The most fun FWD cars?

[anonymous-user]

andyps said:

You are forgetting the classic Mini there, it pre-dated the 'Sud 12 years and handled at least as well and was fun. I've already given my thoughts on both on this thread though.

But the mini was unrefined and had a terribly wheezy A series. The sud was leagues ahead in every department apart from the gearshift!

[aka_kerrly]

spatch said:

. 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.

Out of all your Fwd cars how many were fitted with camber an toe plus suspension adjustment so their geometry can be set up for track use the way your mx5 is.


Its hardly comparing apples an apples if you think a standard clio/puma will be set up to match a played with mx5. Plus I don't agree that only the a rwd car can be adjusted using a throttle, too much understeer is often s driver related issue, just the same as too many
spin their rwd cars all over the place and moan about every variable other than themselves!

My favourite Fwd cars have largely been mentioned, things like the Corrado, mk1/2 Golf Gtis, the Accord Euro R, the jdm or lsd equipped Ep3 civic an dc5 integra, but I'm also a fan of the Toyota corrola supercharged version an the Peugeot 405 mi16.

[l354uge]

yonex said:

But the mini had a terribly wheezy A series.

I'd never call an A-series 'wheezy', always thought the 1098 in my morris was a lovely little bundle of torque. Probably not on par with a H4 but far from awful.

[andyps]

yonex said:

andyps said:

You are forgetting the classic Mini there, it pre-dated the 'Sud 12 years and handled at least as well and was fun. I've already given my thoughts on both on this thread though.

But the mini was unrefined and had a terribly wheezy A series. The sud was leagues ahead in every department apart from the gearshift!

I would also add that the Sud wasn't leagues ahead in terms of fun. And I'll add that the first car I drove on the road was a Sud and I went on to drive it a lot more, along with classic Minis. I've driven a Mini more recently however.

[TheInternet]

E71 said:

I have both a classic mini and a Panda 100HP

How do these compare side by side? The Panda 100hp suspension was comically silly and reminded me of classic Minis but I couldn't be sure if it was really the case. Also felt the Panda probably had much more grip and power but the Mini had a more entertaining chassis.

[190bhp]

l354uge said:

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 stless 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!!

I agree!
With a few choice suspension mods they are a very underrated, apex stalking car.
Was out earlier in mine, driving some great roads in Cumbria and it never fails to make me smile.
Feeling very planted round the bends and 8000rpm+ howling through the cool autumn air.

[anonymous-user]

andyps said:

I would also add that the Sud wasn't leagues ahead in terms of fun. And I'll add that the first car I drove on the road was a Sud and I went on to drive it a lot more, along with classic Minis. I've driven a Mini more recently however.

I like the classic minis, in fact I owned three of them. I'd say there's much more depth to the suds ability and it was just a very very good car.

[Jimmy Recard]

lostkiwi said:

I regularly see a Barchetta on my way to work - cool number plate on it too... F14T**
Always heard they were great FWD cars and an acquaintance had one and raved about it.

You're mistaken.

That isn't a cool plate.

[Jimmy Recard]

eddieantifreeze said:

Don't think I have seen one of these mentioned yet.
mk2 Fiesta XR2 - beautifully balanced car, even better in race trim. Completely chuckable and very easy to slide/recover.

The only one I've driven (I drove it many times) I thought was pretty bad.

Then again, maybe it was just a bad (and old by that point) one. It has been scrapped now.

[andyps]

yonex said:

I like the classic minis, in fact I owned three of them. I'd say there's much more depth to the suds ability and it was just a very very good car.

I'm agreeing with you there, just saying that as a pure fun car (which I thought was the purpose of the thread) the Mini was/is a match for it. The Sud was great fun and probably improved the ability of all subsequent front wheel drive cars as it showed what was possible.

[Rob747]

ITRDC2 by miles

[daveofedinburgh]

Two good friends owned (the same) EK9 Civic Type R some years ago. Both are petrolheads, and have owned many more expensive, powerful bits of metal since. Both cite the EK9 as the car they miss the most.

My experience of the car backs this up- it truly was a performance focussed little thing. I remember struggling to stay with it through the twisties in my big, bad mk4 Supra, and I bet the Civic driver was significantly less scared doing the same speeds on those roads.

Another friend owned a DC2 Integra around the same time (Jap import, Champ White ofcourse), and it's a very similar story. Somehow felt a bit less special than the EK9 to me, well modified as it was.

[andyps]

Rob747 said:

ITRDC2 by miles

Is something said in code more fun?

[DC2 Mark]

I'll second the ITR DC2 code. Simply sublime chassis and handling. Massively interactive (and I was a little sceptical being fwd but I needn't have worried).

[davebem]

Clio Williams deserves more mentions in this thread. Im sure many years ago it won evo magazines vote for most fun fwd?

Edited by davebem on Sunday 4th October 20:10

Edited by davebem on Sunday 4th October 20:11

[SidewaysSi]

DC2 Mark said:

I'll second the ITR DC2 code. Simply sublime chassis and handling. Massively interactive (and I was a little sceptical being fwd but I needn't have worried).

It is a great car but the steering was a bit crap.

[BarbaricAvatar]

davebem said:

Clio Williams deserves more mentions in this thread. Im sure many years ago it won evo magazines vote for most fun fwd?

Errr don't remember that. I do remember that they voted this the best front-driver of all time (at the time):

[SidewaysSi]

BarbaricAvatar said:

davebem said:

Clio Williams deserves more mentions in this thread. Im sure many years ago it won evo magazines vote for most fun fwd?

Errr don't remember that. I do remember that they voted this the best front-driver of all time (at the time):

EVO are not if not inconsistent. They voted the ITR the best back in 2009 I think but subsequently rated the Clio Trophy and R26R higher.

I like the Honda but not sure it is the best ever.

[GreenArrow]

Actually EVO have been pretty consistent.

The clio willy won best FWD in Performance Car 1998, pre EVO.

During EVO, the Teg won best FWD in their 2000 drivers car feature, beating a 306 GTI-6

THen it won best hot hatch ever in 2006 I think it was, beating a Clio Trophy.

Then it was in the top 10 all time cars, Issue 100,

Shortlisted for Issue 200 last year but beaten by Megane R26R

So until the Megane R26R came along the Integra won every FWD contest.

[SidewaysSi]

GreenArrow said:

Actually EVO have been pretty consistent.

The clio willy won best FWD in Performance Car 1998, pre EVO.

During EVO, the Teg won best FWD in their 2000 drivers car feature, beating a 306 GTI-6

THen it won best hot hatch ever in 2006 I think it was, beating a Clio Trophy.

Then it was in the top 10 all time cars, Issue 100,

Shortlisted for Issue 200 last year but beaten by Megane R26R

So until the Megane R26R came along the Integra won every FWD contest.

They did say the ITR was the best in the 2009 best front driver's test, beating the Trophy and 205 but the Honda was lower than the Renault in the top 100.

Of course Harry M has the Clio...