The most sought after hot hatch of the 80s?
Discussion
EDITED: Was having a debate with a mate of mine a few weeks ago. What is CURRENTLY seen as the MOST SOUGHT AFTER hot hatch of the 80s?
He said the Peugeot 205 GTI.
I thought mk1 XR3i or XR2 - everyone seemed to have one or aspired to have one.
Interested in peoples thoughts
He said the Peugeot 205 GTI.
I thought mk1 XR3i or XR2 - everyone seemed to have one or aspired to have one.
Interested in peoples thoughts
Edited by wsn03 on Thursday 9th April 12:07
Edited by wsn03 on Thursday 9th April 12:28
Very subjective and probably more down to personal preferences.
I still have a 205 1.9 Gti but I was also fortunate enough to have had a new RS1600i in 1983 at a time when there were many cars trying to take the 'title'.
I think the RS was the fastest during 82-84. I had run ins with Astra GTE Mk1, Golf Gti 8V, 205Gti 1.6 to name but a few around that time.
Then the Escort RS Turbo, Mk2 Gti 16v and 205 gti 1.9 from the mid 80's moved it along again.
All were great hot hatches.
I still have a 205 1.9 Gti but I was also fortunate enough to have had a new RS1600i in 1983 at a time when there were many cars trying to take the 'title'.
I think the RS was the fastest during 82-84. I had run ins with Astra GTE Mk1, Golf Gti 8V, 205Gti 1.6 to name but a few around that time.
Then the Escort RS Turbo, Mk2 Gti 16v and 205 gti 1.9 from the mid 80's moved it along again.
All were great hot hatches.
What are you actually asking here?
The best hot hatch is not necessarily the most popular. Popularity in the 80's would probably go to ether the XR3/3i or the XR2 but they certainly weren't the best (I was in my 20's in the eighties and owned most of the available hot hatches at one time or another). Arguably the best would be a toss up between the Golf GTi and the 205 GTi. From personal experience I would choose a Mk2 Golf GTi 8 valve. More than adequate at everything and extremely well put together.
As far as what is the most sought after now, any fast Ford goes for stupid money so by that logic alone it would make any of the XR3/XR3i/RS Turbo/RS 1600i/XR2 the most sought after cars.
The best hot hatch is not necessarily the most popular. Popularity in the 80's would probably go to ether the XR3/3i or the XR2 but they certainly weren't the best (I was in my 20's in the eighties and owned most of the available hot hatches at one time or another). Arguably the best would be a toss up between the Golf GTi and the 205 GTi. From personal experience I would choose a Mk2 Golf GTi 8 valve. More than adequate at everything and extremely well put together.
As far as what is the most sought after now, any fast Ford goes for stupid money so by that logic alone it would make any of the XR3/XR3i/RS Turbo/RS 1600i/XR2 the most sought after cars.
By the late '80s/early '90s when I was an impressionable teenager, the 205 and Golf were the top 2 with XR2/XR3 following behind.
I'd say there were, in those days, more base model Fiestas and Escorts with XR wheels/bodykits than there were tarted up Pugs/Golves, which might have made the Fords look more popular than they were.
Someone must be able to look up the sales figures? Wasn't the ratio of Golf GTi vs non-GTi heavily in favour of the GTi at one point?
I'd say there were, in those days, more base model Fiestas and Escorts with XR wheels/bodykits than there were tarted up Pugs/Golves, which might have made the Fords look more popular than they were.
Someone must be able to look up the sales figures? Wasn't the ratio of Golf GTi vs non-GTi heavily in favour of the GTi at one point?
Sparky137 said:
What are you actually asking here?
The best hot hatch is not necessarily the most popular. Popularity in the 80's would probably go to ether the XR3/3i or the XR2 but they certainly weren't the best (I was in my 20's in the eighties and owned most of the available hot hatches at one time or another). Arguably the best would be a toss up between the Golf GTi and the 205 GTi. From personal experience I would choose a Mk2 Golf GTi 8 valve. More than adequate at everything and extremely well put together.
As far as what is the most sought after now, any fast Ford goes for stupid money so by that logic alone it would make any of the XR3/XR3i/RS Turbo/RS 1600i/XR2 the most sought after cars.
Im asking what is the most sought after, not the best. The best hot hatch is not necessarily the most popular. Popularity in the 80's would probably go to ether the XR3/3i or the XR2 but they certainly weren't the best (I was in my 20's in the eighties and owned most of the available hot hatches at one time or another). Arguably the best would be a toss up between the Golf GTi and the 205 GTi. From personal experience I would choose a Mk2 Golf GTi 8 valve. More than adequate at everything and extremely well put together.
As far as what is the most sought after now, any fast Ford goes for stupid money so by that logic alone it would make any of the XR3/XR3i/RS Turbo/RS 1600i/XR2 the most sought after cars.
The best for me was the Golf GTI, my favourite was the Astra GTE (mk1) - the one car I probably miss the most of all cars I owned.
I thought it must be any MK1 XR3 - every average bloke aspired to own one when they came out, or so it seemed?
wsn03 said:
Im asking what is the most sought after, not the best.
The best for me was the Golf GTI, my favourite was the Astra GTE (mk1) - the one car I probably miss the most of all cars I owned.
I thought it must be any MK1 XR3 - every average bloke aspired to own one when they came out, or so it seemed?
Mk1 Astra GTE is a car most people forget about (short production run, impressive Mk 2 replacement).The best for me was the Golf GTI, my favourite was the Astra GTE (mk1) - the one car I probably miss the most of all cars I owned.
I thought it must be any MK1 XR3 - every average bloke aspired to own one when they came out, or so it seemed?
I bloody loved them.
"Sought after" means the one people want the most. Not necessarily the best.
If you base your calculations on what prices similar condition cars fetch today, then I'd guess Mk1 Golf / Escort RS Turbo would take the crown.
"Best" is a different story, and it's worth remembering that as the decade of prime development for the hot hatch, there's a world of difference between the abilities of what was available at the beginning (Golf, XR2 / 3, Fiat Strada etc) and what was available by the end (Golf 16v, 205 GTi 1.9, RS Turbo + Japanese contenders).
If you base your calculations on what prices similar condition cars fetch today, then I'd guess Mk1 Golf / Escort RS Turbo would take the crown.
"Best" is a different story, and it's worth remembering that as the decade of prime development for the hot hatch, there's a world of difference between the abilities of what was available at the beginning (Golf, XR2 / 3, Fiat Strada etc) and what was available by the end (Golf 16v, 205 GTi 1.9, RS Turbo + Japanese contenders).
So many different questions asked in one post!
Most sought after hot hatch (now).
Taking that to be the one people want but that's hardest to find - probably the Talbot Sunbeam Ti. Not that many made and very poor survival rate but quite a following in the I-want-an-80s-hot-hatch-that's-a-bit-querky crowd.
Not sure what demand is like but the Citroen AX GTi might be a contender here too.
Most sought after hot hatch (in the 80's).
Probably the Golf GTi. Probably not the fastest or most agile but it's the old class-thing-with-an-80s-spin - if one of your mates had an Escort XR3i, another had an Astra GTE, and you had a Golf GTi, you knew you were better than them...and more importantly they knew it too.
The hottest hatch of the 80s
If you take the fundimental of the hot hatch as being a fun drivers car to throw around A roads...while justifying it as a practical family car, then probably the Pug. 205 GTi.
(though I'd still go for a Mk2 Golf GTi, probably with a hole pre-punched through just below the door handle, so people didn't need to damage the paint while breaking in to it)
Most sought after hot hatch (now).
Taking that to be the one people want but that's hardest to find - probably the Talbot Sunbeam Ti. Not that many made and very poor survival rate but quite a following in the I-want-an-80s-hot-hatch-that's-a-bit-querky crowd.
Not sure what demand is like but the Citroen AX GTi might be a contender here too.
Most sought after hot hatch (in the 80's).
Probably the Golf GTi. Probably not the fastest or most agile but it's the old class-thing-with-an-80s-spin - if one of your mates had an Escort XR3i, another had an Astra GTE, and you had a Golf GTi, you knew you were better than them...and more importantly they knew it too.
The hottest hatch of the 80s
If you take the fundimental of the hot hatch as being a fun drivers car to throw around A roads...while justifying it as a practical family car, then probably the Pug. 205 GTi.
(though I'd still go for a Mk2 Golf GTi, probably with a hole pre-punched through just below the door handle, so people didn't need to damage the paint while breaking in to it)
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Not the Delta Integrale?
I reckon this but others will say it's not your average hot hatch due to it not being FWD.I think the most sought after will be either the Mk2 Golf GTI for the 205 GTI. For me personally, I'd have another Fiat Strada Abarth 130TC over the aforementioned GTI's.
wsn03 said:
Was having a debate with a mate of mine a few weeks ago. What is the seen as the hottest hatch of the 80s?
He said the Peugeot 205 GTI.
I thought mk1 XR3i or XR2 - everyone seemed to have one or aspired to have one.
Interested in peoples thoughts
I'm sure that's a rather ignorant stance to assume 'everyone' aspired to one.He said the Peugeot 205 GTI.
I thought mk1 XR3i or XR2 - everyone seemed to have one or aspired to have one.
Interested in peoples thoughts
You also seem to be asking different questions:
-thread title = "most sought after", today
-opening post = "hottest hatch"
-opening post = "aspired too", past tense
They won't all have the same answer
My first car was a Mk2 XR2 in 1996, cracking car when most friends had minis/metros/novas but back then there were other far superior cars many of which have already been mentioned. The brakes were woeful on Mk2 Fiestas.
I never understood the hype around Novas, lots of mates had them but they were horrid to drive - seem to remember very low insurance on a 1.3 SR though.
I never understood the hype around Novas, lots of mates had them but they were horrid to drive - seem to remember very low insurance on a 1.3 SR though.
GT6 Jonsey said:
There is only one hot hatch that I would want to own that just creeps into 80’s not necessarily the best but rare and sought after
Loved these, never had one sadly. A mate did and some fun was had. Managed to keep up with him in a Mk 2 Astra GTE. He had an engine problem that meant he had a 4K rev.limit, otherwise....
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