What's your favourite 1980s hot hatch and why?
Discussion
As my wife and baby seem to be taking over my Impreza, I'm getting a bit nostalgic about a 1980s hot hatch as my DD (only 12 miles round trip). I don't really want to spend more than about £2.5k. I just can't get excited about modern hot hatches with the exception of the Fiat Panda 100HP and Abarth 500 (because they're light and slightly old-school) and the mk2 Focus RS because of THAT engine!
I'm not concerned about outright pace (as my Impreza "family" car does this rather well) but more involvement and something that feels a bit more raw and that you really need to drive hard to get the best out of it. Light weight and the lack of modern luxuries like ABS, PAS and electric windows come to play here a bit I think. Unfortunately, as most of these cars have been thrashed mercilessly for most of their lives, there aren't many left, so the tidy ones seem to be fetching quite a premium!
A Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 or a mk2 Golf GTi are the first two cars that come to mind. I have owned a 1.6 GTi and it was still going strong at 170k, so more concerned about condition than mileage. Back then, I thought the 1.9 GTi was the bees knees (still do in fact), although mine only cost me £1800 ten years ago (a tidy one seems to be significantly more than that now). Have had a brief drive in a mk2 Golf GTi (8v) and was a bit underwhelmed with the performance after experiencing a 205. However, having owned several VWs, I appreciate that they can be slow burners and impress you more over a period of time. Ironically, the Golf always seemed to hold a premium but seems to be more plentiful and cheaper than any other 1980s hot hatch at the moment (for an 8v at least, although I would prefer a 16v). Is this because they last better than their contemporaries and probably won't have had as much spent on them on resto?
The 205 and Golf are probably most widely regarded as the best 1980s hot hatches. Is there a good reason for this? Should I go for one of these or try something different?
I also quite fancy:
Fiesta XR2 (although good ones seem to be £3-4k)
Escort XR3i (ditto but on balance I think I prefer the XR2)
Renault 5 GT Turbo (seem to be going for around £4k if you want one without the Ali G treatment)
Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v (tidy ones £3-4k - have been in one when they were new, it was very fast and bumpy, just like a VXR in fact, or so I would imagine!)
Not strictly 80s but based on 1980s designs:
VW Polo G40 (like the mini Golf GTi looks and rarity but how often do the superchargers need rebuilding? I like this age of Polo but the only one I can see for sale is a bit rusty around the bottom of the doors - only £1500 though)!
Peigeot 106 S2 Rallye (much newer but definitely has that minimalist, 1980s hot hatch vibe).
Am I missing any gems and are any of the alternatives I suggested any good? Am I best of going for a 205 or Golf because they're just better?
I'm not concerned about outright pace (as my Impreza "family" car does this rather well) but more involvement and something that feels a bit more raw and that you really need to drive hard to get the best out of it. Light weight and the lack of modern luxuries like ABS, PAS and electric windows come to play here a bit I think. Unfortunately, as most of these cars have been thrashed mercilessly for most of their lives, there aren't many left, so the tidy ones seem to be fetching quite a premium!
A Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 or a mk2 Golf GTi are the first two cars that come to mind. I have owned a 1.6 GTi and it was still going strong at 170k, so more concerned about condition than mileage. Back then, I thought the 1.9 GTi was the bees knees (still do in fact), although mine only cost me £1800 ten years ago (a tidy one seems to be significantly more than that now). Have had a brief drive in a mk2 Golf GTi (8v) and was a bit underwhelmed with the performance after experiencing a 205. However, having owned several VWs, I appreciate that they can be slow burners and impress you more over a period of time. Ironically, the Golf always seemed to hold a premium but seems to be more plentiful and cheaper than any other 1980s hot hatch at the moment (for an 8v at least, although I would prefer a 16v). Is this because they last better than their contemporaries and probably won't have had as much spent on them on resto?
The 205 and Golf are probably most widely regarded as the best 1980s hot hatches. Is there a good reason for this? Should I go for one of these or try something different?
I also quite fancy:
Fiesta XR2 (although good ones seem to be £3-4k)
Escort XR3i (ditto but on balance I think I prefer the XR2)
Renault 5 GT Turbo (seem to be going for around £4k if you want one without the Ali G treatment)
Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v (tidy ones £3-4k - have been in one when they were new, it was very fast and bumpy, just like a VXR in fact, or so I would imagine!)
Not strictly 80s but based on 1980s designs:
VW Polo G40 (like the mini Golf GTi looks and rarity but how often do the superchargers need rebuilding? I like this age of Polo but the only one I can see for sale is a bit rusty around the bottom of the doors - only £1500 though)!
Peigeot 106 S2 Rallye (much newer but definitely has that minimalist, 1980s hot hatch vibe).
Am I missing any gems and are any of the alternatives I suggested any good? Am I best of going for a 205 or Golf because they're just better?
briSk said:
bute recently i have seen two mk1 rs turbos and they're very 
in a non-cool way.
I know what you mean. They are big money now though. I forgot there was also an S2 RS Turbo which are cheaper and seem to be about the same price, if not less than an XR3i. A tidy S2 RS Turbo in red would be very tempting! in a non-cool way.stinkywinkyboy said:
Good call on both these cars, i think as long as you get a decent one you'd be happy with either.
am thinking of a similar 2nd car but is between the 205GTI 1.9 (ive had the 1.6), golf mk2 GTI would need to be 16v(again had 8v golf) or abit left field is the VW corrado VR6?
Early civic VTI or CRX only other car in price range i can like enough to own.
Ditto on the 205 GTi 1.6. Haven't owned a mk2 but I would definitely recommend a Corrado VR6. Great car, you would love it! Buy the best one that you can find though and not the first one you find like I did! Despte being based on the mk2 Golf, they have very few parts in common and are therefore quite expensive to fix. I paid too much for mine and then spent about the same again making everything right. It's worth spending a bit more on one that's completely sorted IMHO! It was a lovely car once I'd finished with it though. Looks and sounds fantastic, puts its power down well, a great long distance car and the pop-up spoiler is really cool! am thinking of a similar 2nd car but is between the 205GTI 1.9 (ive had the 1.6), golf mk2 GTI would need to be 16v(again had 8v golf) or abit left field is the VW corrado VR6?
Early civic VTI or CRX only other car in price range i can like enough to own.
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