Every so often, you need to read the headline twice. ‘Vectra’ is definitely not a word to set the pulse racing; back in the 1990s, this humble Vauxhall was the default company car for Middle England. Yet every rule needs its exceptions…
As exceptions go, this is a good one. The Vectra SuperTouring is the 3.0-litre V6-powered saloon that Vauxhall never built, wearing an aerodynamic bodykit that owes everything to John Cleland’s BTCC racer.
Offered for sale by a man who has owned it for nearly 22 years, the Vectra is currently up for online auction via Trade Classics. Click here to see the live listing.
The Vectra that Vauxhall never built
The SuperTouring was a limited edition, launched to celebrate a British Touring Car Championship programme that initially saw Vauxhall succeed with the Cavalier, then later with the Vectra. Only around 500 Vectras with the 2.5-litre V6 engine were made.
This car goes further, however. In June 1999, it went to Motor Sport Developments (MSD) in Milton Keynes to be fitted with the 3.0-litre V6 from a Cadillac Catera.
If that sounds like an odd donor vehicle, think again. The Cadillac was essentially an Opel Omega B in an American suit, and its 54-degree V6 was made in Ellesmere Port, around 175 miles north of where the Vectra was assembled in Luton.
Converted by Motor Sport Developments
When Vauxhall offered the 2.5-litre version of this engine in the Vectra, it was rated at around 170hp. The 3.0 developed more like 200hp in the Catera, and is speculated to offer more power here. Vauxhall never bolted the bigger engine into a Vectra, and the seller says this is one of only three cars built to this specification.
This was no back-street conversion, though. MSD ran circuit racing programmes for Vauxhall, Opel, Honda and Peugeot during the 1990s, and went on to manage Hyundai’s World Rally team from 2000 to 2003.
MSD also built the ‘normal’ 2.5 V6 SuperTouring, along with the sporty Vectra GSI. So when it slotted the larger V6 motor into a Vectra, the company knew exactly what it was doing.
A loved car with low miles
A total of 52,293 miles in 27 years is not much, with one owner since 2005 arguably the icing on the cake. The Vectra was last serviced in June 2026, has an MOT until 9 June 2027, and comes with a clear HPI history check.
It’s not perfect, though – and the seller doesn’t pretend otherwise. There is a bit of corrosion coming through the paint on the bonnet, roof and around some of the wheelarches. There are also dents on the bonnet and one of the rear doors, plus a crack in the front bumper. The wheels will require refurbishing and the tyres need replacing.
Inside, the branded Recaros have creased on the driver’s bolster and gone slightly bobbly on the seat bases. The dashboard is in excellent condition and the dials look crisp.
How to value a Vectra?
Pricing a rare car like this is genuinely difficult, which is perhaps half the fun of an auction.
A standard Vectra SuperTouring, with 73,000 miles at the time it was auctioned, made £9,775 in April 2024. Where does that place this one-of-three saloon with an engine conversion by Vauxhall’s factory-approved motorsport engineering firm?
Also, how can you value two decades of single ownership, and about 20,000 fewer miles, against a body that needs some attention? Somewhere in there is a number, and the classic car market will find it.
Bid on this Vectra SuperTouring 3000
Bidding for the Vauxhall Vectra SuperTouring 3000 opens at just £1,000, although don’t expect it to linger there for very long.
If you have ever wanted a 1990s BTCC car on your driveway, without paying the six-figure entry fee for a true works car, this is about as close as you will get.
The auction for this ultimate Vauxhall Vectra is now live on Trade Classics, and closes on 3 September 2026.
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