The most fun FWD cars?
Discussion
LordHaveMurci said:
Tickle said:
Not driven but I would imagine very good
Lotus Elan M100
I think the problem with the Elan was it wasn't particularly fun to drive, it was too competent. Been a long time since I've driven one so hard to have a personal opinion but it doesn't stand out in my memory.Lotus Elan M100
Hudson said:
pti said:
Ford Ka 
Horrible wheezy little engine but a bloody good chassis and very chuckable.
+1 Horrible wheezy little engine but a bloody good chassis and very chuckable.
the MK1 KA can be driven everywhere flat out and every trip is a fine balance between hilarity and sheer terror.
Of the stuff that I've driven I've heartily enjoyed the Peugeot 306 and my Alfa GTV. Neither are going to win awards for speed, but for fun they both tick my boxes. The GTV is helped immensely by the glorious Busso noise that generates a smile no matter how fast you are or aren't going.
Most fun FWD I've owned (and still own) or driven is my Superstrut ST202 Celica, admittedly it has been a lowered a wee bit and had a thicker ARB put on the back. :-D
Just seems to go round corners quickly with little fuss, even when you're nearly being relocated to the passenger seat and I've yet to induce lift off oversteer (I have tried on track, must try harder).
Just seems to go round corners quickly with little fuss, even when you're nearly being relocated to the passenger seat and I've yet to induce lift off oversteer (I have tried on track, must try harder).
Competence and ability to corner doesn't necessarily equate to fun.
What is often fun is the feeling that the car is out to kill you if you make a mistake but when you don't it rewards in spades with a seat of the pants thrill that can only come from having been near death and survived.
I think most modern cars fail dismally in this respect as they grip and grip and grip and finally start to slide in a gentlemanly controlled manner.
The 205GTI, Mini and the likes didn't behave like that. The 205 had lift off over steer (as did the mini). You could use that to your advantage by lifting off at the approach to chuck the tail out then reign it back in with power when it seemed appropriate. Get it wrong and the tail would be overtaking you. Get it right and it felt like the most amazing thing ever.
Come into a corner too fast in a mini and get on the power too early and it would understeer at warp 9 into the bushes. Back off the throttle too suddenly and it would similarly disappear into the bushes, this time backwards. Time it all right and it was pure grins.
What is often fun is the feeling that the car is out to kill you if you make a mistake but when you don't it rewards in spades with a seat of the pants thrill that can only come from having been near death and survived.
I think most modern cars fail dismally in this respect as they grip and grip and grip and finally start to slide in a gentlemanly controlled manner.
The 205GTI, Mini and the likes didn't behave like that. The 205 had lift off over steer (as did the mini). You could use that to your advantage by lifting off at the approach to chuck the tail out then reign it back in with power when it seemed appropriate. Get it wrong and the tail would be overtaking you. Get it right and it felt like the most amazing thing ever.
Come into a corner too fast in a mini and get on the power too early and it would understeer at warp 9 into the bushes. Back off the throttle too suddenly and it would similarly disappear into the bushes, this time backwards. Time it all right and it was pure grins.
lostkiwi said:
Competence and ability to corner doesn't necessarily equate to fun.
What is often fun is the feeling that the car is out to kill you if you make a mistake but when you don't it rewards in spades with a seat of the pants thrill that can only come from having been near death and survived.
I think most modern cars fail dismally in this respect as they grip and grip and grip and finally start to slide in a gentlemanly controlled manner.
The 205GTI, Mini and the likes didn't behave like that. The 205 had lift off over steer (as did the mini). You could use that to your advantage by lifting off at the approach to chuck the tail out then reign it back in with power when it seemed appropriate. Get it wrong and the tail would be overtaking you. Get it right and it felt like the most amazing thing ever.
Come into a corner too fast in a mini and get on the power too early and it would understeer at warp 9 into the bushes. Back off the throttle too suddenly and it would similarly disappear into the bushes, this time backwards. Time it all right and it was pure grins.
Quite agree, I have the MR2 to tickle that particular thrill. What is often fun is the feeling that the car is out to kill you if you make a mistake but when you don't it rewards in spades with a seat of the pants thrill that can only come from having been near death and survived.
I think most modern cars fail dismally in this respect as they grip and grip and grip and finally start to slide in a gentlemanly controlled manner.
The 205GTI, Mini and the likes didn't behave like that. The 205 had lift off over steer (as did the mini). You could use that to your advantage by lifting off at the approach to chuck the tail out then reign it back in with power when it seemed appropriate. Get it wrong and the tail would be overtaking you. Get it right and it felt like the most amazing thing ever.
Come into a corner too fast in a mini and get on the power too early and it would understeer at warp 9 into the bushes. Back off the throttle too suddenly and it would similarly disappear into the bushes, this time backwards. Time it all right and it was pure grins.
Although with the Sillycar there is always the thought in the back of your mind that if this does let go I'm f****d..Although I still need to get the damn MR2 back on the road.
Edited by Limeymk1 on Tuesday 29th September 14:14
I had an M100 Elan for a while, the turbo one as there didnt seem much point in owning a N/A
It was a bit of a dog, bought CAT C but with new rear wishbones and new tyres it was awesome. Chipped ECU got it to 200hp which I thought was pretty decent from a 1.6 90's Isuzu engine.
Handling was ace, if there was a compromise it was the steering, I drove my mates Elise back to back, the Elise was much harder on the suspension and handled 'better' on steering feel, but the Elan made up for it in poke. It just went whenever you wanted it to and wherever you wanted it to without much lag. Booting it in third saw ban speeds fairly quickly and you could come out of B road corners, floor it and disappear. I loved doing the drive over Matlock Bath and the hills around there.
It also had a really nice sense of occasion driving it. Especially in the wet as you had to put a tea towel over your right knee for the drips that came off the roof
It was a bit of a dog, bought CAT C but with new rear wishbones and new tyres it was awesome. Chipped ECU got it to 200hp which I thought was pretty decent from a 1.6 90's Isuzu engine.
Handling was ace, if there was a compromise it was the steering, I drove my mates Elise back to back, the Elise was much harder on the suspension and handled 'better' on steering feel, but the Elan made up for it in poke. It just went whenever you wanted it to and wherever you wanted it to without much lag. Booting it in third saw ban speeds fairly quickly and you could come out of B road corners, floor it and disappear. I loved doing the drive over Matlock Bath and the hills around there.
It also had a really nice sense of occasion driving it. Especially in the wet as you had to put a tea towel over your right knee for the drips that came off the roof
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff