Tiny Warm/Hot Hatches

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Afternoon all.
In the new year I'm going to be on the lookout for a new project hot hatch but space constraints (garage already full of other non-car stuff) means I don't want to/can't just go and buy another mk5 Golf GTI or Civic Type R etc.

Plus I don't need the space a bigger car offers so I'm looking at tiny options and have:
- the obvious one... Mini R53. Owned 2 before, love them, loads of parts, quick, easy to work on (I'm an amateur mechanic so something thats easy to fix when it goes wrong is a bonus!)
- the expensive one... Lupo GTI. Bit of a VW fan boi and always wanted a Lupo. Top end of my £4k'ish budget and VERY slim pickings vs the Mini which that budget should see me into a decent one with a few mods too.
- the Italian one... Panda 100HP. Love the fact they seem to be almost universally liked but not sure they're special enough.

What else? Is there anything? Was thinking there might be some random JDM thing that might tick some boxes but not sure... maybe something older (and so smaller) - Polo GT,

[blue_haddock]

Suzuki swift Sport?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202072...

Edited by blue_haddock on Tuesday 29th November 13:35

[E63eeeeee...]

Audi S1?

I really want to try one at some point, just like the idea.

[hothatch1.6]

MiTO QV with the abarth engine?

[E63eeeeee...]

E63eeeeee... said:

Audi S1?

I really want to try one at some point, just like the idea.

Sorry, I didn't spot your budget. Probably won't get an S1 for 4k.

[What The Deuces]

Twingo 133

[InitialDave]

Does it have to be a hatch? Get a Suzuki Cappuccino.

Or an Ignis, actually.

But yes, Panda 100HPs are great, the Twingo is good too, but a bit more tinny than most stuff being discussed, feels like more of a 90s French car, which is both good and bad.

A nice little AWD turbo kei hatch would work for you too, but £4k is probably too low for anything decent.

Edited by InitialDave on Tuesday 29th November 13:21

[DaveyBoyWonder]

InitialDave said:

Does it have to be a hatch? Get a Suzuki Cappuccino.

Or an Ignis, actually.

But yes, Panda 100HPs are great, the Twingo is good too, but a bit more tinny than most stuff being discussed, feels like more of a 90s French car, which is both good and bad.

A nice little AWD turbo kei hatch would work for you too, but £4k is probably too low for anything decent.

Edited by InitialDave on Tuesday 29th November 13:21

Forgot about a Twingo - looked at 1*2s but not sure... quite like the Twingo too...

Agree - one of those crazy little Daihatsu (?) kei cars would be ace. The tiny hatchback one...

[covmutley]

I have a small garage and I was researching the Twingo 133 for a while and they seem to get good write ups. A few threads on here of people who have them, and rate them.

I went off-piste though, and ended up with a '67 Austin Healey sprite. Fits in the garage easily!

[MisanoPayments]

Former Lupo GTI owner here, and I would highly recommend one. Having said that, I bought mine privately at three years and about 28,000 miles old, so I'm not sure how they've aged.

You've likely seen AutoTrader - very thin on the ground as you say. There's never very many on there - I have a saved search. It looks like the seller of the black one which appeared this week did not see the asking price of the silver one down in Exeter that's similar miles but three years younger (both without a/c though!)

You say you like VWs. You could try getting a Polo 1.9TDI 130 whilst your Lupo turns up!

[LightningBlue]

Don’t understand the Panda thing on here, they’re hideous. Minis are great fun

[LankyFreak]

Micra 160SR? They're quite small, really fun, and VERY safe if you roll them on the A9

[InitialDave]

LightningBlue said:

Don’t understand the Panda thing on here, they’re hideous. Minis are great fun

I'd say the opposite.

Depends on personal taste.

[Silvanus]

hothatch1.6 said:

MiTO QV with the abarth engine?

These are great second hand buys, don't handle as well as the Mini but are fun in all sorts of other ways. The Citroen DS3 DSport is worth a look too, fun little things. SEATs Ibiza Cupra Bocanegra is a quick thing and definitely stands out from the crowd.

As mentioned it would be hard to go wrong with a Suzuki Swift Sort, Perhaps a bit more rough and ready than the above but they are great handlers, slightly more refined Japanes alternatives are The Mazda2 Sport and Mitsubishi Colt Turbo Raliart.

Slightly alternative options are the Hyundai Veloster Sport, Hond CR-Z and the MG3

[Throttlebody]

As above, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart - 1.5 Turbo CZT.

[OFORBES]

What The Deuces said:

Twingo 133

I'll second the vote for a Twingo 133. Had one back when they were new, and after a few too many glasses of red, I was the highest bidder on a very low-mileage black one on collecting cars last year. I paid too much for it but fortunately sold it for the same money.

I was tempted to do the Megane 2.0 T conversion on it, but I have zero mechanical abilities let alone even home mechanic skills and the cost of having it done professionally made somehow convinced me to instead to buy an UP GTI for the same money.

[ShinyPsyduck]

EP2 Civic, is cheaper than an EP3 and the EP3 parts all fit.

[ajprice]

Throttlebody said:

As above, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart - 1.5 Turbo CZT.

Also the Smart ForFour Brabus. Similar 1.5 turbo mechanicals, different body and interior.

[ZX10R NIN]

The Mito Cloverleaf 170:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211111...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211251...

Or QV:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210090...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205195...

Abarth 500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211201...

Abarth 595 160:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211091...

Twingo RS:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205316...

Cup:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211231...

[georgeyboy12345]

Couple of ideas

Think someone has already mentioned a Suzuki Ignis - here's a really cheap one that would make a good project
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206026...


Toyota Yaris 1.5 VVT-i - looks like it might have been in a bump?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210100...