A detailed overview of my Corsa SRI-R race car prepared to full race/track day specification complete with a 400 bhp stage 5 TMS prepared Astra VXR engine.

Corsa SRI-R race car

... an introduction to this Thorney Motorsport prepared 400bhp Corsa sri-r race car

The race car in question is a Corsa SRI-R, first registered in 2008. It was originally purchased by Thorney Motorsport (TMS) and successfully competed in the Dunlop SportMaxx Championship, with back to back class wins and an overall championship win under its belt.

TMS prepared Corsa SRI-R race car fitted with 400bhp stage 5 Astra VXR engine

In 2009 I purchased a Corsa VXR Racing and together with Thorney Motorsport have been steadily developing the vehicle specification, including stage 3 power upgrade (255bhp/280lbft), Quaife LSD, AP Racing 4 pot front brakes, 3" tapered bore stainless steel exhaust system. Full details of all the mods carried out to date can be found at my other website www.corsavxrracing.info. (You can also visit this website at any time by clicking on the image link to the right).

Fast as the Corsa VXR Racing is I still wanted more.

My quest to achieve 300+ bhp led to more discussions with Thorney Motorsport as to my options.

Sticking with the Corsa VXR Racing engine (Z16LER) would require a bottom end and turbo upgrade, all possible but resulting in a more highly stressed engine.

Another option, proposed by Thorney Motorsport, would be to replace the Corsa VXR engine (Z16LER) with the Astra VXR engine (Z20LEH). With the mods already carried out my car power/torque figures of 300bhp/340ftlbs would be immediately available from the Astra VXR engine (with a suitable remap) in it's standard specification.

Also, already having the Quaife LSD and AP Racing Brakes fitted would ensure that all this extra power could be safely handled on both the road and track.

However, the exciting part of this option was that by further modifying the Astra VXR engine (upgraded turbo - GT28, equal length exhaust manifold, uprated pistons & rods and uprated injectors) it would be possible to achieve at least 400+ bhp.

So, the plan was to carry out an initial engine dry run fit in the TMS Corsa SRI-R race car and then, once the setup had been rigorously tested, complete the Astra VXR engine conversion in my own Corsa VXR Racing.

As the Astra VXR engine conversion project continued it became apparent that the best way forward, both technically and commercially, would be to complete the whole engine conversion in the TMS Corsa race car rather than switching out the engine, after the initial dry run installation, and completing the conversion in my own Corsa VXR Racing.

This way I would preserve the TMS stage 3 specification on my Corsa VXR Racing and, ultimately, end up with a second Corsa built to the ultimate track/road performance specification.

Consequently, I decided to purchase the TMS Corsa race car which I now run alongside my Corsa VXR Racing.

Details of the complete 400bhp Corsa / Astra VXR engine conversion can be found here or by clicking on the image located on the RH side of each webpage.

This website will mainly concentrate on how the Corsa race car develops after the engine conversion is complete and will be regularly updated as events unfold.

Website last updated 11 May 2012

Corsa race car
Corsa SRI-R
Corsa sri-r race car
Web Design, Redditch

Corsa Race Car

The Corsa race car in question is a Corsa SRI-R, first registered in 2008. It was originally purchased by Thorney Motorsports (TMS) and, after conversion to full Corsa race car specification, successfully competed in the Dunlop SportMaxx Championship, with back to back class wins and an overall championship win under its belt. The specification of the Corsa race car is extensive with no expense spared in the aim to produce an extremely competitive and reliable race car. It is with this car that TMS have undertaken the Astra VXR engine conversion demonstrating, yet again, their ability to push the frontiers of motorsport engineering.

Corsa SRI

As standard the Corsa SRI comes with a detuned 147bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine from the Corsa VXR. It was the perfect base from which to develop the highly successful TMS race car. The Corsa SRI sits between the SXi and VXR but since everything apart from the engine and gearbox was either replaced and up rated or removed to save weight it proved to be the right commercial choice. No expense was spared when converting the standard Corsa SRI into the event and championship winning vehicle, later to be used for carrying out the Astra VXR engine conversion - which now forms the basis of a successful track day beast.

Corsa sri-r race car

The Corsa sri-r race car in it's present specification is an evolution from the race car developed by Thorney Motorsports and itself an evolution from the standard production Vauxhall vehicle. The central area of vehicle development of the Corsa sri-r race car has been the transplanting of a stage 5 TMS Astra VXR engine - achieving some 400bhp. Alongside the engine itself the Corsa sri-r race car has been treated to uprated all alloy radiator and intercooler, lightweight motorsport alternator, equal length tubular exhaust manifold, bespoke air intake system and clever integration of the Corsa and Astra vehicle management electronics.

Web Design, Redditch

As owner of the Corsa sri race car I need to generate funds in order to continue the planned development programme. As a website designer this is the means by which these upgrades are funded. Based in Redditch, 2geedesign is a small, professional yet flexible, web design company offering full website design, mainly to small and medium sized companies or individuals. Being located in Redditch we are ideally placed to offer our web design services to the whole of the Midlands area. So, if you have already decided your Company needs a web design and are located in the Redditch area or you are at the stage where you just need some friendly, impartial advice please feel free to contact 2geedesign.