One variant that stands out...

[The Wookie]

Reading through the 200mph A1 thread reminded me of something that dawned on me when I looked at the cover of Autocar yesterday...

Now I am definitely not a fan of the A1, in fact (flame suit on) I think it is an example of the worst kind of overpriced badge engineering for people too image conscious to buy a Polo, which in turn I also find to be a dreary grey armpit of a car.

However this...



252bhp in a small, light (by todays standards) car with all wheel drive. With plenty of experience with that engine knocking about, it also shouldn't be too difficult to crack over 300bhp with it.

I want one... even though at 50k it still epitomises the overpriced badge engineering of the standard car.

Anyone else care to share examples of dreary, uninspiring models punctuated by an edition that warms the cockles of your petrol fuelled soul?

[deeen]

Rover 75 with Rwd and Mustang V8 ?

[Ved]

I would say the Clio V6 is suitably different to the RS Clio to be considered. It also has supercar road presence even when sharing a badge of a much more common car.

[DanielC4GP]

deeen said:

Rover 75 with Rwd and Mustang V8 ?

want so bad

[SWoll]

DanielC4GP said:

deeen said:

Rover 75 with Rwd and Mustang V8 ?

Don't want. So bad

Fixed that for you.


Lotus Carlton?

Edited by SWoll on Wednesday 4th January 14:51

[Fastdruid]

The Wookie said:

252bhp in a small, light (by todays standards)

1390Kg is not light even by todays poor standards. It's the smallest car in the range and weighs just short of a (modern) Mondeo...

My estate is going to be a super light by the end of the decade if this bloat continues.

[DanielC4GP]

SWoll said:

DanielC4GP said:

deeen said:

Rover 75 with Rwd and Mustang V8 ?

Don't want. So bad

Fixed that for you.


Lotus Carlton?

Edited by SWoll on Wednesday 4th January 14:51

No, no, no change it back. Behold:- the ultimate sleeper.





The Lotus Carlton is a very special car though and I do love it dearly.

[Iain XR4i]

Sierra and the XR4i.

[The Wookie]

Fastdruid said:

1390Kg is not light even by todays poor standards. It's the smallest car in the range and weighs just short of a (modern) Mondeo...

My estate is going to be a super light by the end of the decade if this bloat continues.

To be honest I thought it was going to be around 1250kg with the sort of performance they're claiming. I'm also nothing short of stunned that any new Mondeo is as light as 1400kg!

[kambites]

I think the Mondeo starts at about 1500kg.

My vote goes to something like the Rover 75 V8; the Clio V6; or anything else where someone has turned a mass-produced FWD car into a silly RWD thing.

[Fastdruid]

1435Kg for the lightest 2007+ Mondeo. Not _good_ but then its far far larger than its predecessors (which for the 2000-2007 went from 1364Kg)

[Mr Gear]

Escort Cosworth is the obvious one. All other Escorts of that era deserve to be scrapped (and luckily, most of them have been).

[rfn]

The Wookie said:

Fastdruid said:

1390Kg is not light even by todays poor standards. It's the smallest car in the range and weighs just short of a (modern) Mondeo...

My estate is going to be a super light by the end of the decade if this bloat continues.

To be honest I thought it was going to be around 1250kg with the sort of performance they're claiming. I'm also nothing short of stunned that any new Mondeo is as light as 1400kg!

Where did you get 1390Kg as a weight from? A Mondeo weighs upwards of 1500Kg... A Diesel engined A1 (arguably the heaviest engine available at the moment) is under 1200Kg.

[kambites]

Do Ford weigh their cars with driver, fuel and luggage though like Audi do?

[Spanna]

Escort Cosworth, all other variants were pretty poor but the Cosworth is lusted after.

Focus RS.

[10 Pence Short]

Really dull Honda hatchback, mid 90s. 1.8 petrol engine.

Nearly 170bhp and more than 8000rpm.

[SWoll]

Mr Gear said:

Escort Cosworth is the obvious one. All other Escorts of that era deserve to be scrapped (and luckily, most of them have been).

Having driven one I would suggest that it's reputation in certain circles is a lot better than the reality though, even after they fitted the smaller turbo to get rid of the laaaaaaaaaaaag...

[Fastdruid]

rfn said:

The Wookie said:

Fastdruid said:

1390Kg is not light even by todays poor standards. It's the smallest car in the range and weighs just short of a (modern) Mondeo...

My estate is going to be a super light by the end of the decade if this bloat continues.

To be honest I thought it was going to be around 1250kg with the sort of performance they're claiming. I'm also nothing short of stunned that any new Mondeo is as light as 1400kg!

Where did you get 1390Kg as a weight from? A Mondeo weighs upwards of 1500Kg... A Diesel engined A1 (arguably the heaviest engine available at the moment) is under 1200Kg.

http://skiddmark.com/2011/12/audis-new-a1-quattro-leaves-us-underwhelmed/
Or even from the horses mouth
http://www.audi.co.uk/audi-innovation/concept-cars...

1435Kg is the Mondeo 1.6 Edge 5d admittedly that's going to be as dull as a dull thing but still.
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-fi...

Edited by Fastdruid on Wednesday 4th January 15:16

Edited by Fastdruid on Wednesday 4th January 15:17

[ikarl]

Nissan Sunny
vs
Nissan Pulsar GtiR

(though not on a par with the Clio V6!!!)

[Rawwr]

If only they'd actually made it