>> does the A2 have AltiVec/VMX?

> Don't know but they could always add it.

Yes, of course they could, but what I would like to know is whether IBM's stock A2 core (as used in the PowerEN and Power BQC chips) has it. I ask because I've read conflicting third party statements on that matter (and no statement by IBM itself).

> IIRC some of the PPCs used by Nintendo are standard parts with
> enhanced vector units.

Yes, Gekko is PPC750CXe plus custom vector unit, and Broadway is PPC750CL (which already includes the same vector unit).

> I wonder could this be something like a set of A2s with a
> POWER7 style vector units bolted on the side.

With "POWER7 style vector units" you mean VSX? Thing is Nintendo claims the Wii U to be backwards compatible to Wii. Assuming there's no real emulation involved this means the vector unit of the new CPU must be either identical to or a superset of Broadway's vector unit. This would rule out VSX (as well as any other standard vector unit like AltiVec/VMX). On the other hand, there could always be more than one, but I doubt it ;-)