1993 Vauxhall Cavalier V6 Cesaro Limited Edition review from UK and Ireland

Traction control and ABS unit failed during the warranty period (best part of £1000 - ouch!) and water pump failed at 85000 miles. Other than that it has been completely reliable despite being driven hard.

The V6 cavalier is a well-kept secret when it comes to performance bargains. If you consider that this car is 150kg lighter than the replacement V6 Vectra, then you see why it can hit 60mph in 2nd gear in 7.2 seconds. Add this to a huge torque curve and a top speed of 145 mph and you can see why this car is a seriously fast Q-car in a straight line.

The downside is the legendary poor chassis Vauxhall used for the cavalier/calibra. Likes straight lines, but not corners! At least pickup out of corners is good!

The V6 Cesaro is an interesting limited edition in itself and for a performance enthusiast is probably the best V6 in terms of spec since it looks quick and includes:

- sports tuned suspension

- sports seats (very supportive)

- rear spoiler

- sports decals

- SRi style alloys (optional)

I have had the car over 3 years and it has been impeccably behaved despite some seriously hard driving. Even now at 95000 miles, the performance is still there and the car shows few signs of wear.

For all those who desire performance on a budget, go seek out a good V6. With a standard main dealer service at below £100, this is a quick motor that doesn't hurt your pocket.

I'm now looking to upgrade to something quicker, but it is proving a difficult decision to find something to take the place of the trusty V6. Perhaps a celica GT4 or a Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo?...