Prototype engines were fitted to the FC Victor, and the engine also appeared in the Vauxhall XVR concept car. The first production car to use the engine was the 1967 FD Victor. The original engine capacities were and . For the 1972 launch of the FE Victor, the smaller engine was increased to , and the larger to . Blydenstein Racing developed a long stroke version with a capacity of capable of producing almost . Having been designed to withstand the stresses of diesel compression ignition, the block is immensely strong and able to handle large increases in power without modification. The crank was also designed to be shared with the diesel version, which meant its strength was assured for the petrol version. The larger displacement versions are known for their immense torque, but also as not very smooth running or high-revving. A fuel-injected version of the 2.3-litre engine was planned for both the HP Firenza and VX4/90. Running prototypes were tested before the project was abandoned due to cost and the impending merger of Vauxhall's design and engineering pool with that of Opel in Germany.