An 80's Hot Hatch for 2021?

[lordrobs]

OK, so after re-wording my title three times I gave up and went with the confusing version I started off with.

So, as I rapidly approach my 40's I look back with rose tinted admiration at the hot hatches of the 1980's. 205 GTi, Astra GTE, XR3i, XR2, Renault 5 GT etc... Unfortunately, so is everyone else aged 40 to 50 and they have deep pockets it would seem. This puts many of the iconic cars I used to drool over in Fast Car and Max Power as a spotty teenager well out of grasp for a toy to scratch the mid life crisis itch.

Getting to the point, if you were after the buzz of one of those 80's hot hatches where would you look today? The modern equivalents, as capable and impressive as they are, don't really have that same DNA of the cars I listed above. It is all very easy and refined with a modern Golf GTI (for example). The checklist, for me at least, seems to be;

• 0-60 in 7 to 9 seconds or so (certainly not significantly quicker)
• Lightweight
• Simple
• Nimble/connected handling
• Relatively 'raw' feeling
• Something you can drive the wheels off without instantly hitting warp 10
• A certain 'kudos' that is hard to quantify
• Has to give you 'the fizz' every time an empty stretch of country road appears in front of you
• Manual gearbox
• 100 to 150 ish BHP (just throwing this in, the power isn't particularly relevant at all)

I'm thinking that on the whole performance models are out as a modern hot hatch has to have 300 bhp and do 0-60 in a launch control, dual clutch auto assisted 4 seconds flat.

So what does that leave you, new or (most likely) used (lets say from circa 2000 to keep it sensible) for not too silly money?

This is just for fun and by no means a "spec me" thread. I've got a mk1 MX5 which ticks all of the above boxes with the glaring exception of not being a hatchback!

 

[MissChief]

More 90’s and 80’s but Peugeot 306 GTI-6/Rallye? You’ll need £6k for a good one and it’ll need continuing fettling, especially to keep rust at bay. Great cars though! Handle brilliantly and ride superbly too.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Suzuki swift GT?

 

[Kenai]

I think that sort of arena is populated by things like the Up GTI, Suzuki Swift Sport, Twingo GT, Abarth 595

 

[AWPC]

2010-2012 era Renault Megane RS250 or Megane TCE180-220 fits the bill perfectly for you & ticks all of your boxes! Design DNA is taken from the Renault F1 team they are so much fun to drive & own

 

[lordrobs]

Peugeot 306 GTI-6/Rallye

Excellent suggestion! I had a standard 1.4 306 and all it was a cracking car to drive. The hotter versions absolutely meet the criteria!

Up GTI, Suzuki Swift Sport, Twingo GT, Abarth 595

Absolutely, I'd completely forgotten about the Twingo GT though. Good shout!

As an answer to my own question I'm going to throw in... Late model Saxo VTS.

Keep them coming!

 

[dlockers]

Twingo GT would be my vote. The thing looks like a blast.

Citroen 106 race-prepped for the local race series?

Or something a whole let less "racey" and more civilised: Ibiza FR. Enough poke to have a laugh but you'll never hit warp speed.

 

[Lashout_UK]

ZC32S ('12-'17) Suzuki Swift Sport with a CTC intake kit, Hardrace rear ARB and an Ultra Racing front strut brace. Probably cost you about £5k all in, unless you want a five-door one or something particularly smart.

Superb 1.6-litre 4cyl engine, naturally aspirated, six-speed manual, FWD, 1045kg, 0-62mph in 8.7sec (although often a bit quicker).

Suzuki also, as is often typical of Japanese manufacturers, put its investment into the mechanicals – rather than plush trims – and the outcome is that the Swift feels exceptionally durable. Additional spot welding, five-stud hubs with bigger bearings, four-bolt mains, triple-cone synchros on first and second, and more, all contribute to that inherent sense of toughness and interest.

Rent4Ring uses them as hire cars at the Nürburgring, which speaks volumes, and I remember reading about one that survived a 10,500rpm overrev.

What also sells it to me is that, unlike most rivals or alternatives, it that it gets a stack of kit as standard, so it's not a pain to live with. Single-zone climate, Bluetooth, cruise control and (importantly) HIDs are standard. I can't be doing with crummy headlights, these days. No timing belt to worry about, either.

Other benefits? There's a decent of aftermarket support for them, so you've quite a few options if you want to liven it up a bit. The aforementioned and comparatively inexpensive parts just serve to wake it up a bit – particularly the intake, as it doesn't have the high-rev fizz you might hope for in standard form.

Had mine for six months now and covered some 3500 miles without fault. Hasn't even burned a drop of oil. Couldn't be happier. Comfortable, too; seven-hour stints are no problem. It'll also cover around 360 miles on a tank at best, and it averages around 42mpg without any real effort.

The option of five doors is a plus, particularly if practicality is a concern. Sure, you can get a five-door ST – but it'll have to be a newer and more expensive example.

 

[Housey]

If I had to pick 3 from the 80's...in no order

205 GTi 1.9
Clio Willams
Golf GTi Mk2 16v

Those were for me the best all rounders from back in the day....

However....I would go 70's over those...my top 3

RS1800
Chevette HSR
Lotus Sunbeam

RWD for the win.

I know I missed the brief....but

 

[[TW]Fox]

• 0-60 in 7 to 9 seconds or so (certainly not significantly quicker)

• Lightweight

• Simple

• Nimble/connected handling

• Relatively 'raw' feeling

• Something you can drive the wheels off without instantly hitting warp 10

• A certain 'kudos' that is hard to quantify

• Has to give you 'the fizz' every time an empty stretch of country road appears in front of you

• Manual gearbox

• 100 to 150 ish BHP (just throwing this in, the power isn't particularly relevant at all)

Not sure about raw feeling but a current Mini Cooper is 140bhp, 0-60 exactly half way through your metric (8 seconds) and fun to drive..

 

[Housey]

Clio Trophy and Civic Type R would be my call from the 2000's I think, also Mk5 Golf GTi

 

[[TW]Fox]

Clio Trophy and Civic Type R would be my call from the 2000's I think, also Mk5 Golf GTi

Much quicker than he was suggesting though and lots more powerful.

 

[chroniclard]

EP3 Civic Type R would be my call also, £16k at the time, Civic of 2021 is completely different animal.

Modern day, maybe Fiesta ST, there is also the Toyota GR Yaris (though the price of these two is creeping up a lot).

Brother has an AMG A45 and while its a hatch and hot(very) its in no way a hot hatch.

 

[paradigm]

R53 Cooper S? The supercharger whine is lovely, the gearboxes feel nice, and they aren't over-powered with 160~BHP.

 

[NVP]

I recently switched from a 380bhp/730nm 5 series into a 170bhp 16 year old r53 mini cooper s and absolutely love it to bits! I'd go as far as to say it is more fun that the n/a v10 M5 I bought 10 years prior. Plus it has more room for the driver and passenger than my sister new Polo, and for a 6'4" beefcake such as myself I've never felt cramped in it once - only issue is I have to wear converse to drive as my trainers are mahoosive and clip the pedals, oh and the lack of boot-space hahaha. But for a fun car it is absolutely bang on, I thrash it everywhere and it doesn't miss a beat Also, it only cost me £3k for an '05 face-lift with 64k on the clock - absolute bargain for the amount of fun it is!

 

[Jester*]

I cannot believe we have got to my comment before suggesting.....

Panda 100HP.

 

[VincentHanna]

The Yaris GR is the modern equivalent probably.

Though it's £32k

 

[Nasher]

There is no real modern equivalents. They are all much heavier and don't have the livelyness.

The throttle pedal on some of the old performance cars are like on-off switches with no nannies in the way, they are super responsive. Also no PAS.

 

[Martynt74]

I don’t think the Clio Williams as mentioned above has hit that inflation point yet.

Alternatively a Clio mk1 16v or Renault 19 16v both seemed great when I was younger.

 

[Housey]

I still think the 106 GTI is fantastic, but too old for our OP.

Proper pocket rocket if you can find a nice one if a little snappy on the lift off.