Obscure Performance Saloon Spin-offs e.g. Jetta 16v

[Leins]

Didn't want to derail the Golf R / S3 thread, but this is a topic I personally find interesting, specifically that of rare 4-door variants of hot hatches. Or indeed any other performance car that's more normally associated with a different body-style. I'm sure there must be many I've forgotten about now, and wonder how many are actually left on the roads these days? so, for example:

Honda Civic VTi 4-dr:


The lesser-spotted Saab 900 Turbo Sedan:




And the one discussed in the other thread:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Triumph Man said:

Leins said:

Triumph Man said:

I don't like hatchbacks, so the Golf R doesn't do it for me. I do like saloons though, and the S3 is available as a saloon, so I'd have one of those. I wonder if VW would produce a Jetta R....

Judging by how many they sold of these in the heyday of the GTi, I'd be surprised if they bothered

The Jetta that was based on the Mk5 Golf had the engine from the Golf GTi at the time as an option. Not many about though so your point stands, although it shows they had another crack at it.

The Jetta is/was a lot more popular in the states than the UK. The Bora sold quite well in the UK though.

I remember the old 16V Jetta fondly. Pretty decent car and somehow felt a bit better through the corners than the Golf.

I presume that's due to not having a large hole cut out of the back of it?

I think I remember either Performance Car or Car Magazine doing a comparison test of the Jetta 16v against a couple of rivals, but can't remember what they were. Wasn't there a performance version of the Orion, with an XR3i engine?

[Leins]

MonkeyMatt said:

How about the Suzuki Swift 1.6 4x4

Never knew that existed, interesting

s m said:

Chamade 16v

Ah yes, one of my faves SM. Who doesn't love a saloon with a NACA duct?!


Here's another, the (LHD-only) S2 saloon:

[Leins]

Another rarity (albeit not an Audi production model), so much so that when I first saw it at a show a few years ago I couldn't quite work out what it was initially:

djdest said:

How about the Cavalier Turbo 4x4, same engine and running gear as the Calibra Turbo.
Everyone knew of the Calibra, but not of the Cavalier.

It was basically a facelift Mk3 Cavalier with prefacelift GSI bumpers and skirts looks wise.

My old one on a photoshoot for Total Vauxhall magazine

I like that a lot, but again never saw one on the road - only GSis

[Leins]

s m said:

......and the Alfa 155 Q4

Wasn't there something of the Integrale about those?

[Leins]

Another one I nearly forgot, the CD Carlsson (foreground):



I miss Saab

[Leins]

s m said:

They did a very quick homologation special in South Africa - the Opel Kadett 200ts in 4-dr form

200bhp, 6-speed and a LSD

Another new one on me - that must have been a riot to drive!


Although South Africa really is the land of the obscure performance saloon:

[Leins]

vikingaero said:

This thread was made for me. I owned a 4 door 900 Turbo, a 4 door Jetta GTi 16v and a 4 door Civic VTi

[Leins]

carinaman said:

Did some markets get a Tempra Sedicivalvole?

https://www.facebook.com/T%C4%B0PO-Tempra-20-16V-s...

Great shout on the Tempra, a model I'd almost forgotten even in its most cooking of versions. And then I found this (Brazil only supposedly) - 165bhp!:




Supposedly there was a quick 2L twin-cam Regata before that too, but I have no recollection of it

[Leins]

carinaman said:

A saloon version of something like the Ritmo 130TC?

Seems it was "only" 110hp though. Still more powerful than any Regata I'd ever heard of though. Wonder if they did the engine in the estate? ("Weekend"?)

KarlMac said:

Does this count?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

Well the thread has sort of morphed into one on all obscure performance saloons, and that can only be a good thing IMO, so yep that definitely counts I think

jogger1976 said:

How about an ultra rare Alpina 3.0si? I believe it was the fastest four door car in the world at the time.(0-60 in 6.1 seconds and nigh on 150mph top end)

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...

Lovely! Do like a nice Alpina

[Leins]

I have completely lost all memory of any performance Boras having ever existed

Did they ever make the LHD 309 GTi 16 in the 5-dr? Pity it never got the engine from the 405 T16

Edited by Leins on Thursday 7th April 23:45

[Leins]

Some great posting, and that Chamade and 4-dr VTi are exactly the sort of cars I was thinking of. Can't remember the last time I saw either

s m said:

Shame they didn't offer the saloon here though - might have got tested by Fast Lane - they often picked up on the rare quirky stuff like the 320is

Good call on the 320iS - as close to a production 4-dr E30 M3 as it's possible to get

[Leins]

^^^ Brilliant find, another fast Fiat saloon I didn't know existed!

[Leins]

s m said:

Sort of a rare offshoot of a coupe - the E36 318is saloon was much less common than the coupe

Was only thinking of that model the other day, and was never quite sure why BMW ever bothered with it. I think they only sold them for about 18 months? Definitely the sort of car for this thread, as everyone presumes a 318iS will be a 2-dr

[Leins]

Ah yes, preferred due to greater bodyshell rigidity over the "Combi" 3-dr from what I remember

[Leins]

Some Sunday morning reading,1987-style (if you're into this sort of thing):

[Leins]

S1 had an LSD on the front IIRC?

Interesting that they say the Jetta was c. 100lbs heavier than the Golf, but the 16Vs were lighter in Jetta-form when tested

[Leins]

I'd forgotten about the Carina E GTi. Did they also put the V6 from the Camry into one?

Great call on the Dedra Integrale, still quite fancy one of those now. How much trouble could one be?!

Edited by Leins on Sunday 10th April 20:07

[Leins]

s m said:

Rust shouldn't be an issue.

'What Car' ran the fwd Dedra Turbo for a while and said it was heavy on tyres - we didn't get the Integrale version here officially

There was one for sale a while back here in Dublin for buttons, although it looked a little rough and ready judging by the advert, but it got me wondering in terms of occasional running of something unusual and relatively capable for the winter months. Where have all those 4wd performance saloons from the late 80s / early 90s gone to?

[Leins]

xstian said:

I think the Dedra integrale was FWD.

You had me doubting myself, but it seems they are indeed 4wd. And when I was double-checking, what should pop up but that same car for sale, albeit no longer for buttons due to what looks like a recent tidy-up:

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/lanci...

[Leins]

Some excellent posting from the depths of saloon obscurity in last couple pages folks, especially the 560SE (non-L)

Great call on the Cordoba GTi - did they do a Cupra version also?

Loving the 240 too. Who doesn't love a daft old 80s barge with a turbo and alloys?!


Right, some beard knowledge required here if you will. Did our friends at either AMG or Brabus ever fit a V8 from one of the the SECs into a 190?