Hot Hatchbacks..
- Thread starter Housey
- Start date
Yes the R8 but the Polo GTi was the one focused on. Again just referring back to the MX5 that was being mentioned, fun but more practicality wanted. A friend of mine has a v12 Vantage and a 3 series. It is what you want from a car. The feeling from the original post was wanting to look beyond a hot hatch.
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No not really, it was used as an example of a hot hatch, no a particularly a good one, but one that put a smile on my face in the context of being a competent all rounder. I am well aware there are better road cars, faster road cars, sharper road cars but that wasn't the point.
There are few more rapid road cars in most circumstances, that can happily carry 4-5 adults, a boot full of stuff, a coffee in 4 cup holders and take you on a 200 mile journey where you get out not that tired and can then take it for a blast across a welsh hillside where it will put a smile on your face better than most other 15K-20K cars. That was my point.
I love hot hatches for all the points mentioned although I dislike how manufacturers have had to move away from larger, revvy engines.
I looked at a few cars before buying my 200 Cup but most were only attractive because of their power which becomes boring fast. I love kicking the arse out of my Clio occasionally as you feel you can actually get close to the cars limits which is where they become fun.
I preferred this as a road car to the uber Megane they all rave about. I drove both back to back and felt the Clio was more road suited. The Megane would hand it its backside around the Ring, but the Clio had better damping and better traction and made a better road car in most circumstances on British roads I felt.
I think the only thing that would tempt me away from hot hatches in the near future are hot hatch estates like the Golf R or Focus ST versions, just to add that extra 'bikes on the roof, dogs in the back' level of practicality.
Not sure how much of the chuckability factor remains in those though when compared to the regular hatch versions.
Not sure how much of the chuckability factor remains in those though when compared to the regular hatch versions.
He has done what I am epic at. Read a bit of it, got it wrong and then posted up his thoughts completely missing the mark. I'm ace at that too.
Any of them, to my point. I don't find the Polo boring, it makes me smile and it's not a good one. That is what the entire thread is predicated on, hot hatches are good and I had forgotten how good having not really had one for years and how in most peoples hands, on most roads with most personal circumstances there are few, if any, better types of car for an enthusiastic driver.
Soldato
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I had a RenaultSport Twingo 133 with the Cup Pack a for a few years (since replaced with an Octavia VRS) and it was amazingly fun to drive. Not powerful enough to get into trouble, but loved to be revved and handled like a go cart!
It was a bit grating on long journeys as it had really short gears, rock hard suspension (silly hard!) and didn't have a particularly big boot if you had rear passengers (rear seats moved, so actually had a decent boot, but it was a choice of boot or passengers).
It was a bit grating on long journeys as it had really short gears, rock hard suspension (silly hard!) and didn't have a particularly big boot if you had rear passengers (rear seats moved, so actually had a decent boot, but it was a choice of boot or passengers).
Caporegime
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10 months now since I bought my C30 T5, it is much faster than my old Yaris SR, I am still not confident how I can handle all that power still on country roads and to be honest, half the miles are done on motorway so I prefer these days something that can do that too which I found the C30 being more suited for, than say, compared to a smaller Polo.
Do you prefer turbo or revvy cars?
I don't like turbos really, but I am not looking to change, it isn't a find housey a better car than a Polo GTI thread. That I could do in seconds. I've been lucky to experience some of the finest NA engines on the planet in my cars...
V10 5.L R8, Straight 6 M3, Flat 6 GT3, V8 B7 RS4 and I've not driven any turbo engine that gets close to any of those. The Polo has bags of torque, too much in the manual I have (70lbs more than the DSG!!!) for the traction.
Your a delicate flower aren't you
It's the same T5 that's in my ST which I find slow and lethargic now I've had it a year. It's more than easy to drive flat out as the power is more progressive compared to other Turbo charged cars.
Your a delicate flower aren't you
It's the same T5 that's in my ST which I find slow and lethargic now I've had it a year. It's more than easy to drive flat out as the power is more progressive compared to other Turbo charged cars.
Exactly, it's a decent amount of power but even coming from slow cars before should only take a while to exploit fully.
Some might argue estate versions of hot hatches (e.g. Leon Cupra ST, Golf R Estate etc) are more well rounded as they supposedly retain most of the nimbleness compared to the bigger estates, whilst being more practical that the hatches (around 100L of boot for every second it takes to hit 60mph).
Associate
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Hot hatches have moved on from 1980s-1990s
There are three tiers now and things have changed
Warm ,Hot and I hate the name Hyper but how else will describe them
I have been lucky and i have had the non FL AMG A45 for two years and just picked up FL AMG A45
I had a GT86 for three years before.
I went for AMG because I saw nothing the market that could deliver an allround package as they did and I will get people saying at price but i could afford it .
I did not want a big car and I wanted 4 wheel drive and it needed to fast and fun but on my commute comfortable and relaxing when needed.
What i like people do not expect the performance from A class i went for no Aero so it is slightly stealthy
So i think it follows the ethos of a hot hatch and it great fun to drive in reviews it says it has no feel i am not sure they driving the same car
There are three tiers now and things have changed
Warm ,Hot and I hate the name Hyper but how else will describe them
I have been lucky and i have had the non FL AMG A45 for two years and just picked up FL AMG A45
I had a GT86 for three years before.
I went for AMG because I saw nothing the market that could deliver an allround package as they did and I will get people saying at price but i could afford it .
I did not want a big car and I wanted 4 wheel drive and it needed to fast and fun but on my commute comfortable and relaxing when needed.
What i like people do not expect the performance from A class i went for no Aero so it is slightly stealthy
So i think it follows the ethos of a hot hatch and it great fun to drive in reviews it says it has no feel i am not sure they driving the same car
An AMG A45 would have to much power to have proper fun on public roads..Hot hatches have moved on from 1980s-1990s
There are three tiers now and things have changed
Warm ,Hot and I hate the name Hyper but how else will describe them
I have been lucky and i have had the non FL AMG A45 for two years and just picked up FL AMG A45
I had a GT86 for three years before.
I went for AMG because I saw nothing the market that could deliver an allround package as they did and I will get people saying at price but i could afford it .
I did not want a big car and I wanted 4 wheel drive and it needed to fast and fun but on my commute comfortable and relaxing when needed.
What i like people do not expect the performance from A class i went for no Aero so it is slightly stealthy
So i think it follows the ethos of a hot hatch and it great fun to drive in reviews it says it has no feel i am not sure they driving the same car