Calling all unusual hot hatch owners
Discussion
rb5er said:
You see them every day. Good car but certainly not rare or unusual.
I'd suggest a Charade gtti, starlet gt turbo or punto gt.
Perhaps they are not rare, but they are certainly uncommon. Stuff like Golf GTis, Civic Type R EP3s and RS Clios are pretty every day - the Civic Type R especially, but I hardly ever see Cupra R 225s. As an owner of one myself, I'm always on the look out. I've seen 3 in as long as I've been looking!I'd suggest a Charade gtti, starlet gt turbo or punto gt.
I have seen a few lesser Leons that bear a resemblance to an R, but only very occasionally do I spot a real R that is not mine.
I would consider them an unusual choice of hot hatch though, even if they don't have the rarity factor of older obscure hatches, simply because they are still on the road and not turned into scrap or garage queens. The car was applauded by the likes of EVO on it's own and in group tests, yet they were never a sales boomer for Seat, but that could be more to do with the brand than the car itself imo. They might not be as raw as a Civic Type R, but they are great cars imo. They will always be criticised for "lack of steering feel" (that old chestnut), but they are planted and had plenty of power even as standard, making them quick and comfortable cars to drive. Imo a great looking hatch for it's era too, very stout and muscular. If I have any complaint about mine it's that there is simply too much noise insulation, so if I'm driving for fun I have to have to window down to really listen to the sounds the car is making.
If you boil it down, it's a MK4 VAG Golf / Leon / S3 chassis with a 1.8L Audi turbo engine. However, Seat did a lot of good work with the suspension and really giving it a bit of identity and edge in a brand-group that is often seen as pretty stoic and dull. On the other hand though, I suppose it really is not as unusual as something obscure like a Fiat Uno Turbo.
An MG ZR 160 van is a rare old beast! Anyone on here got one?
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrive...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrive...
Edited by drakart on Wednesday 27th July 20:21
Mastodon2 said:
Perhaps they are not rare, but they are certainly uncommon.
I would consider them an unusual choice of hot hatch though, even if they don't have the rarity factor of older obscure hatches, simply because they are still on the road and not turned into scrap or garage queens.
I don't get it... why would anyone scrap or garage a 5-10yr old hatch?I would consider them an unusual choice of hot hatch though, even if they don't have the rarity factor of older obscure hatches, simply because they are still on the road and not turned into scrap or garage queens.
twazzock said:
I don't get it... why would anyone scrap or garage a 5-10yr old hatch?
I didn't mean hatches from the era of the Cupra R, I meant the older generation that were more fragile in terms of mechanicals and body work. Hardly surprising that you don't see many of them anymore.Well, here's my photo with a difference.
It was the day before his wedding when the groom let slip he hadn't planned how to get there. Cue some ribbons and a lot of polish:
It's never looked so spotless. And yes, it is a hatch.
This photo was taken when I was playing taxi to the bride/bridesmaids about 3 hours before the wedding to get their hair done. Jeans/T-shirt but veil and make up in place.
The bride felt like a McDonalds on the way home, so we pulled in... needless to say, we looked like the chavviest wedding party you ever met!
The Rolls Royce that eventually took her to the church and delivered the happy couple to their reception was much more in keeping.
It was the day before his wedding when the groom let slip he hadn't planned how to get there. Cue some ribbons and a lot of polish:
It's never looked so spotless. And yes, it is a hatch.
This photo was taken when I was playing taxi to the bride/bridesmaids about 3 hours before the wedding to get their hair done. Jeans/T-shirt but veil and make up in place.
The bride felt like a McDonalds on the way home, so we pulled in... needless to say, we looked like the chavviest wedding party you ever met!
The Rolls Royce that eventually took her to the church and delivered the happy couple to their reception was much more in keeping.
Edited by blearyeyedboy on Wednesday 27th July 19:20
Edited by blearyeyedboy on Wednesday 27th July 19:20
Marf said:
1.8, not 2.0
Ah, so you know more about these! Please tell me more, as I can remember very little about them although I thought they sounded cool, kind of like a cheap Japanese Delta Integrale! Which, as mentioned above, is fairly obvious since it's the greatest hot hatch of all time IMO - even though I've usually classed it as a rally rep. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff