Sporty saloon from surprise brand can beat a BMW M3 for speed but can be bought for less than £5,000

A SPORTY saloon car that can surprisingly beat a BMW M3 for speed can be yours for under £5,000.

The dramatic motor combines practicality with power and, in 2024, can be picked up for an absolute second-hand bargain.

The Vauxhall Vectra VXR is the high-performance iteration of the well-known family motor - and these days it's perhaps rare enough to be considered a modern classic.

The Vectra VXR was built between 2005 and 2008 and features a meaty turbo V6 engine.

Renowned for being especially quick around corners with plenty of grip, few cars - then or now - could match the Vectra VXR for its fun-factor or speed for under £30,000 when it was new.

A review from  in 2005 said: "With a 161mph top speed, the only other four-door Vauxhall to have gone quicker than the new Vectra VXR is the legendary Lotus Carlton."

Upon its release, the Vectra VXR's rivals were the Ford Mondeo ST and the Mazda 6 MPS, while today it would be more comparable to the super saloons produced by the likes of Audi and BMW.

In fact, it can well out-pace the legendary BMW M3's limited top speed of 155 mph.

It's also far, far cheaper than the Beemer, with used examples availble for peanuts from second-hand dealerships or private sellers.

For example, we found a 2.8-litre V6 example from 2006 on the website for just £4,975 with an impressive 92,000 miles on the clock.

Last month, Vauxhall made history as the first carmaker to offer an electric car for the same price as a petrol model.

And a hugely popular hatchback from the British firm is now nearly £3,000 cheaper in the UK - with a new model released.