Most fun "slow" car?
Discussion
Like many people, I assume (perhaps wrongly) that the faster a car is the more fun it is. However, thinking about it more carefully, I have had some of my most fun drives in "slow" cars. Am I alone in deriving pleasure from thrashing a "slow" car, particularly one that handles well. Before someone asks the question "define slow?", I will make a nominal limit of 100bhp. I wouldn't say that all cars (especially larger cars) with more than 100bhp are fast (my 2.0 petrol Golf was one of the slowest cars that I've owned and not that fun) but I have owned cars with about the same amount of power like a Peugeot 205 1.6 GTi and an MX-5 which aren't fast but I wouldn't consider to be slow either. I imagine some classics like proper minis and Morris Minors might rate quite highly but as I haven't driven either, I will only speak from experience. Here's my pick.
1. Fiat Cinquecento Sporting (my first car - felt a lot faster than it was, loved to be thrashed, great steering feel and handling)
2. Ford Ka 1.3 (arguably better ride and handling than the Fiat - I kept a hard-driven MGB honest in one down a twisty country road but the engine wasn't as thrashable as the Fiat)
3. Ford Focus 1.6 - great ride and handling
4. Rover 25/MG ZR 1.4 - I used to have these as company cars and actually preferred the less powerful Rover for its good ride/handling balance (more fun than the VW Polos that I had subsequently)
5. Fiat 500 1.2 (my wife's car) - An enjoyable if flawed drive, although I would have to say that the ride and steering are a backwards step from the Cinquecento.
6. Suzuki Alto 1.1 - I don't think I used the brakes once in 20 miles (barelling into corners and roundabouts flat out which wasn't as dangerous as it sounds as we were still going really slow).
7. Citroen Nemo Multispace diesel - surprisingly fun.
8. Peugeot 309 1.3
I also have to mention these "slow" cars for being particularly awful to drive:
Ford Escort 1.8, Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 (1996), Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, City Rover, Fiat Grande Punto 1.2
So what "slow" cars would you rate as being good fun to drive?
1. Fiat Cinquecento Sporting (my first car - felt a lot faster than it was, loved to be thrashed, great steering feel and handling)
2. Ford Ka 1.3 (arguably better ride and handling than the Fiat - I kept a hard-driven MGB honest in one down a twisty country road but the engine wasn't as thrashable as the Fiat)
3. Ford Focus 1.6 - great ride and handling
4. Rover 25/MG ZR 1.4 - I used to have these as company cars and actually preferred the less powerful Rover for its good ride/handling balance (more fun than the VW Polos that I had subsequently)
5. Fiat 500 1.2 (my wife's car) - An enjoyable if flawed drive, although I would have to say that the ride and steering are a backwards step from the Cinquecento.
6. Suzuki Alto 1.1 - I don't think I used the brakes once in 20 miles (barelling into corners and roundabouts flat out which wasn't as dangerous as it sounds as we were still going really slow).
7. Citroen Nemo Multispace diesel - surprisingly fun.
8. Peugeot 309 1.3
I also have to mention these "slow" cars for being particularly awful to drive:
Ford Escort 1.8, Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 (1996), Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, City Rover, Fiat Grande Punto 1.2
So what "slow" cars would you rate as being good fun to drive?
Slow cars are in general much more involving to extract good progress from, preserving precious momentum requires plenty of foresight, and knowledge of the roads you are on always helps. However, they can also be frustrating when you get stuck behind a queue of cars and simply don't have the power to get past safely, or the cock you are trying to overtake decides to accelerate.
The classic mini has to be near the top, but the Cinquecento is as close to the mini as relatively modern (compared to 1959!) cars get IMO.
The 1.0L Micra is also eminently thrashable, and I have a friend who reckons the most fun car he ever owned was a 3 cylinder turbo-diesel Daihatsu Charade.
The classic mini has to be near the top, but the Cinquecento is as close to the mini as relatively modern (compared to 1959!) cars get IMO.
The 1.0L Micra is also eminently thrashable, and I have a friend who reckons the most fun car he ever owned was a 3 cylinder turbo-diesel Daihatsu Charade.
I suppose my mate's 1.6 Capri might qualify for this - certainly not the fastest thing but my god is it fun on the back roads!
It now has firmer suspension on it so it actually handles very well. It isn't a 1.6 any more either, I can't wait to see what it is like when he is done with it
Another mate has a 1998 1.0 Micra that is a great fun little thing too.
My old 1.8 Mondeo was actualy brilliant fun to drive too, I miss that car
It now has firmer suspension on it so it actually handles very well. It isn't a 1.6 any more either, I can't wait to see what it is like when he is done with it
Another mate has a 1998 1.0 Micra that is a great fun little thing too.
My old 1.8 Mondeo was actualy brilliant fun to drive too, I miss that car
The 90s Nissan Micra has to be on the list, I would never have believed it until I drove one as a courtesy car last year (it was a small garage!). Incredibly responsive, and easy to throw all over the road. Brilliant fun.
Also the Panda 100HP - so much better than it should have been from such humble origins.
Also the Panda 100HP - so much better than it should have been from such humble origins.
white_goodman said:
1. Fiat Cinquecento Sporting (my first car - felt a lot faster than it was, loved to be thrashed, great steering feel and handling)
I had one of them as a snotter. Fabulous fun to thrash about in.I'm going to get a 500 when the kids are old enough to need a car, I love little Fiats
I've had a Cinq (Sporting), 205(XS) and 106 (Rallye), they were all great fun! Now on a 309 (1.3 Style) which I haven't had on any decent roads yet, think I may have to go for a blast in it now actually...
I think lightness and simplicity is key to having fun in low-powered cars, although I even managed to have fun ragging my old diesel ZX around, but the PAS, lack of revviness and general blandness sort of killed it.
I think lightness and simplicity is key to having fun in low-powered cars, although I even managed to have fun ragging my old diesel ZX around, but the PAS, lack of revviness and general blandness sort of killed it.
Edited by twazzock on Wednesday 19th October 21:09
s
t cars I have owned and loved :
1) classic mini 1000's and 850's - (4 in total) all SLOW and unreliable
2) Suzuki flying zit - why i weighed it in I'll never know
3) Fiat 126 - slooooooooooow but amazingly mad in the snow.
4) mk2 fiesta car derived van with rear side windows (1.1 popular)
5) Ax 1.4 D. no wait. I hated it, but with 185/55x13 tyres it was okay round bends
6) Metro Turbo............ wait what's slow about 93 bhp ? Well, these days you ain't a hot hatch without 200 bhp, and the turdo wasn't exactly the most powerful hot hatch of it's time, for instance the 1.9 205 gti having 130 Bhp so it was and is considered slow compared to it's contemporaies, and it's successors but it's still the most fun car I've driven.
t cars I have owned and loved : 1) classic mini 1000's and 850's - (4 in total) all SLOW and unreliable
2) Suzuki flying zit - why i weighed it in I'll never know
3) Fiat 126 - slooooooooooow but amazingly mad in the snow.
4) mk2 fiesta car derived van with rear side windows (1.1 popular)
5) Ax 1.4 D. no wait. I hated it, but with 185/55x13 tyres it was okay round bends
6) Metro Turbo............ wait what's slow about 93 bhp ? Well, these days you ain't a hot hatch without 200 bhp, and the turdo wasn't exactly the most powerful hot hatch of it's time, for instance the 1.9 205 gti having 130 Bhp so it was and is considered slow compared to it's contemporaies, and it's successors but it's still the most fun car I've driven.
My MK1 Ford Escorts maybe, or perhaps the MK1 Golf GTI?
No, I think the most fun I've had in a slow car was in my 1275 Round Wheel Arch MG Midget, tuned to a massive 65bhp measured at the back wheel, uprated brakes and freshened suspension.
It didn't handle on rails, but it was very progressive, and much fun within the legal limit.
Living in the MG for a week, whilst following the RAC around Britain. Oh yes, much fun indeed.
No, I think the most fun I've had in a slow car was in my 1275 Round Wheel Arch MG Midget, tuned to a massive 65bhp measured at the back wheel, uprated brakes and freshened suspension.
It didn't handle on rails, but it was very progressive, and much fun within the legal limit.
Living in the MG for a week, whilst following the RAC around Britain. Oh yes, much fun indeed.
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