Driving the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a Vauxhall Astra VXR

Every driving enthusiast dreams of taking a fast car around the 13 miles of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. Ben Barry of The Sunday Times did just that in a Vauxhall Astra VXR. While the front-wheel drive VXR is quick, it’s certainly not the fastest car on the track with just 276hp under the hood. Barry first approaches the circuit by following an instructor who is guiding the drivers through the course and the correct racing line. This gives Barry the chance to make some mental notes about the 154 corners he’ll encounter during his solo hot lap, which he completes with a time of just over 9 minutes.

We’re not sure how many laps one would need to do on the “Green Hell” before you might feel like you know the circuit. We suggest RSR Nurburg’s turn-by-turn guide as a starting point. Or perhaps just ask Nissan’s Nürburgring Meister to teach you all his secrets.