Which do you think was / is the best french fry? (Hot hatch)
Discussion
Which is / was the best French hot hatch there has been, and why?
Although I think I would vote of the 205 GTI 1.9 there are other candidates.
Such as...
306 GTI-6 / Rallye
106 GTI / Rallye
206 GTI 180
Saxo VTS
AX GT
BX GTI 16v
ZX 16v
Xsara VTS
Williams Clio
Clio Trophy
Clio 172 Cup
Clio V6 255
Clio 197 R27 F1
5 Gordini
Megane R26 F1
The 205 GTI 1.9 mainly because of its grunty engine, and brilliant handling. OK its not that powerful by todays standards, but as it only weighs about 950 kg that doesnt matter too much, and you can have fun and keep your license.
Worthy mentions go to the 106 Rallye, because of how focused it is, an 800 kg car with 100 bhp is always going to be quite a hoot especially when it revs to 8000 rpm as well. Also the Williams Clio as IMO the Clio became a bit soft after that in comparison. The Williams delivers much more feel and weight to the controls and it is a quick and rewarding car.
The maddest vote would go to the R5 Gordini, which is just mental. Almost as mental is the Clio V6 255. Great fun but at the price there are better driving cars, good to be seen in though, and nice V6 growl. The engine is a bit of a screamer too, for a V6, revving to 7500 RPM or so and producing peak power at a lofty 7200 RPM.
Have you noticed how yesterdays hot hatches are slower than the newer designs, yet it is always the classic stuff that is held in a higher regard, just going to prove that newer stuff has been dulled down and detached in comparison, even if you are going quicker. For example, I found a Mk2 Golf GTI 8v with a pathetic 112 bhp was actually more fun to drive than my old Clio 182, because the clio was just that much more detached from the drive than the Golf. Of course the clio would murder it in a race, but the Golf didnt really feel particularly slow. In older cars, they often feel like they are going faster than they are and I think this is a key appeal of such cars and why modern stuff does not interest me any more. To me a hot hatch is meant to be fun at all speeds, not just flat out. That experience taught me that faster doesnt equal better.
205 GTI 1.9, 106 Rallye, Williams Clio. Three hot hatches which are around 10 years old or more, outdoing modern stuff for fun. Not the most powerful, but the most fun.
Thats my opinion, whats yours?
Although I think I would vote of the 205 GTI 1.9 there are other candidates.
Such as...
306 GTI-6 / Rallye
106 GTI / Rallye
206 GTI 180
Saxo VTS
AX GT
BX GTI 16v
ZX 16v
Xsara VTS
Williams Clio
Clio Trophy
Clio 172 Cup
Clio V6 255
Clio 197 R27 F1
5 Gordini
Megane R26 F1
The 205 GTI 1.9 mainly because of its grunty engine, and brilliant handling. OK its not that powerful by todays standards, but as it only weighs about 950 kg that doesnt matter too much, and you can have fun and keep your license.
Worthy mentions go to the 106 Rallye, because of how focused it is, an 800 kg car with 100 bhp is always going to be quite a hoot especially when it revs to 8000 rpm as well. Also the Williams Clio as IMO the Clio became a bit soft after that in comparison. The Williams delivers much more feel and weight to the controls and it is a quick and rewarding car.
The maddest vote would go to the R5 Gordini, which is just mental. Almost as mental is the Clio V6 255. Great fun but at the price there are better driving cars, good to be seen in though, and nice V6 growl. The engine is a bit of a screamer too, for a V6, revving to 7500 RPM or so and producing peak power at a lofty 7200 RPM.
Have you noticed how yesterdays hot hatches are slower than the newer designs, yet it is always the classic stuff that is held in a higher regard, just going to prove that newer stuff has been dulled down and detached in comparison, even if you are going quicker. For example, I found a Mk2 Golf GTI 8v with a pathetic 112 bhp was actually more fun to drive than my old Clio 182, because the clio was just that much more detached from the drive than the Golf. Of course the clio would murder it in a race, but the Golf didnt really feel particularly slow. In older cars, they often feel like they are going faster than they are and I think this is a key appeal of such cars and why modern stuff does not interest me any more. To me a hot hatch is meant to be fun at all speeds, not just flat out. That experience taught me that faster doesnt equal better.
205 GTI 1.9, 106 Rallye, Williams Clio. Three hot hatches which are around 10 years old or more, outdoing modern stuff for fun. Not the most powerful, but the most fun.
Thats my opinion, whats yours?
Edited by pbirkett on Saturday 2nd February 17:40
My dad had an AX GT, when I was a youngun. Did seem like it was great fun and it was my personal favourites out of the cars he owned (which to be fair, for the most part, were boring). Maybe the fact it is only about 720 kg that helps with the fun factor? I seem to remember the engine being pretty revvy too.
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