Hot hatches from... back in the day

[DSMSMR]

I was never a HH guy back in the 70's and 80's. I had a boring Cortina, then an MGB (coz it was cheap) then a couple of GT 6's b4 "settling down" to boring ish cars for a several years.

But am thinking, should I now scratch that itch?

What was best. The mk 1 or 2 Golf GTi, the Pug 1.6/1.9. A fiesta XR2....was there a XR2i?....The renault gt turbo. I did have an Alfasud 33 but not the faster cloverleaf. Should the slightly bigger XR3i be included as well then.....not exactly HH were they. bit bigger etc. The Astra GTE.....

I know one or two more could be added but they sold in far far fewer numbers compared to the above.

BUT as I never owned one, my mind and wallet drifts back to my earlier cars. The GT6's and the MGB GT. I could probably fall into a GT6 but getting out....They were noisy with a lot of tranny whine. The MGBGT.....well .....it was, to me, a small Stag....which was only driven by old men....

So that orange blaze 1971 MG. I'm after you.

[ARH]

Be different Maestro Turbo.

[DSMSMR]

ARH said:

Be different Maestro Turbo.

be easier finding the holy grail

[ChrisH72]

You'll need deep pockets for good examples of old hot hatches these days. Depends how you want to use the car too.

I passed my test in the late 80s and always really wanted a 205 Gti. Never got one of course although I did run a diesel 205 as a driving school car in the 90s. That was actually a decent car!

If you wanted something you can actually use then maybe a restomod?

[Edanrage]

Did go and look at a MG Metro Turbo.or was it just a Metro Turbo .went like stink .my wife said your not having this .you will kill yourself I must of been in my late 20,s.
So i bought a mk 2. Xr2 biggest mistake ever .a lemon is not the word . It Did feel like a limousine compared to the Metro.

[ZX10R NIN]

Some leftfield suggestions.

Uno Turbo:

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1688557

220 Tomcat:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/206576881774?_skw=rover...

Renault 19 16V:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/188965314762?_skw=renau...

309 GTI:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/127812886861?_skw=peuge...

Strada Abarth:

https://www.carandclassic.com/make-an-offer/1986-f...

Calibra rather than a GTE:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/237100267766?_skw=vauxh...

[Belle427]

Having owned and driven a fair few I would probably go Pug 205 or Renault 5 Turbo.
One that did surprise me was the Citroën saxo vts that a mate replaced his 205 with, I would go as far to say I preferred it over the 205.
The Renault was just epic fun when that turbo came on boost.
I was a Ford fanboy and still hanker over a Sapphire Cosworth today.
I did like the Rover offerings too as another mates dad had them.

[DSMSMR]

Belle427 said:

Having owned and driven a fair few I would probably go Pug 205 or Renault 5 Turbo.
One that did surprise me was the Citroën saxo vts that a mate replaced his 205 with, I would go as far to say I preferred it over the 205.
The Renault was just epic fun when that turbo came on boost.
I was a Ford fanboy and still hanker over a Sapphire Cosworth today.
I did like the Rover offerings too as another mates dad had them.

I always liked the Sapphire as well. Just the bog standard car. A mate at RNAS Portland had a newish Sierra...green. It was chalk n cheese compared to the Sapphire.

[ukwill]

I have a soft spot for the Mk1 Golf GTi. Had a couple back in the late 80s early 90s and have fond memories. Upgraded the suspension and they stuck to the road.

I never owned a R5 GT Turbo (had a Gordiini Turbo though) - so would probably want to try one of those if given the choice (ideally a Raider). Pug 1.9 too maybe.

[Regbuser]

https://www.drivingheroes.co.uk/product/peugeot-10...

[paul_c123]

The Mk1 Golf GTI was the best, the Mk2 not that bad and I've heard good things about the Peugeot 205 GTI. Anything else, take away the performance and its a Maestro/Uno/whatever under the GTI badge, which all had their quirks in various forms. The Golf and Peugeot were decent cars at the time.

You'll be paying dearly for a good car; and there is a great danger you'll buy an "ok-ish" car for good money, as with all classics.

[Terzo123]

I had a J plate Civic 1.6 VT (EE9) back in the day. 150bhp, zero torque but weighed the same as a bag of crisps. It was a fantastic car. Rare as rocking horse poo these days.

[Tickle]

Regbuser said:

https://www.drivingheroes.co.uk/product/peugeot-10...

Oh my

[OutInTheShed]

Back in which day exactly?

Golfs were fashionable for a while, then all the chavs had them and people wanted something different.

A lot of OK 'cars for their time', each with a different compromise of price/performance/image/insurability and all that.

[cerb4.5lee]

Tickle said:

Regbuser said:

https://www.drivingheroes.co.uk/product/peugeot-10...

Oh my

I've never been able to get past the wheels, and I've held them against it ever since it was new. A good car though nonetheless going from the reviews at the time anyway.

[RichFN2]

For 90s hot hatches it would be one of these, absolutely loved going for a blast with mates who had them:

https://www.hillsprestigecars.co.uk/used/cars/rena...

https://www.wellingtonstreetcs.co.uk/details/used-...

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1607588

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2200311

Not quite as popular but they were still supposed to be great fun:
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C2122507

These were never the fastest hot hatch, but they had fantastic handling and were a raw driving experience for a hot hatch:
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2137526

[Trevor555]

I think if I had to choose one to own today it'd have to be the Clio Williams, same engine I had in my Spider.

I used to sell them new, back in the day, along with the 5 turbos.

[Tickle]

Trevor555 said:

I think if I had to choose one to own today it'd have to be the Clio Williams, same engine I had in my Spider.

I used to sell them new, back in the day, along with the 5 turbos.

The 5 Turbos were amazing! I think there is a readers cars thread with a brown one, very cool.

[Tickle]

cerb4.5lee said:

I've never been able to get past the wheels, and I've held them against it ever since it was new. A good car though nonetheless going from the reviews at the time anyway.

I love the little steel wheels, they are a great touch. I saw a S1 on Speedline 5 spokes, it suited them. Plus it was really mucky, it just looked so right.

[MissChief]

I a,ways wanted a mk.1 CRX Vtec. The size and power appealed. The major problem you’ll have is either they’ve been restored and they want thousands for it, or you’re buying something that needs work. Very little left in the middle ground of looked after, clean and not dissolved into piles of red dust.