Best 100 bhp road car, to date?

[speedy_noo]

busta said:

Peugeot 106 Rallye obviously.

1294cc, 100hp, 7500rpm, 830kgs.

[Athlon]

Talbot Sunbeam Ti, 100 bhp, short wheelbase, twin 40's from the factory, alloys etc etc, fab car and wet roads were a joy!

[Beemer-5]

The fastest 100 bhp i have had was a Ducati 748R.
'Only' 100 bhp at the rear wheel, but similar performance to a Ferrari F430.
(Other than all-out top speed).

[Code Monkey]

AX GT brilliant little car, 85bhp lightweight lift off oversteer

LAD did a tune to boost the engine to 125bhp

Great car, group 9 insurance nothing quicker for the money, I had one would have another as a second runabout.

[RobM77]

fantastic fun Never has trailbraking been so controllable - the handling was truly stunning

I also adore the 106 Gti, and would expect that the 1.3 rallye would be a great car too

[busta]

Code Monkey said:

LAD did a tune to boost the engine to 125bhp

What you mean to say is LAD bolted on some shiny bits, made it louder and told people it had 125hp.

A genuine 125hp from a 1.3 8v TU is getting into throttle body territory.

[Mikey_W]

RobM77 said:

fantastic fun Never has trailbraking been so controllable - the handling was truly stunning

You hit the nail on the head, the handling was superb.

I think the AX GT was a underrated car tbh

[Volte]

I had an AX GT (well a 1.4 Forte, the insurance friendly version with steelies and no wing), and to this day it's probably the best handling road car I've ever driven. Very uncomfortable though. I test drove a GTti once and it almost killed me!
For a long shot - I remember my dad's 1993 414SLi with a 1.4 K-series had about 100bhp and was a great drive.

[Beemer-5]

The 300 bhp AX must be fun!

[Strawman]

Beemer-5 said:

Or can 100 bhp NEVER be enough?

Some people say you can never have enough horsepower, but I read recently a quote from a driver of the 917 (turbo'ed version over 1500 HP) who said "if you can drive between one corner and the next leaving two continuous black lines on the road, then you have enough horsepower" which seems reasonable.

[spectre17]

1.6 Puma - though I am biased

[Mikey_W]

Beemer-5 said:

The 300 bhp AX must be fun!

What engine is it running?

[Beemer-5]

Mikey_W said:

Beemer-5 said:

The 300 bhp AX must be fun!

What engine is it running?

It is a late-80s AX with a Saxo VTS 1.6 engine.
Lightened and balanced and running a turbocharger with 1.2 bar.
All the other mods you'd expect, like cold air intake, free-flow exhaust, etc.

[biglepton]

Mikey_W said:

I had an AX GT, great little car in it's day

Same here - fabulous little car with a fabulous chassis. There was little that could stay with mine on bumpy back roads back in the late 1980's. The real performance was in-gear due to weighing nothing, having big carbs and very low gearing. I remember reading it had 9" of wheel travel all round with brilliant damping and never seemed to bottom out however fast and however big the bump. I loved mine even though I didn't really fit in it. I bought it new and did 63,000 miles without missing a beat, all at 42mpg with foot nailed to floor! Would leave a Panda 100hp in the weeds!

[Beemer-5]

I believe it is 300 bhp/750kgs.

[h4muf]

What about 205 xs or 205 rallye?

80 and 100bhp respectively bloody good cars in their day.

Both getting rare now.

[thinfourth2]

Beemer-5 said:

Mikey_W said:

Beemer-5 said:

The 300 bhp AX must be fun!

What engine is it running?

It is a late-80s AX with a Saxo VTS 1.6 engine.
Lightened and balanced and running a turbocharger with 1.2 bar.
All the other mods you'd expect, like cold air intake, free-flow exhaust, wipe clean drivers seat, passenger blindfold, rosary beads etc.

EFA

[rallycross]

I used to rallycross an AX Gt but it never had the legs of the 205 gti's, better handling on the loose due to light wieght but not enough go to pas them on the tarmac.... fun though!

[flattotheboards]

Beemer-5 said:

I believe it is 300 bhp/750kgs.

400bhp per tonne.

[Beemer-5]

flattotheboards said:

Beemer-5 said:

I believe it is 300 bhp/750kgs.

400bhp per tonne.

Sounds a lot, (and is), until you realise that £9,000 will get you (brand new) over 1,000 bhp per tonne!