Calibra does function really well as a mod-car. It responds nicely to tinkering and finishes up great with some modest side skirts.
Word is that the fastest car in the world is a Calibra. Etching a reported 0-60 time of 1.25 seconds, and clearly having benefited from some mild modifications since leaving the production line. This fun and head-spinningly daft creation is typical of why the Calibra has the rep it does. Though some people like this reputation; being a Kev is what motoring is all about when you cannot let go of your youth, the rest of us are missing out on a seductive tarmac-licker simply because we don’t want to look like an arse.
Flava:
The V6 turbo is the Calibra to have, but it won’t be easy finding one that has not been introduced to the world of tattoo transfers and boot-space amps. The front wheel drive Vee is an angry loner. It continues where the already interesting 2.0 litre leaves off and keeps on going until the police catch up.
If you want a Vauxhall Calibra with some life still left in it, forget about leather steering wheels, a slightly less grey interior and jutting factory spoilers. Any model with a full history should do you proud. If you find a V6 then either consider yourself very lucky or search around for the hidden camera. If any Vee example is for sale at under £1000 step away, calmly, with your jumper over your mouth. The only thing holding that junk in one piece will be the wield points.
We have found a respectable Vauxhall Calibra on eBay. Pity they do not show a picture of the owner though, as that might tell us a whole lot more.
Taser:
We are not categorical on how much we actually love the Vauxhall Calibra. We just know we’re missing out on something special by hating it.
The Calibra came from an unusual time when car manufacturers were experimenting more and succeeding less. For all its reputed dependability problems and susceptibility to teenage vandals, the Calibra was a valiant effort to bring back those big-barge seventies. Just think what it might have looked like covered in chrome?
No wonder they can’t stop pimping it. Check out the bitch in Banlieue 13.
[story by Chris Laverty]
mark says
worlds fastest car is not a calibra, but the red V8 that i presume you’re referring too is reckoned to be the fastest road legal car. but its not really a calibra when all the running gear is out of whatever yank tank they plucked the engine from and they wheels look like they were robbed from some kids skateboard and scaled up. Yeah there are some piss poor modified ones kicking, maybe you irish created all the crap ones…..
Yes i have one can you tell? Its a debadged black SE5 without any licky sticky crap bodykits, 60k miles, not a spec of rust(fully galvanised 1995 on), standard heated cream leather, standard 16″ BBS wheels, standard Irmsher -30mm suspension(replaced with koni’s adjustables now), e/s/r, e/w, e/m etc
I can leave it in the carpark at work next to my bosses’ 6month old BMW 325sport and Merc CL500 Any customers or reps barely give the other two a look, just another merc and beemer, the calibra never fails to gets the”what is it?” questions and the positive comments.
all that for £1500- can’t be all that “rubbish”
Furey says
its a bit out of order giving people buyers tips on the calibra when you dont even know basic information like what engines they have. what on earth is a v6 turbo? in addition, you can find lots of V6’s for sale at any given time, and none of them have rotten bodies. please do a little research before giving a lecture on the subject.
rob says
What a load of bollocks mr laverty wrote ! roaming back end : its FWD for god’s sake ! V6 turbo ! i wish ;)
buy one drive one before giving out wrong information !
And yes iam a Calibra driver/owner and proud so up yours !
Porinasdo says
I get a cash advance from them every few months or so. i highly
suggest using them.
Materey says
Vauhall never created a V6 turbo powered calibra…..
2.0 8V
2.0 16v
2.0 16v turbo
2.5 V6
end of.
SE3 Calibra says
Never have i read such a load of rubbish.The Calibra still looks up-yo-date,and is still one of the best looking cars on the road today.I have owned mine for nearly 4 years and it has never let me down,is reasonable cheap to run and still turns heads.It is a very ill informed article as what he means by a roaming back end is anyones guess!.If you had taken the time to visit a Calibra Forum you would soon realise that most Calibra owners prefer the smooth lines of a standard Calibra,not to say there arent nicely done body-kitted cars.
Robbie V says
Thankyou for a brilliant article on the Calibra, very informative and well written piece of motoring news, worthy of being on the front page of any decent motoring magazine and would make an excellent TV program and ………………………. Oh fuck it ! enough of that ballshit, Do you write stories for the Beano or something ……………. because my sides are killing me from laughing. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v332/robbiev/laught16.gif[/IMG]
Crawford says
What a load of crap, this guy clearly doesnt have a clue.
For a start there was NEVER a v6 turbo fitted as standerd only 2lite turbos and 2.5 v6’s
the car still looks good to this day and turns more heads than cars worth 10times it’s price, sometimes not for all the right reasons but blame the driver not the car, it’s a sexy motor and looks better than the dated *little cars* lets just say that every other kid buys cause he is too afraid to get somethin that everyone hasnt already got, seems like everyone has to follow suit in this world even the bald guys who think there cool with the roof off at 9 in the mornin goin on 50years
The calibra has a real sexy look about it and the woman love it if not muled by some grubby kid with 2 much money an free time.
Long live the Calibra the woman love it and you think there are v6 turbos!, jokes on you really.
Honu says
Hahaha … “The V6 turbo is the Calibra to have” … HHoooo yeess .. it do not exist… ! You can make one, but it is not standard.. as we said in french “Better to be silent and give the impression that one is silly, than open your mouth and prove”. :)
If you bought one, take care of some 16S calibra, the cylinder head can be porous… only on “old” 150cv (till 1993 in france) … at the end you’ve got oil in the water tank… it could be very expensive to fix.
Lafstaiffsmal says
Hello!
How are you?
Jonesie says
Ooo i’d love a V6 Turbo, shame it was never brought into production. I’ve never read such crap, f*cking hilarious! I own a Calibra, a 2.016v red top, its beautiful, fast, comftable, reliable and by far the best car i’ve ever owned.
How can you slag off a fantastic car when you obviously know nothing about them?
The GSi says
YOU’RE TALKING SH1T LAVERTY !
korvo01 says
Oh, meu deus que rissada, lol, este tipo é mesmo nabo.
C20LET for ever!!
Nemesis-uk says
That backfired didn’t it you twat ? your poor lack of knowledge of calibra’s gives you no right to comment on them. so we dont all have rich parents who buy us flash new motors but my calibra is awesome and everyone i know tells me what a nice car it is. these new square shaped piles of shit you see on the road now are sluggish, ugly will never achieve the status of a calibra. so vauxhall didn’t succeed in there experiments ? is that why it was the worlds most aerodynamic road legal car for so many years ? jeez, ur stupidity is worthy of smashing my computer up so i dont have to read shit like that again ! Go grow some bollocks mate and do your research before boring us all to death with your shit attempt at a car review. PRICK !
Chris Laverty says
I’m sorry if I offended you. I’m sure your Calibra is the nicest on the estate. If everyone tells you how ‘awesome’ it is, then it must be great, eh? Well done on driving, sir.
crazyclowns67 says
you suck donkey balls mate i own a v6 and clearley you’ve never even seen one on a calibra since you’re claiming they have turbos they can roll out a bit if you hit the curb too hard but just floor it and youre ok that’s the pleasure and skill of driving a real car instead of all the crap that comes out nowadays you can’t even fart without breaking a sensor ignition on cards instead of keys bord computers that tell you what to do fxxx that i tell my car what to do not the other way around long live the old stile muscle cars and the calibra wich has the best of bouth worlds
CallyV6Owner says
Ohhh dear, is that really an article written for a website? amd not a load of shite some clueless twonk wrote?
I own a Calibra V6, not sure where the turbos gone off it though cos i heard a rumour that it should have one haha! sorry but this is just an total load of shite, i hope anyone who reads this scrolls down to the comments made by this bunch of actual Calibra owners and doesnt take that shite as gospel.
As already mentioned calibras do not & never did come in a v6 turbo variety…..while it sounds like a nice idea they just do not exist – no wonder its the one to have lol
secondly they notion of a roaming back end seems again wide of the mark, all calibras are front wheel drive with the exception of the turbo which was a 4×4 – none of these exibit such tendancies as a ‘roaming backend’ which is something which a powerfull rear wheel drive car will exzibit.
maybe you should have actualy tried driving one? or reading something factual about one….you really made a compete idiot of yourself there, you really should get the sack or something….or run over by a rear wheel drive calibra v6 turbo.
Chris Laverty says
Thanks for your stunningly original comment ‘CallyV6Owner’ (unusual name, it’s almost as though you might be posting such vitriol under an alias). If it wasn’t for you and your wisdomous ways I would never have known anyone anywhere ever had a problem with the article. Go and treat yourself to a pint. Then drive.
Cheese says
Be more accurate and people may moan less, quality journalism, you will go far.
benjinh0 says
Chris, well done, not only do you know nothing about the calibra, judging by your comments you dont have the balls to admit you’re wrong but continue to make a major league twat of yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back. then pull your head out your arse. I bet your car has wipers on the inside of the windscreen, to wipe away the shit that comes out your mouth.
LeeRoy says
“Thanks for your stunningly original comment ‘CallyV6Owner’ (unusual name, it’s almost as though you might be posting such vitriol under an alias). If it wasn’t for you and your wisdomous ways I would never have known anyone anywhere ever had a problem with the article. Go and treat yourself to a pint. Then drive.”
Sore loser, dude – article was really a load of shit, lets be honest. Ill-informed, misleading, and basically, w*nk!
Calibra Man says
The Calibra, what can I say?. Lets see, the only people who like them are the people who drive them.
To any other human out there, they are just as bad as a nova / corsa but with more problems.
The worst engine is that damn crappy ecotec lump between years late 94-95. The newer ecotecs late 95+ were a little bit better. The only good thing about the calibra is the C20xe and C20let engines!. Everything else is fit for the scrap pile.
Going back to the comment “The only thing holding that junk in one piece will be the wield points.” Get it right!, it’s the plastic trimmings which are holding it together. Take those plastic trimmings off and you’ll find more holes than what’s found in Swiss cheese.
If your like me and own a turbo do yourself a favour and ensure your tyres are no more than 2mm between the front and back axels or your transfer box may melt like butter in a frying pan. The TX box is a good design, shame it’s so crap in real life. Oh, don’t forget to change your acturator bulb – another shitty point.
If you like nothing to do but repair cars the calibra is the car for you. Make sure you buy an ecotec as you will be changing the same sensor every week (CAM and Crank).
Anyway, enjoy yours “sports” car. Did I say sports car? Thats what Calibra owners think they have.
Calibra Man says
Slip of the tongue, I infact meant accumulator bulb, not Actuator.
Anyway, I’m off to reinstall my phase 3 chips and super large FMIC intercooler to the sports car.
brandon says
ive owned an ecotec for 4 years now,never gone wrong.
4×4 calibra man?how many tyres do you go through a month then.fucking idiot!
as for laverty,WHAT FUCKING PLANET ARE YOU LIVING ON?
Calibras are Awesome! says
No matter what version or spec the Vauxhall Calibra may be, they are all the same, they are all unreliable Vauxhall garbage.
Luckily, most of these heaps of shit are where they belong, in a scrap yard or some boy racers front lawn where they are being fitted wth the latest and coolest aftermarket parts, Lexus style lights and M3 style wing mirrors and side skirts seem to be a favourite. Believe it or not, some of these idiots even buy DTM stickers from Ebay, stick them on there wreck and automatically believe they have a real replica race car!
These are said to be one of Vauxhalls best designed cars for looks and I can agree with that (although they do look cheap), but thats all they did have going for them. The engines were never there strong point. You had 3 options, slow and reliable, quickish and unreliable, or fast but guaranteed to break.
We can’t forget the rust. These tin cans rust everywhere (especially the earlier ones) and the chassis then falls to pieces, and you end up with a flakey brown mess left on the ground from where the car was parked.
These had potential to be a good car……. Who am I kidding? No one, I can’t lie, they never had potential they were and always will be the new car for the Boy racers (who are skint) to buy, butcher up with ‘styling’ parts and crash. Either way I’m sure most of these owners will do what I did with mine and put the Turbo engine into a better car (something non Vauxhall) and trade the shell in for bit of beer money.
Surely there can’t be many more of these wrecks left on the road? Lets just hope the scrap yards don’t run out of space!
Calibra Man says
Did I say I went through tyres??? HHHmmm, no, i said ensure your tyres are not more than 2mm difference between the front and rear axels.
As for your engine, congratulations for having the best WecoTec of all times. No sensor problems or gunked up idle control valve, no water leaks or rocker cover leaks. You must be ever so proude? – Do you even drive the car?
Oh, and for all of you who think the calibra will be a classic one day – IT WILL NEVER BE A CLASSIC. No one likes them but the owners.
My black LE turbo is in great nick, but it’s going to be broken. Some young lad offered 1,500 pounds for the car so I decided why not. Only catch is, he told me he only wanted the engine – Damn, another calibra turbo is broken for it’s engine. Goes to show, no one likes them…
Anyone want to buy phase 3 chips and large upgraded FMIC?. Please, no boy racers / wasters.
Anyway Chris Laverty most people don’t like you for your review, but apart from the items you got wrong it make an interesting read. It certainly got some attention! Well done!
brandon says
proude?you cant even spell you fucking retard.
yes,i do drive the car,every day.
mr c says
lol i think Calibra Man & Calibras are Awesome! should go back to club saxo and bitch about a real car where someone will back you up.
i bet you two had been sitting at your comuters for hours thinking of what you can say to provoke a reaction.
now go jump in to your fiestas and be on your way.
Phil McCrackin says
Let me just clarify something ? Does calibra man own a calibra turbo yet he is on here slagging them off ? congratulations calibra man, you are officially the most retarded guy to ever leave his views on a webpage. Lets clear up a few things. Yes like every other car on the market, the calibra has got weaknesses. As previously mentioned, older calibras do have a problem with rust but this is easy cured if the owner takes action to prevent this from happening such as applying waxoyl to the arches etc. The 2.0 8v engine has been generally described as “bullet proof” on every forum i have visited. The 16v c20xe “redtop” is one of the most desired engines of the 90’s and to this day are still the preferred choice of most calibra enthusiasts. The pre 1995 ecotec had alot of teething issues due to being a new lower emission version of the “redtop”. A common example was the crank/cam sensor but this was corrected in the later type of which i own a 1998 model. The sensor problem is overhyped with very little evidence to support it other than a few amateur owners who dont maintain the vehicle or expect the sensor to never have any wear. You own a turbo apparently, got to say i personally don’t believe you, in fact i reckon you know someone who has a turbo but you’re an envyous little twat who owns a fucking skip of a car down the road. The turbo and the v6 being the most desirable models are still going strong today and still fetch good money on the second hand car market. The v6 is a very robust motorway cruiser with good performance and the turbo is a powerful out and out sports car with plenty of scope for huge bhp increases and other tuning options.
By all means you are entitled to your opinion just as paddy laverty the incompetent review writer is but to be fair, your opinion is just childish and bares no reflection on the popular view of the vauxhall calibra.
Now get back to your room and do your homework, thats a good boy ;)
Calibra Man says
For Mr C, I do own a real sports car now and I don
Couratoffob says
Owain Yeoman , one of the starts on the television drama The Mentalist , is showing off his veggie-powered body in a new ad campaign for PETA.
angus346 says
i think its pretty obvious calibra man and calibras are awesome are both the work of that sad twat laverty. he couldn’t actually admit he knows nothing about his chosen subject so he’s come on now in character to teach us all a lesson. who with names like that would actually come on here slagging the shit out of a calibra calibra mans first post has all those stupid symbols just like laverty’s. get a grip mate
gerard o'Donnell says
think some people made up names there anyone who’s owned a good calibra wouldn’t dare call it scrap i,ve owned 2 and it broke my heart to sell the redtop but it costs a fortune pay vehicle registration tax in ireland so it had to go i bought a 94 ecotec 2 years ago and still drive it today it shames alot of the new scrap coming out today i’ve been a mechanic for the last ten years and never had any major trouble with calibras brake master cylinder from standing on the brakes quite a bit if the handbrake shoes stick on it will swing on the back end but its such a good handling car the tails easy to catch and its 20 quid for handbrake shoes the rear arches rust a tiny bit on older models but gm did solve this problem with galvanised shells the only two things i don’t like are the handbrake would be more practical with calipers and pads and the 8 valve engine is a bit prone to misfiring and is very sore on petrol both the redtop and ecotec are almost as easy to run as any diesel and the reason i bought both of them is to have something different to the dub club, driving civic driving evo driving people who think its cool to drive the same car as half their bleach blonde small t shirt wearing mates its nice to be original long live the fwd manta