RE: The Unusual Suspects: PH Blog
Discussion
Sampaio said:
Leins said:
The only diesel AMG, but does it count as a hot hatch?
I had no idea AMG had made a diesel car! Looking up the specs it shows a power output of 228bhp which is incredibly disappointing though...They did a very limited run of SportCoupes with the supercharged 3.2 AMG engine too though
only1ian said:
Are they still making them new in SA saw a lot on the road when I visited earlier this year and they all looked too good to be nearly 25 years old!
The twincam engine was a peach, also used in the MR2Mk1 and had a nice exhaust note change around 5500rpm!
That generation hatchback shape had a long life in SA as a budget range called the Tazz, same kind of idea as VW had with their Mk1 based Citigolf. The Tazz remained in production long after the regular and fast versions of the Gen 6 Corolla saloon and hatchbacks were replaced by Gen...7 I think (though they often skip a gen out there)The twincam engine was a peach, also used in the MR2Mk1 and had a nice exhaust note change around 5500rpm!
According to Wikipedia the Tazz went out of print in 2006. I don't think they ever made a fast version of the Tazz, but if anyone is missing their 1988 Corolla 1.3L hatch, SA is the place to look for a tidy one.
Edited by kiseca on Wednesday 19th November 10:01
Alfa159Ti said:
Great topic - I love anything a bit leftfield.
One such example that sticks in my mind is the Proton Satria Sprint GTi. When they were first released I lived in the arse end of nowhere in South West Wales and had just passed my test. There was a Proton dealer nearby, so you used to see a few about. At the time they looked incredible to a 19 year old boy racer and the idea of a 1.8 engine in such a small car seemed insane! I still feel a twist of nostalgic desire just looking at them. Odd.
I did my race licence test in a Satria GTI at Silverstone. A school there had a fleet of them. They were pretty good actually - lots of Lotus tweaking and I didn't hate the looks (well, not much). Anyone else drive those Silverstone cars? Would have been around 2004 I thinkOne such example that sticks in my mind is the Proton Satria Sprint GTi. When they were first released I lived in the arse end of nowhere in South West Wales and had just passed my test. There was a Proton dealer nearby, so you used to see a few about. At the time they looked incredible to a 19 year old boy racer and the idea of a 1.8 engine in such a small car seemed insane! I still feel a twist of nostalgic desire just looking at them. Odd.
mrf said:
Opel Manta GTE...old man had a 2 litre when everyone else had XR3is...remember it being quite quick but also suffered from various faulta odd design choices...including s foam and vinyl spoiler....remember that as it was squeezable and chronically full of water...
My Manta spoiler needed wringing out occasionally too.By the time I'd put Carlton 4-pot calipers and vented discs, and a quick rack, and refreshed suspension and a Bill Blydenstein tuned 2.2 into it, it was an absolutely magnificent car. It was the first car I ever personally did 100,000 miles in and I was very sad when eventually it had to go.
dukebox9reg said:
They go alright. 1.5 turbo, 150bhp, hard to tune though and not much out there. Not seen many above 200bhp in the UK.(havent looked that hard in fairness) The later ralliart's look better than the early turbo's and are really cheap.
Smart had the same engine in the Brabus four as mentioned earlier with 175bhp and hit 60 in the high 6's. Not a looker mind.
There is a tuning company called Htec Elite who love the colt Ralliart and do a lot of projects on them they run one as a project car also Smart had the same engine in the Brabus four as mentioned earlier with 175bhp and hit 60 in the high 6's. Not a looker mind.
Lowtimer said:
mrf said:
Opel Manta GTE...old man had a 2 litre when everyone else had XR3is...remember it being quite quick but also suffered from various faulta odd design choices...including s foam and vinyl spoiler....remember that as it was squeezable and chronically full of water...
My Manta spoiler needed wringing out occasionally too.By the time I'd put Carlton 4-pot calipers and vented discs, and a quick rack, and refreshed suspension and a Bill Blydenstein tuned 2.2 into it, it was an absolutely magnificent car. It was the first car I ever personally did 100,000 miles in and I was very sad when eventually it had to go.
Sold extremely well in this country
More sold in a year than the GT86 has sold since launch which shows how the market has changed
Sampaio said:
I knew someone had to mention the 480 in this thread!
I drove a relative's Turbo last year, it was a pretty tired example but I know what you mean with character. Also, the hilarious dashboard computer was being particularly hilarious that day... (come to think of it it's the oldest car I've ever driven... got to fix that)
My Cousin Had a 480 Turbo when i was a nipper and he messed around with a big screwdriver and the turbo actuator and it became absolutly savage one of the best cars i remember being in he also had the earlier 440 turbo which in my opion was a better car and looked the nuts in black. (sorry bit of a volvo nut)I drove a relative's Turbo last year, it was a pretty tired example but I know what you mean with character. Also, the hilarious dashboard computer was being particularly hilarious that day... (come to think of it it's the oldest car I've ever driven... got to fix that)
HorneyMX5 said:
The 309 was a better car than the 205, I also thought it looked better.
I NEED to own a Rover 200 BRM at somepoint. I've driven a couple and witht he VVT lump and the LSD they really are a cracking drive and I love the colour scheme and interior. They're going up in price for good ones now though.
THe Rover 200vi (I owned one so there may be a little bias here) was in some ways better without the LSD of the BRM. Also it was overlooked as it looked like one of the diesel range.I NEED to own a Rover 200 BRM at somepoint. I've driven a couple and witht he VVT lump and the LSD they really are a cracking drive and I love the colour scheme and interior. They're going up in price for good ones now though.
Fit it with a front-strut-brace, uprated discs and pads, lowered springs (when the roads broke one of the originals) and have a friendly chap rebuild and massage it for you if the worse happens (NOT a head-gasket failuse by the way but valves hitting a piston) and you get a stealthy rocket of a hatch.
Once raced against a Scooby and a BMW 335i (both friends who said they did not give anything to me) and kept up with both, and took the car to over 140mph on the Autobahn on the way home from Germany.
I also agree that the Pug 309 was a great car to have fun in.
The 99-01 Ford Fiesta 1.6 Freestyle was always a laugh.
It had the same engine in the same state of tune as the Zetec-S, but in a basic looking body.
When i worked at Ford I got a 3dr one of these as a company car for a while and it was noticeably quicker than the Zetec-S.
Very few were sold, so they're pretty hard to find now, but when you do they're generally well looked after as no younger people could insure them and those that could would opt for the Zetec-S anyway.
It had the same engine in the same state of tune as the Zetec-S, but in a basic looking body.
When i worked at Ford I got a 3dr one of these as a company car for a while and it was noticeably quicker than the Zetec-S.
Very few were sold, so they're pretty hard to find now, but when you do they're generally well looked after as no younger people could insure them and those that could would opt for the Zetec-S anyway.
Saab 900 turbo?
Pause 2,3,4...power! turbo lag ("You'll just have to get used to it, sir") but north-south engine so no torque steer, which is quite a feat given the amount of torque available. Properly located rear axle too so they handle well and will do at least 300,000 miles if you keep them serviced and keep the (mostly hidden) rust at bay.
Pause 2,3,4...power! turbo lag ("You'll just have to get used to it, sir") but north-south engine so no torque steer, which is quite a feat given the amount of torque available. Properly located rear axle too so they handle well and will do at least 300,000 miles if you keep them serviced and keep the (mostly hidden) rust at bay.
Skater12 said:
The 99-01 Ford Fiesta 1.6 Freestyle was always a laugh.
MIL had a Y plate 1.6 Ghia bought ex-Ford employee - has full leather, wood, air-con, heated screen. Great fun to drive when it was near new but the fuel tank is tiny for the engine size and I could empty it quite quickly! My SIL now has it and has basically ruined it through audible parking and treating the inside as a skip! Rear arches nearing terminal rust too....still low miles and the leather could be saved
only1ian said:
This was mine a lot of time and energy went into this 1990 Toyota corolla gti hi torque I owned for a good while and sold back in 2007. I loved it not sure anyone else got it, certainly a forgotten hot hatch:
Absolutely yes to these! Still one of my favourite cars I've owned. I had two of these: a mint '88 one in black (written off by an artic driving into me at the traffic lights) and a red '91 (facelifted higher output version). Brilliant cars, although prone to rust like most of the Japanese stuff of the time. Often overlooked for the Mk2 Golf GTi and 205 GTi that were the 'stars' at the time, but the Corolla was equally capable and with that cracking 4AGE engine, better in many ways too.Edited by only1ian on Wednesday 19th November 07:56
Edited by only1ian on Wednesday 19th November 07:57
firebird350 said:
Am I going too far back in time to mention the Fiat Strada Abarth?!
That is THE one. Good memory.Also:
Renault 19 16V
Toyota Corolla GT Twin Cam AE82 (the fwd AE86...) http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C509720
MG Maestro Turbo? Maybe not obscure enough for this thread...
uncler said:
Absolutely yes to these! Still one of my favourite cars I've owned. I had two of these: a mint '88 one in black (written off by an artic driving into me at the traffic lights) and a red '91 (facelifted higher output version). Brilliant cars, although prone to rust like most of the Japanese stuff of the time. Often overlooked for the Mk2 Golf GTi and 205 GTi that were the 'stars' at the time, but the Corolla was equally capable and with that cracking 4AGE engine, better in many ways too.
Keeping with the Jap Theme i havnt seen the Toyota Starlet Turbo Mentioned Or The Glanza Turbo, Am I on my own with that one??? they where pretty lethal less than a tonne with 140ish bhp with a few minor upgrades also if you wanted to spend a few quid you could have them running 200bhp plus in what was basically a go kart!The Pug 309Gti was a firm favourite in Performance Car back in the late 1980's, until the Renault Chamade 16v came 'a knockin'.
I tried to find a BRM some years ago but they're limited edition specials and thin on the ground, so plumped for a Nissan Almera Gti instead.
Super low-key hatchbackery godliness.
Moved on from that to an E46 325Ti - so keeping in trend with offbeat hot hatches, and a great car but still properly useful (especially with the optional load package that provided a multi functional rear parcel shelf of pure teutonic madness/function).
Today I'm trying to stay with the vibe with a CX7 - an over-size hot hatch. And very left field.
I tried to find a BRM some years ago but they're limited edition specials and thin on the ground, so plumped for a Nissan Almera Gti instead.
Super low-key hatchbackery godliness.
Moved on from that to an E46 325Ti - so keeping in trend with offbeat hot hatches, and a great car but still properly useful (especially with the optional load package that provided a multi functional rear parcel shelf of pure teutonic madness/function).
Today I'm trying to stay with the vibe with a CX7 - an over-size hot hatch. And very left field.
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