Old Top Gear 1990 - Vauxhall Calibra Coupé

Chris goffey road tests the Vauxhall Calibra Coupé. Taken from season 13 episode 8.

[@dmc1200]

For 1990 this was a fantastic looking car.

[@patgraeme775]

They were decent cars, I had a 93 opel calibra. Granted it's a just cool cavalier it never gave me trouble

[@albertogambino2562]

One of the best looking car of its time, together with the later Peugeot 406 coupé. Simple stunning design. Something we lost today when you look at the huge amount of grills in modern cars.

[@paulthomson9709]

Best thing about back then was no suvs .

[@jimmer1976]

30 years on and they still look fresh!

[@1cmman]

Despite being 30 years old now the Calibra still looks fairly modern to me. It was a timeless design and the most beautiful Opel / Vauxhaull ever made.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

Totally agree..

[@dxutube]

Love the Calibra - always will.

[@steffiebee5224]

Once driven...forever smitten..lol

[@chethemerc7841]

Yeah i had 2. Great motors.

[@Thorny5718]

I owned 2 mate back in the day. My 4 x 4 turbo was great. Back then Calibra’s looked the nuts, so different.

[@chethemerc7841]

@@Thorny5718 yeah same here. A 93 silver red top as my first car. An a 96 Black turbo 4x4. Had it up to about 380 horse.

[@relaxingsounds7376]

@@Thorny5718 is this really exsist???? I know that cavalier/vectra is made 4x4? Maybe its not made eu market.

[@GazC]

Back when Vauxhall made good cars

[@davecom3]

I had a vectra in 05 as a company car with the 150hp diesel engine and auto box. I thought it was far better than the Audi A4 with the 120hp engine. Dynamically superior and it had every extra imaginable for less outlay than a basic spec A4

[@compostcorner5934]

Iv got a calibra.. And I have a 17 year old 03 plate 1.7 dti van.... Iv owned the van 10 years clocked up near 80k miles in it, and it's only let me down once with a fuel pump edu issue (common fault) sorted by means of soldering dry joints on the pc board 😁

[@leoevs441]

I've had so many Vauxhalls, my first ever car was an 84 plate Astra 1.2, after that I've had two Mk1 Astra GTE's, a Mk2 Astra GTE 16V, a Mk2 Cavalier Sri, two Mk3 Cavalier Gsi's (loved my Gsi's) had a few standards in between and now i got an 07 plate Vectra Sri with the 150bhp engine, pulls like a train for what it is, don't care what anyone says about Vauxhalls, I love em... 👍👍👍

[@compostcorner5934]

@@leoevs441 iv been vauxhall since about 1996, when I bought my first calibra. Had all the now classic ford's before that. Escorts, capri cortina. Had a cavalier mk3, and a nova as well I now have a 97 calibra, and a 03 1.7dt astra g van Been very reliable both of them

[@cyco781loco1]

VXR is still the bollocks now

[@Pirustae]

Probably my favorite Opel of all time. The coolest coupé of the brand. Sadly they're dying out and vanishing from the roads.

[@ersguteratze]

C'mon even Germans hate Opel.

[@Runeakb]

@@ersguteratzeand love their VW... Does not make sense

[@ersguteratze]

@@Runeakb Opel is not German anymore and in the early 90's the Manta ruined the Image. Vw / Audi / Porsche and Mercedes are German and good cars.

[@1cmman]

@@ersguteratze Good cars? Not in terms of reliability. Especially Toyota is better in that aspect. I know from personal experience.

[@firstname-gq5yr]

Banger racing has claimed many

[@RoadCone411]

It doesn't feel like I am watching a 25 year old video until 07:06 when there is a mid-70s vintage Austin Princess stopped (broken down?) on the side of the road...you dont see that nowadays! I think the Calibra was a sharp-looking car, doesn't really look terribly dated even today.

[@Monacomaverick]

I just wanna say THANK YOU for uploading these!!!!

[@compostcorner5934]

such a great looking car when they first appeared on the roads back in 1989 had to wait till 1996 before I could afford to buy a second hand one it was a flame red 16v and a lovely motor ..They still look good today 👍

[@camjkerman]

My parents actually wanted a Calibra 2.5, a 1996 model year but the insurance companies wouldn't give them a quote at all as they were under 25 at the time.

[@LastOneInLineForName]

Couldn't agree more. The interior was bland at best though.

[@thrillseekanz7874]

Unfortunately the Vectra running gear and cheap GM interior really let down a gorgeous by today's standard coachwork. If only this design ended up with say Ford and Cosworrh tuning, delicious

[@xluumu]

@@thrillseekanz7874 It did have Cosworth engines.

[@germancarfan360]

The Calibre did not come out on an F plate 1989?? think the earliest you could pick one up was on a G plate which would be 1990 -1991 ISH would say.

[@richardcollin4148]

I had one! loved it! Driving at night was exciting those headlights were useless lol

[@richardhammer187]

I can imagine, it was 1990, not much LED/projector/xenon tech to compensate for the size back then!

[@DrRock2009]

Remember watching this- the bit about the sharp point on the door window frame has always stuck in my memory...

[@southendparaquest]

Calibra's looks have aged really well. I still want one, but it would have to be a Red Top minimum. I owned a Cavalier SRi with the same engine. They're superb. FTR, I had a Manta too. I've owned something like 40 cars over the years. The Manta, my Mini's and my Saab 900 have been the most cherished.

[@BanjoLuke1]

I saw a very early one (never was sure why) in the paddock at Brands on race day. I was quite taken aback by the look. The surprise was diluted with time, but at launch it turned heads. I worked later with a squaddie who was very proud of his 4x4 Calibra. The more I called it a Cavalier coupé, the more hated it... So, the more I called it that.

[@Kiakaa]

One of the world's most Beautiful and elegant car. still, after 25 years you can look at it and enjoy the beauty. and with a air resistance of just 0.26, this car was also an engineering masterpiece. Many other brands have imitated this look. This car was the first to put together headlamps and (white) indicator in the same glass, which the entire automobile world have imitated and use today

[@IronMan-qi3yg]

lol. One of the world's most beautiful and elegant cars?! Good one...

[@camjkerman]

0.26 cd is actually quite poor by modern standards, the 2004 Toyota Prius is 0.24 and the 2013 Tesla Model S is 0.22 while the Bentley Bentayga is 0.25.

[@Kiakaa]

You are right... but Calibra was made in 1990 my firend.

[@NHGJLK]

And tesla doesn't have an engine so it doesn't need any vents, that ruin cda.

[@muckspreader1able]

stop sniffing that glue it's one Ugly car like all Vauxhalls.All driven by drug dealers and pensioners

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

Loved the Calibra. I remember when they were new and to see one on the road for the first time really took your breath away. I think they've aged very well actually and still have a very pretty shape. So many were ruined by boy racers who seemed to want to graft half a boat onto them in a feeble attempt to make them more eye-catching during the dreadful and tasteless 'Max Power' era of the noughties. From an era when Vauxhall made interesting and fun cars - they produce nothing more than flaccid automotive porridge now, part in thanks to PSA.

[@64bakes]

Agree. Shame that most people used the earlier Calibra as a donor car for the 16v red top engine, so they could put them into their Novas, etc. It's a real shame as the Calibra was a really nice looking car - very ahead of it's time. I remember seeing them well into the early noughties and still thinking they looked very modern, although by that point they were over 10 years old.

[@anidiotinaracingcar4874]

I had no idea the drag coefficient was so different between the two versions!

[@ridanann]

Not when you open the sunroof lol

[@audraperkins3451]

I have a beauty, l've had it 10 years , a 2L 16v 😍 black leather interior, front heated seats, white dials , 2 spoilers n blue , its my baby 🤩

[@steffiebee5224]

Pix please...

[@audraperkins3451]

@@steffiebee5224 how do l post a pic on here ? I don't know how to 🤔

[@elwittinio2865]

I had the v6. Always remember when my mate bought the 2.0 16 valve like yours, and we had a little race on the way back . I thought I would beat him easily but the 16 v was a quick car. One of the best cars I had along with the gte. 😎

[@hondac7028]

When u think 10years earlier vauxhall were still building vivas mk1 cavaliers the calibra was way ahead of its time.

[@Crazy_Borg]

4:11 "We managed to snap off the knob" Yeah, that's the "López-effect".

[@TheRetroShed]

I had a gorgeous white Calibra, slightly lowered on sports springs back the in the day and it used to attract a lot of looks. It was a stunning car to look at but always lacked the performance to match those looks. Either way I loved it and still do, shame we don't hardly see any on UK roads any more.

[@ruk2023--]

It's still a great looking car this. A family friend when I was a kid got an early 8v one and I can still remember him showing me the sunroof opening over the roof. Very cool.

[@whynotagain3639]

I had a Calibra Turbo 4x4 in foresters green with a factory fitted Irmscher bodykit. I tuned it to the max, was stupidly fast.

[@64bakes]

My Dad had one of these in 16V form, blue/black as a company car in about 1990 ish - he put BBS wheels on it and it looked the business. I don't remember this as I was too young, but he hit a bus up the backside for whatever reason, and the car wasn't written off as it had a very costly repair. He always loved it. A very rare car now, especially the earlier red top versions which were all butchered so people could put the engine in their Novas and Corsa B's!

[@xxgm28]

Damn these cars are lost icons. I was born in 96, and wasn’t legally aloud to drive until 2013... so I missed all these cars. So I went back in time and own loads of cheap 90’s beasts for beer money. (Bmw 750i V12.. bmw 540i.. Mercedes’s E320 coupe.... amazing cars that nice would have cost a fortune!

[@debjoy75]

Hi. Keep posting nostalgia endlessly.

[@stitcha123]

2.00 fuck me - imagine getting into a convo with THIS guy in a bar.

[@baggierols73]

1990s. The best decade for conventionally powered cars 👍

[@harveyhalloway]

Good trip memory lane this.

[@jn5433]

In the mid to lates 90’s in primary school someones mother had one of these, i used to think it was some kind of supercar, until i learned every make model and there engine variants using the info in the back of top gear magazines

[@TK-dx6qc]

Are you me?? I did exactly the same.

[@R1CH130]

I've got a Calibra (along with 3 other old Vauxhalls) and I love it. You know, it makes me laugh so much when people go on about certain makes and models being better than others and New Top Gear does my head in with frickin Jezza always slating Vauxhalls! These were and still are great cars, made for the masses, well built and reliable. The 8 Valve engine is bomb proof and the porous head on some 16 V's is an easy fix. Spares are cheap, servicing is easy and they are comfy and practical.

[@deniss1]

I have an Opel agila A,my friends have opel Corsas from 2000s , we are all pleased with our cars,there are still being used at my place even after 30 years after the old Mercedez,I love these cars moslty cause they are sincere,they are practical cars for the masses ,spares are cheap

[@malthuswasright]

TG were right about the Vectra though....

[@asifnoaman8978]

@@malthuswasright the Vectra was the standard set for a good value sallon/ hatchback. They sold extremely well and the GSI 2.5 V6 versions are fetching £10,000 above for low mileage.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

Its stood the test of time really well.

[@Flash2k111]

The car I wanted as a kid back in the 90s

[@nallanotae4290]

Had one in silver and absolutely loved it.....

[@beachlife2968]

Such a good looking car that has stood the test of time.

[@seanryan2279]

Unbelievably beautiful designed car and is still gorgeous today.. Indeed still far more attractive than alot of cars today. Serious room inside nd AFAF. It was my brother's first car nd there's been nothing in looks to compare with it since.. Just look at it's design.. Wow!!! 😮

[@ThunderChunky101]

There's a reason why you hardly ever see them anymore, and the moment in this video where he pulls off the plastic backrest adjuster tells you everything.

[@violatethemagistrate]

Much thanks to you, and others like you, who post these old TG episodes. Without you, we Americans' would never have a chance to see them. Even if there were someone out there who wanted to find a torrent, it'd be really hard to find these because of the age. Does anyone remember them reviewing an Eclipse/Eagle Talon/Plymouth Laser, or a 300GT/Dodge Stealth from the early 1990s. The DSM (Diamond Star Motors) set of cars. I was an autocross/Circuit driver for several sponsors when I was younger.Even have a great big DSM tattoo with a Mitsubishi symbol on my upper arm. I'd love to hear the TG crew talk about these cars. Also an episode on my other race car. A 2nd Gen Mazda RX7 would also be good. Does anyone remember an episode with any of these?

[@lambertbutlersilvers6588]

dude u have top gear USA

[@ianfindlay865]

+The Car Boar enthusiast And it's shit, thank you very much.

[@Jay-ru3mu]

3000gt

[@niccolosalvan3948]

the thing of the hunter most beautiful jet ever designed is questionable..

[@alansamuelson6113]

In the 90'S young chav's had the Nova and older slightly better off chavs had Calibra's, usually with a twin exhaust bolted on. They were good looking cars for the time to be fair.

[@richardhammer187]

Then there were other chavs, who put the Calibra engine into their Nova!

[@FirstDan2000]

I had a 2.0 16v turbo 4x4, damn good car. Chris is right about that boot lip, i dropped many things mis-judging the height of it. I took it onto some muddy grass once.

[@Ken_Dodds_Tickling_Stick]

Really weird this..... Its 2023 and we still have a red Cavalier Colorado 1.8 L reg and an olive titanium Calibra 2.5 V6 N reg. We wouldn't get rid of them at any price.

[@Current-Thing]

Still a sexy car, back in the 90s to early 2000s these were everywhere! nowadays when i see one it's eye candy. ahh good ol times

[@ArchefluxxMusic]

Translation: "I keep banging my shoulder on the pillas as I get out because the shape of this car is too exciting for my boring demeanor."

[@krrhys]

I had a 16v, absolutely loved the thing

[@marineworld6335]

I had 3 of these, that red top engine was great.

[@Flackoknows]

1990 was the golden era for cars

[@helmesy]

Wow ABS brakes standard!!

[@RebelfromBradford]

legend

[@bjoe385]

The car you got when you sold more photocopiers than anyone else.

[@mynythomassive]

My father had a 16v 2L version as he accelerated the volume of the stereo would go up the same 😂 love this car.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

That was a build quality fault

[@simonh870]

Things have gone backwards, instead of aerodynamic sleek and stylish cars we have now gone onto Ugly and draggy SUV's.

[@TheStan80]

candle light headlights i remember and also smacking my eye on the glass on frameless doors but a lovely car.

[@shanethrelfall416]

Beautiful car ❤️

[@trondog8503]

I worked for Vauxhall when the Calibra Turbo was launched, we supplied three brand new turbos to silverstone for track day event, and on the Monday went to collect, they were all totally trollied with the rear bumpers completely melted from exhaust heat.

[@Lubi-lj1is]

In 1990 one of the best loocking car,more nice than BMW series 3,Mecedes C class and Audi 80 coupe !!!

[@lindaphillips8303]

Loved the Calibra there are still a few about got 4 near me but they are V6 and turbo models loved the rear wheel drive Manta GTE though what fun on gravel roads

[@neilmcguinness4422]

Yeah mate drove around in my Dad's low mileage E reg Manta GTE coupe at the time.. Great chassis but the quite powerful (at the time) engine revved like a tractor and lacked torque. Fun at wet roundabouts though!!..🤣👍

[@alanxxxxxx666]

I had one for 9 years loved it then it caught fire.

[@compostcorner5934]

The calibra and the cavalier had this as a common fault. The power sounder (battery pack) over time devoloped a short and used to catch fire under the plastic scuttle panel, near the passenger windscreen.. Mine decided to do it one day, sat on my drive. Luckily it burnt itself out.. It burnt the loom back to near the plastic radiator expansion tank, but I managed to re wire it, and all OK.. People now remove the power sounded before it happenes.

[@panas872]

What is power sounder?you mean that green resistor for the matrix fan??

[@sub3ero984]

Miss this car... bring back memories

[@qualcunoacaso4865]

I have a black 8 valve :D

[@assassinul95]

i would love to have one of these even today

[@PresidentCamacho2024]

no,. you wouldn't :D

[@Tallandcharming]

stef catalin for about £100 you should find a nice example

[@cyco781loco1]

I’m sure you wouldn’t

[@maxthecat4632]

I remember this episode from when it was originally on the TV.

[@McBeamer94]

Wow!! I never imagined a normal Cavalier was that aerodynamic! 0.29 from a brick-shaped sedan!! Who could've guessed!!

[@richardhammer187]

Yep, that was it's USP back in the day. Plastered all over the posters!

[@nkt1]

The Mk3 Cavalier was far from brick-shaped. It was the smoothest of the lot when it came out, as I recall.

[@soundseeker63]

They did, and still do, look really sleek and crisp! And definitely not like most cars to come out of the 80s! At least, they do on the outside. The interior is mostly stock Cavalier. Stock Cavalier chassis too, though the 4x4 turbo version is a great all-year-round performance car which is totally forgotten these days. The C20LET engine can be tuned to silly outputs too if you have the means. Would make a really good sleeper with a few mods... assuming you can still find one that is!

[@alexanderheath2765]

How can Top Gear go from this - showing all the good bad & ugly cars that was around to buy and was a lot more entertaining than the shit shows thy churn out these dsys. The producers of TG have truly lost the plot good and proper now..

[@rudolfvanderven]

I believe the Calibra, along with the BMW E36, set the tone for the 90s car design language.

[@christhomas2644]

Not really an Opel fan but this was probably their prettiest car. I dig this car because I remember them racing in the DTM

[@richiebtime489]

Amazing how good these still look! The turbo 4x4 was quick too, but many got nicked.

[@whynotagain3639]

I had one for 10 years, tuned to the max. I wish I still had it.

[@whynotagain3639]

@KeV or just broken down to make a death trap handle like cack Nova. Never understood the madness of doing that, the Calibra Turbo 4x4 stuck to the road like it was on rails. Mine did anyway, as I locked the transfer box to full time 4x4.

[@dennislane100]

If you spun up a rear wheel on slippy grass verge,for instance,on the 4x4,it almost invariably burned out the viscous coupling,and,goodbye four wheel drive. A Vauxhall mechanic(who,incidentally,drove a Lotus Carlton!) gave me this piece of info. Fortunately,my Calibra was the 8valve,f.w.d.model so no problems for me.Another Calibra owner of my acquaintance,dropped the cam belt on his 16valve,and,unbelievably,got away with it! Usual result was a completely trashed engine.

[@whynotagain3639]

@@dennislane100 there was a company in Derby that specialised in rebuilding the transfer boxes and locked them so they were full time 4x4. Called VTS transmissions I used them for mine. I sold mine in 2014 I wish I still had it

[@R1CH130]

Oh, I get ya. No, the only quad cam was the V6, 2.5 with around 168bhp. They did a 2.0 twin-cam 16V with around 150bhp and the same with a turbo with just over 200bhp. The 8-valve was a single cam, with 115bhp.

[@winstoncharles2547]

I owned a chipped 2.5ltr V6 SE5 from new and for a number of years. lovely car until we started a family and it was no longer practical.

[@steffiebee5224]

I owned a red, stock, zafira VXR as my family wagon, she was my baby, waxed and washed every couple of days. My ex wife curbed the snowflakes, grazed the bloody front air dam bit she didnt like the recaro interior, she traded it in for a sodding petrol...A PETROL insignia 1.8🤬🤬🤬🤬. I saw the zafira a couple of years later and she had been absolutely abused. Totally broke my heart. Now that i am single again, i will have one, oh yes i will have one again....

[@RWL2012]

@anglovirtual it gets rid of any restrictions to the throttle response more than anything

[@paulstevens9409]

Thats not always true, the difference a remap made to my 2.4 type S Honda accord was like night and day, in power, low down/mid range torque, and throttle response. But its a VTEC motor so there a bit more for the ECU to play with

[@gabrielcaramet3238]

This thing is great

[@kernals12]

the quad 4, meant quad cam 4 cylinder, it was used only in the US and on paper it was an impressive work, it displaced 2.3 liters and had no turbochargers but it made 180 hp, automotive magazines compared it to turbo 4s , v6s, and even some v8s

[@kaybo69]

I had the 16v version, head gasket went and porous head resulted. New engine was required then got rid! Lovely looking car though

[@compostcorner5934]

Iv got a 97 p plate calibra 16v in NorthCape. Bought it in 2017 as a bit of nostalgia. My first was a 91 H plate redtop I owned in 96

[@Rapscallion2009]

good looking car. gave the people who got company cars back them a nicer option.

[@PHILMKD95]

The good old DTM days.

[@garyburchgb]

I remember when these were released. I think this was the car that received some criticism over the boot usage when it rained.

[@goitre002]

Good looking reliable car, was a head Turner in its day.

[@davidhaygarth648]

Always wanted one. didnt realise they were so dear new though

[@imhoman8423]

shame opel wont re introduce another car like the calibra

[@Mouse2113]

My parents had an H reg Calibra 16v back in 1991, one of the first in Aberdeen and got looks everywhere. Loved the car as a kid but parents didn't...bottom end started going at 30k!

[@PHILMKD95]

I've seen a few when I was a kid in Australia.

[@karlnelson7550]

I'm more interested in that red cavalier in the video as I have the the same model in the same colour with the same wheel trims It's a 91 H plate and its just rolled over to 40 thousand miles

[@aspiringaspie3280]

These were such dam fine sexy cars in their day! Too bad about their reliability though

[@audraperkins3451]

I've had my 2L 16v for 10 years , l keep on top of all jobs on it and it rarely let's me down , cracking motor and a pleasure to drive 😍

[@DS-pk4eh]

With Frontera (as a kid I really wanted that car) my favorite Opel. I had Vectra (Calibra's sedan version?) and Astra. But it was so many, many years ago

[@still34u]

Didn't the later ones come with a turbo? .. I could swear a friend bought a 2.0 turbo calibra.. But well, it's been almost 20 years ago..

[@westcoast747]

Yes, a 2.0, 2.5 and a 2.0 Turbo, which was seriously quick.

[@federicovh519]

Pretty and nice car !!!! NO TUNING PLEASE.

[@whynotagain3639]

Sorry I had Calibra Turbo 4x4 tuned to the max. Was stupidly fast.

[@returnofthestrangers]

Still looks modern wow!

[@yorrickwi]

lol the blue intro

[@OLLIEROUET]

headlamps that are 2.75 inches in depth.......oooo ....gotta love it

[@Liveforeever]

The 1991 Honda Civic (ee9) 1.6iVT pissed all over this in every department

[@gmain1977]

It's not in the same class of car and the Calibra is much better looking.

[@gentlepersuader]

Green Austin Princess broken down at side of road! (7:05)

[@malthuswasright]

Who says it's broken down? That looks like decent hiking country and so that's a good place to park.

[@bigmoncrief6071]

This is the guy who's son is the drummer in Supergrass. Personally, I never liked the Calibra much. I always thought the styling looked like it was trying to be something it wasn't. This film must've been made before the Ford Probe became available. That was a bit pants too. For me, the only coupe of that era that was (and still is) genuinely great was the VW Corrado.

[@anthonyperkins7556]

The tester did have a point about the Calibra's heating and ventilation system, the flow through the vents was a bit asthmatic and not very generous at all unless you used the noisy fan which created a bit of din at times and roasted your face and feet at floor and fascia level on maximum heat (it was an air blender stratified heating and ventilation system fitted).

[@rumelahmed4539]

I wish i could go back to 1990

[@mark-1rc502]

I had one , 1994 L reg , 2.0 16v I liked the shape of the car, The handling was like a Soggy pudding , and mine had the first of the Ecotech engines they never had the power of the old red tops which I discovered later on., and it was so Un reliable cam shaft sensors , Loads of other things the car would just kangaroo , and other times it would stall under hard acceleration . Luckily some pissed young lady pulled out in front of me I had no chance of avoiding and it was written off . .

[@kernals12]

i am an American and I can tell you we never had a pontiac that looked like that

[@joyadurchoudhury9127]

(6:54) He closed the boot like was 'angry' .....

[@R1CH130]

Where do you get your info? Please show me your proof of this.

[@DerekGardiner72]

Did 75,000 in 18months in mine including a run to Poland, great car

[@StuartAxe]

Vauxhall doesn't have engineers.. it's just a GM brand.

[@Manic_Mitch.official]

No its an opel brand which is owned by gm but they are opels engineers