The most fun FWD cars?
Discussion
RoverP6B said:
Meaning? I don't usually like FWD anything, but the Activa seems one of the most interesting.
How many here have driven a V6 Activa let alone the 2.ltr TCT, not many I would think, so they don't know and thus don't believe a car can be so different to others......thus you will not get many recommendations for them. That does of course allow more fun when YOU wish as your "stealth" factor is so high, it also keeps the unknowing masses in their BMW's Audi's and the Barry boys with the big exhausts off your back when needed, who would want to hassle an old Xantia anyway?
As you can gather, I am a believer
all hail, all hail SC.CAR+HydroActiveTameRacingDriver said:
Agreed, that's my number one gripe with it actually, which is what I meant when I said it could be great with a few mods. A lot of people seem to swear by the "fast road setup", although its over £400 if you get the recommended Eibach progressive springs, however, if it does what I think it will, then it should sort the handling right out.... its not such an issue when hooning though, but lift off oversteer is almost impossible in standard form. The other issue I have is the brakes which just don't feel quite good enough. Mine has a Flashpro on it to give a bit more power throughout the rev range as well as lowering the VTEC point and increasing the limit, which makes it feel a fair bit stronger on the road. Definitely got potential but not perfect out of the box. Can't make my mind up whether to spend the money on it or just sell up and get an S2000 ?
I'm parting with mine in the next couple of day's, it's being replaced with a 335i. It depends how much you like the fn2 I suppose but I can't see it ever competing with an s2000 in the fun stakes, values look to be heading up for decent condition ones and the fn2 is still dropping, I know where my money would be going. 
A colleague at work spent in excess of 10k modding an fn2, it's a slippery slope when you start.
Sorry, what's a TCT? I know I'd rather have the 3-litre than 2-litre. I haven't driven any Xantia but got a ride in a 2-litre Activa at the time I was running a poverty spec E46 318i. The Xantia just blew me away. Went hard, rode beautifully, had far more kit, and wonderful leather seats.
RoverP6B said:
Sorry, what's a TCT? I know I'd rather have the 3-litre than 2-litre. I haven't driven any Xantia but got a ride in a 2-litre Activa at the time I was running a poverty spec E46 318i. The Xantia just blew me away. Went hard, rode beautifully, had far more kit, and wonderful leather seats.
The TCT is the 2.ltr petrol turbo.They had reasonable max HP (for that engine) but a very narrow power band which makes it "less fun" than the V6 which is way more flexible below 4k.rpm, rapid above that to 6.5k.
That said, still massive fun but you are always left wanting more.
Most specs are the same (leather with adj sides etc) and yes, the seats are some of the finest drivers seats I have ever had.
It's been said before, but Classic Minis.
Especially those on 10 inch wheels. I really miss mine sometimes, though my wife's Panda 100hp is fantastic fun imo too. I've chosen to take it for a run a few times, and looked forward to Dundee to Inverness via Glenshee, 3 up for a few days before hand, and there is an Elise and a 944 in my garage!
Especially those on 10 inch wheels. I really miss mine sometimes, though my wife's Panda 100hp is fantastic fun imo too. I've chosen to take it for a run a few times, and looked forward to Dundee to Inverness via Glenshee, 3 up for a few days before hand, and there is an Elise and a 944 in my garage!
s m said:
A contender for the "Are 90s performance cars still quick thread"! Also the "Are 90s performance cars' drivers still quick" thread...
Hehe, I'm a good second a lap slower now than I was in my early 20s!! 
It's a combination of the "success ballast" and being a little more conscious of my own mortality!! I'm glad that the Xantia Activa has finally been mentioned, because it is incredibly competent for a FWD. IIRC it was better on the skid pan than the highly competent Honda NSX!
In no particular order:
VW Corrado
VW MK1 Golf GTi
VW MK2 Golf GTi 16v
Classic Mini
205 GTi & 1.4
Saxo VTS/106 GTi/ 106 Rallye
Xantia Activa
DC2
CRX Vtec
Clio 172/182
Clio 192
Lupo GTi
wildcard: Rover 200Vi/BRM. Not as competent as some others, but a lot of fun because that engine has the perfect character for a hot hatch: A beautiful sounding screamer that loves to rev.
In no particular order:
VW Corrado
VW MK1 Golf GTi
VW MK2 Golf GTi 16v
Classic Mini
205 GTi & 1.4
Saxo VTS/106 GTi/ 106 Rallye
Xantia Activa
DC2
CRX Vtec
Clio 172/182
Clio 192
Lupo GTi
wildcard: Rover 200Vi/BRM. Not as competent as some others, but a lot of fun because that engine has the perfect character for a hot hatch: A beautiful sounding screamer that loves to rev.
+1 on the Panda 100hp, had mine for almost three years now after everything from v8 rover sd1's through maestro turbo's and mk1/2/3 golf gti's and its the best car I've ever owned... mine is slightly lowered on Koni's and handles like a go cart, the ride is very hard and they are not all that fast but they have personality by the truckload and are huge fun to drive on a good road.
106 GTi, mine was horribly unreliable but when it went it was just fantastic. Every journey was an adventure in controllable lift off oversteer. It would just soak everything up that you could throw at it and begged to be driven harder. I sold mine 8 years ago. I would like to try a S1 106 Rallye.
My wife has a FF 182 which she refuses to replace under any circumstances (owned 9 years!). I drove it yesterday and once you can get past the poor driving position, it's a riot. We refreshed the dampers a couple of years ago which was as cheap as reasonable chips and it feels really together still.
DC2 Type R. I owned one for 6 years after the 106. Epic chassis with outstanding damping. A very very special drive. I miss it.
I ran a FN2 CDTi as a daily at the same time I had the DC2. Oh dear. It somehow managed to combine soft and crashy suspension, feeling terribly unresolved in the chassis department.
I chopped the DC2 in for the original Caterham Superlight. The CDTi also went and I now have a R53 JCW as my daily. The Superlight is immense fun but and this is a big but, I never feel short changed in the fun stakes in the R53. It reminds me of my 106. More grown up and it needs higher speeds to really come alive (wish it didn't) but a chunky chuckable charger all the same.
My wife has a FF 182 which she refuses to replace under any circumstances (owned 9 years!). I drove it yesterday and once you can get past the poor driving position, it's a riot. We refreshed the dampers a couple of years ago which was as cheap as reasonable chips and it feels really together still.
DC2 Type R. I owned one for 6 years after the 106. Epic chassis with outstanding damping. A very very special drive. I miss it.
I ran a FN2 CDTi as a daily at the same time I had the DC2. Oh dear. It somehow managed to combine soft and crashy suspension, feeling terribly unresolved in the chassis department.
I chopped the DC2 in for the original Caterham Superlight. The CDTi also went and I now have a R53 JCW as my daily. The Superlight is immense fun but and this is a big but, I never feel short changed in the fun stakes in the R53. It reminds me of my 106. More grown up and it needs higher speeds to really come alive (wish it didn't) but a chunky chuckable charger all the same.
It was like a skip on casters as standard but back in '99 I bought a SAAB 900 Turbo Sensonic (remember those?)
A trip to Abbott Racing and 3K later that thing frightened Scoobies and would lift of oversteer if set up right.
Great fun!
Oh, and in 50K miles I never had any grief with the gearbox either...........
N545ADC are you still alive?
Jimbo
A trip to Abbott Racing and 3K later that thing frightened Scoobies and would lift of oversteer if set up right.
Great fun!
Oh, and in 50K miles I never had any grief with the gearbox either...........
N545ADC are you still alive?
Jimbo
JMF894 said:
It was like a skip on casters as standard but back in '99 I bought a SAAB 900 Turbo Sensonic (remember those?)
A trip to Abbott Racing and 3K later that thing frightened Scoobies and would lift of oversteer if set up right.
Great fun!
Oh, and in 50K miles I never had any grief with the gearbox either...........
N545ADC are you still alive?
Jimbo
Probably not. A trip to Abbott Racing and 3K later that thing frightened Scoobies and would lift of oversteer if set up right.
Great fun!
Oh, and in 50K miles I never had any grief with the gearbox either...........
N545ADC are you still alive?
Jimbo
The ones I've owned in order of how well they handle down a B-road:
1) Ford Puma 1.7 - Hands down the most adjustable FWD chassis I've ever driven!
2) Ford Fiesta ST (EcoBoost) - Another fantastically well engineered Ford chassis with a chunk of torque!
3) Clio 182 Cup - Thumping but rev-happy two litre engine in a light adjustable chassis.
On the other hand I have a MK2.5 MX-5 track car and none of the FWD cars listed above can offer anything like the enjoyment and adjustability on track. FWD cars inherently understeer over the limit when power is applied, nobody likes understeer, the MX-5 doesn't know what understeer looks like thanks to a fantastically adjustable (wheel geometry) chassis and sweet drivetrain sending torque to the rear wheels!
In plain terms FWD offers everything I need on the roar but on track RWD is the only way for me.
1) Ford Puma 1.7 - Hands down the most adjustable FWD chassis I've ever driven!
2) Ford Fiesta ST (EcoBoost) - Another fantastically well engineered Ford chassis with a chunk of torque!
3) Clio 182 Cup - Thumping but rev-happy two litre engine in a light adjustable chassis.
On the other hand I have a MK2.5 MX-5 track car and none of the FWD cars listed above can offer anything like the enjoyment and adjustability on track. FWD cars inherently understeer over the limit when power is applied, nobody likes understeer, the MX-5 doesn't know what understeer looks like thanks to a fantastically adjustable (wheel geometry) chassis and sweet drivetrain sending torque to the rear wheels!
In plain terms FWD offers everything I need on the roar but on track RWD is the only way for me.
Wow...13 pages and no mention of:
190hp 1.8 that revs to 8200RPM
1200Kg
Amazing gearshift
Good (if a little light for my liking) steering
So nimble it manages to scare the ESP s
tless if you're going some.
I'm always amazed how unappreciated these are, its also annoying because I want the values to go up before I have to sell mine!!
190hp 1.8 that revs to 8200RPM
1200Kg
Amazing gearshift
Good (if a little light for my liking) steering
So nimble it manages to scare the ESP s
tless if you're going some.I'm always amazed how unappreciated these are, its also annoying because I want the values to go up before I have to sell mine!!
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