Which "classic" hot hatch would you most like to own?
Discussion
tonyb1968 said:
Reenault 5 Turbo 2, rwd, engine in the back and 160bhp in a car that looks seriously mean 
I don't think that you can have this, it was always a HS and not really comparable with the mainstream hot hatches.I drove a Delta HF Turbo in about 1992, bloody awesome machine. The only snag was that the insurance companies had woken up by then and a quote of £900 was enough to put me off, 25 years ago.
s m said:
An official 309 GTi-16 - they never did them here ( we got the Goodwood instead as some type of recompense ). Had the normal 8v 309GTi though.
Or maybe a Superboss
Kadett Superboss, the daddy in the day. Or maybe a Superboss
I'd quite like a garage filled with a Nissan Exa turbo, a Toyota 1.6 RSI and an Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0 as well.
Fully signed up Peugeot fanboy here!
I've been in a long term relationship with a 205 GTi, 1.6 for the past 4 years. I try others but always find myself getting back into the 205 and just smiling to myself, catching the reflection in shop windows, listen to the engine as it revs and revs. I'll never part with it. I honestly can't begin to think of what could be more fun on a Spring afternoon on a winding country lane. I'll confess to finding Caterham's a tad hard core for myself but maybe an Elise would get close to it.
I've also got a couple more modern GTi's, a 306 and more recently a 106. For me the 306 is great for daily use but possibly a bit big for me to be considered truly fun, the 106 I've only had a matter of days but the early impressions are positive, light and agile, it looks like a GTi too with the flared arches.
Couple of pics for whoring purposes only.
Out of the others the Strada Abarth is pretty alluring but a Lancia Delta Intergrale has to be number one for me.
I've been in a long term relationship with a 205 GTi, 1.6 for the past 4 years. I try others but always find myself getting back into the 205 and just smiling to myself, catching the reflection in shop windows, listen to the engine as it revs and revs. I'll never part with it. I honestly can't begin to think of what could be more fun on a Spring afternoon on a winding country lane. I'll confess to finding Caterham's a tad hard core for myself but maybe an Elise would get close to it.
I've also got a couple more modern GTi's, a 306 and more recently a 106. For me the 306 is great for daily use but possibly a bit big for me to be considered truly fun, the 106 I've only had a matter of days but the early impressions are positive, light and agile, it looks like a GTi too with the flared arches.
Couple of pics for whoring purposes only.
Out of the others the Strada Abarth is pretty alluring but a Lancia Delta Intergrale has to be number one for me.
I have fond memories of most of these, even the ones that weren't very good. The ones I enjoyed most at the time were the Mark 1 Fiesta XR2, the one with the round headlights and 1600 crossflow, and later on the 205 GTI 1.9. I really really liked the R5 GT Turbo as well. If I were picking just one to keep forever from today, it would be the 205.
The 16V Golf Mark II was probably the most sensible and rational all-rounder. Another car which I did consier a 5-door Golf competitor, but which probably isn't what most people mean by a hot hatch was the Cit BX GTI and 16v. Excellent and interesting cars which I was sad never to own.
Sunbeam Lotus / Chevette HS: I would love to have a weekend away with either but I don;t think I'd own one. Besides, once we slide into RWD it's really hard for me to exclude there's my much-missed tweaked-up Manta, and from there it's a slippery slope to considering Capris and 944s.
The 16V Golf Mark II was probably the most sensible and rational all-rounder. Another car which I did consier a 5-door Golf competitor, but which probably isn't what most people mean by a hot hatch was the Cit BX GTI and 16v. Excellent and interesting cars which I was sad never to own.
Sunbeam Lotus / Chevette HS: I would love to have a weekend away with either but I don;t think I'd own one. Besides, once we slide into RWD it's really hard for me to exclude there's my much-missed tweaked-up Manta, and from there it's a slippery slope to considering Capris and 944s.
Zetec-S said:
+1 for the Escort, I always liked these as a kid, although I preferred the series 2 
If I had space I'd consider one as a bit of a project, before prices get too far out of control. Although as someone above said, you shouldn't meet your heros, so perhaps not a good idea.
Also a big fan of the Mk2 Golf GTi, I regularly see a mint looking example in red going the opposite direction on my morning commute.
Yes, the S1 RSTs started rising in value years ago but you could pick up an S2 for fairly cheap. I see that these have gone up too now though! I know that it's probably a case of don't meet your heroes but I was born the same year as the mk3 Escort came out and the S1 RST was a proper 80s icon, so I do have a soft spot for them. There was a S1 RST in need of some restoration on A/T for 995 notes last night (honestly), it would have made a good SOTW! I wouldn't normally consider buying something that needed so much work doing but bearing in mind what restored ones seem to be going for, it looked like quite the bargain! It has gone now though unsurprisingly.If I had space I'd consider one as a bit of a project, before prices get too far out of control. Although as someone above said, you shouldn't meet your heros, so perhaps not a good idea.
Also a big fan of the Mk2 Golf GTi, I regularly see a mint looking example in red going the opposite direction on my morning commute.
DSGbangs said:
If you have never driven a Mk2 Gti how do you how 'bad' the mk4 gti is? Or are you just going on everyone bashing the mk4 on the internet?
To be honest the mk2 gti was a bit over rated, the mk3 was boring and the mk4 really slow without a remap.
OK. I can see how that looks. I have had a brief blast in a mk2 8v. My only frame of reference at the time was the new mk5 GTI and my 205 GTi 1.6. It was nice but didn't feel as fast, exciting or sharp as either of them. Having owned a 205 and later a Corrado VR6 though, I would vouch that over a longer period of time, a mk2 Golf would still be a perfectly pleasant car to drive as a daily. The 205, although great for a blast when you're on it would drive me mad on a day-to-day basis. I did own a mk4 2.0 GTi for a year and can confidently say that it's no GTi and probably the worst GTi ever made. It had none of the sharpness of the classic hot hatches and was slower off the line than many 1.2 superminis!To be honest the mk2 gti was a bit over rated, the mk3 was boring and the mk4 really slow without a remap.
The Mk4 Glof was hateful in every guise. I really wanted to like it, it looks great, it's got the badge, but I've driven a few and they are all bloody awful. It still tops my list of "most disappointing cars". Second is the 80's version of the Alfa Spider. It should be great, but it's boring and heavy, and sounds dull. I so wanted to like both of them and they were crap.
Other than the Delta Integrale, my favourite hot hatch is the Fiat Strada Abarth 130TC. I had one for three years and other than a starter motor issue and the rubber carb mounting brackets splitting, I didn't have a problem and I averaged about 12,000 miles a year. I miss it and loved every minute of driving it.
I've driven a few hot hatches such as Peugeot 205GTI's, Renault 5 GT Turbos, Mk 3 Escort RS1600i, Uno Turbos, Mk 1 Astra GTE's and Delta Turbo and thought they were all good (the Uno could've done with better handling).
I was very disappointed with both Series of Escort RS Turbos and Fiesta RS Turbo. They just didn't feel that quick and still can't believe the prices the Escorts are going for now. Also was disappointed by the Mk 2 Golf GTI 16v which didn't feel that quick but it was a relatively new car so possibly still had a tight engine?
I just want an Integrale but the prices have put those out of reach. What a lovely car to drive although not driven one for about 15 years.
I've driven a few hot hatches such as Peugeot 205GTI's, Renault 5 GT Turbos, Mk 3 Escort RS1600i, Uno Turbos, Mk 1 Astra GTE's and Delta Turbo and thought they were all good (the Uno could've done with better handling).
I was very disappointed with both Series of Escort RS Turbos and Fiesta RS Turbo. They just didn't feel that quick and still can't believe the prices the Escorts are going for now. Also was disappointed by the Mk 2 Golf GTI 16v which didn't feel that quick but it was a relatively new car so possibly still had a tight engine?
I just want an Integrale but the prices have put those out of reach. What a lovely car to drive although not driven one for about 15 years.
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