106 GTi / Rallye is a good shout. I think the latter ones were into the early 2000s.
Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart, Lupo GTi and Swift Sport are also really good suggestions!
I said this wasn't a spec me thread but my bank balance is itching
An 80's Hot Hatch for 2021?
- Thread starter lordrobs
- Start date
Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart, Lupo GTi and Swift Sport are also really good suggestions!
I said this wasn't a spec me thread but my bank balance is itching
Soldato
I LOVED my phase 3 China blue 306 GTI-6. Way more than the 2x 205 GTI’s I had before it.
Quick enough when needed, the 6 speed box was a work of art, it sounded amazing on a stock exhaust, it had the slightly larger size and weight over the 205 which made it feel more planted, had passive rear wheel steer which meant it could corner on rails and had reasonable creature comforts that the 205 lacked, making it a bit more civilised.
Quick enough when needed, the 6 speed box was a work of art, it sounded amazing on a stock exhaust, it had the slightly larger size and weight over the 205 which made it feel more planted, had passive rear wheel steer which meant it could corner on rails and had reasonable creature comforts that the 205 lacked, making it a bit more civilised.
Soldato
Surprised no one has suggested modern era car that kick started the efforts to sort chassis dynamics out.... that would be the Mk1 Focus.
So a budget option would be an ST170, ideal a Mk 1 Focus RS, good luck finding one of those in budget. More recent will be Fiesta ST.... an ST200 would be great purchase as it’s limited to less than 200 built.
Chassis is every thing.....hence Ford suggestions.
Oh to have not sold my 1983 RS1600i Escort....
So a budget option would be an ST170, ideal a Mk 1 Focus RS, good luck finding one of those in budget. More recent will be Fiesta ST.... an ST200 would be great purchase as it’s limited to less than 200 built.
Chassis is every thing.....hence Ford suggestions.
Oh to have not sold my 1983 RS1600i Escort....
How many left shows 900 ish Fiesta ST200s registered in the UK still.
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I've been itching for my gf to get a Colt ralliart. This Version R (https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/5952016738145418/) looks epic! Shame it is the guts of 7k. Would have it in a heartbeat. I'm a bit of a Mitsubishi fanboy tho106 GTi / Rallye is a good shout. I think the latter ones were into the early 2000s.
Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart, Lupo GTi and Swift Sport are also really good suggestions!
I said this wasn't a spec me thread but my bank balance is itching
Great cars but not many for sale and fall down on some of the OPs points (not to mention how expensive some parts are to replace if you don't have the contacts).
My heart wants another VR6 but don't think it will ever happen sadly - such a satisfying engine when in its element.
It saddens me VW have never done a proper follow up on those cars.
Soldato
Good man on the 205, greatest hot hatch EVER! I had one for years!!! amazing car, best car I've ever owned for out and out fun!
Caporegime
I've been itching for my gf to get a Colt ralliart. This Version R (https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/5952016738145418/) looks epic! Shame it is the guts of 7k. Would have it in a heartbeat. I'm a bit of a Mitsubishi fanboy tho
Pretty sure the colt cyborg r would be a better shout
https://touch.adverts.ie/other/1993-mirage-cyborg-r/13721877
Soldato
By the time I passed my test (1996, first time and no minors!) most 80s hatches were already in a bit of a state. Those that weren’t were a lot of money for a poor student to buy.
I had a couple of Mk2 XR2s at 17 and although I loved them (my mates were driving 1.2 Nova Diamonds etc), they were pretty gruff things with a propensity to rust from the inside out.
I also realise now they were effectively coffins on wheels. One silly woman in a Sanyong Musso, sandwiched me between another car at a junction. The fire brigade had to cut me out of my now concertina-ed hatch, my only saving grace was the spare alloy wheel that had taken much of the impact and stopped the SUV crushing me against the dash.
At that point I couldn’t see beyond Escort Cosworths and Integrales. If only I’d had the money back then…
I had a couple of Mk2 XR2s at 17 and although I loved them (my mates were driving 1.2 Nova Diamonds etc), they were pretty gruff things with a propensity to rust from the inside out.
I also realise now they were effectively coffins on wheels. One silly woman in a Sanyong Musso, sandwiched me between another car at a junction. The fire brigade had to cut me out of my now concertina-ed hatch, my only saving grace was the spare alloy wheel that had taken much of the impact and stopped the SUV crushing me against the dash.
At that point I couldn’t see beyond Escort Cosworths and Integrales. If only I’d had the money back then…
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Brother had a few nice hot hatchy cars back in the day, Polo G40 (Though looking at the specs these days I swear it was faster) also Corrado V6 was tasty(not technically a hatch I guess). If I recall correctly he trashed them both.
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Stuff like 182's are on the up and probably a half decent buy if you can find a good one. I bought mine for £1k as a station run car, sold it for £2k and would cost £2.5-3k to get one the same now.
Definitely lived up to the hype though, and was 10x better once I removed the spacers from the seat mounting (stock seat height is horrendous) I hammered mine around a car limits day when the alternator on my Noble packed in. Clocked the third fastest time of the day out of all of the Noble owners group and the second highest cornering speed too - admittedly this may have been down to mechanical sympathy of Clio vs Noble
Otherwise I think it's stuff like Abarth 595's and the sporty Mini's of the world which corners the segment you've described. Things like Peugeot GTI models (looking at you 208 GTi) kind of fit the bill but much more refined which makes the lower power less enjoyable.
Edit: Just remembered I did get to thrash a Abarth 595 around a short makeshift circuit at Autosport a few years back, was actually really good fun.
Definitely lived up to the hype though, and was 10x better once I removed the spacers from the seat mounting (stock seat height is horrendous) I hammered mine around a car limits day when the alternator on my Noble packed in. Clocked the third fastest time of the day out of all of the Noble owners group and the second highest cornering speed too - admittedly this may have been down to mechanical sympathy of Clio vs Noble
Otherwise I think it's stuff like Abarth 595's and the sporty Mini's of the world which corners the segment you've described. Things like Peugeot GTI models (looking at you 208 GTi) kind of fit the bill but much more refined which makes the lower power less enjoyable.
Edit: Just remembered I did get to thrash a Abarth 595 around a short makeshift circuit at Autosport a few years back, was actually really good fun.
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Soldato
I've got a Suzuki swift sport as well and i'd say that fits the bill nicely.
Ours is a 2012 so the first of the MK3's i think so you get the 6 speed 'box with slightly more power and is a lot nicer to live with than the older cars.
Ours has been great so far, had it from 3 years old with 25k to now with 75k on it. Only thing its needed other than normal servicing is a rear caliper as it seized.
It's a nice middle ground to drive imo, way less harsh than full on hot hatches like my old DC5 but still got a little bit of go and is nice round the corners on real world roads as its nice and compliant. I just wish the throttle response was better, drive by wire throttles make me sad
Ours is a 2012 so the first of the MK3's i think so you get the 6 speed 'box with slightly more power and is a lot nicer to live with than the older cars.
Ours has been great so far, had it from 3 years old with 25k to now with 75k on it. Only thing its needed other than normal servicing is a rear caliper as it seized.
It's a nice middle ground to drive imo, way less harsh than full on hot hatches like my old DC5 but still got a little bit of go and is nice round the corners on real world roads as its nice and compliant. I just wish the throttle response was better, drive by wire throttles make me sad
VW is all safe and boring stuff once you get out of the 90s and early 00s.
Even the Golf GTI isnt really a continuation of the early ones.
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I agree. I used to be a VW nut, having owned multiple Golfs in V6 and GTI guise. But I find modern Golf GTI's and R's very boring, despite being extremely capable. I got an F56 Mini Cooper recently. It's only the 139bhp 3 cylinder version so not even that quick. But it's so much more entertaining. I'd suggest the OP also look at early Minis such as the R53 and R56. An R53 JCW is going to be tricky to find and expensive. But an R53 Cooper S with its supercharger should be a blast, or an R56 JCW.
Caporegime
I would say a new mini is more than likely the closest thing to an old hot hatch. The first two gens at least we're still quite light.
I would be looking for a late model r53 with the chilli pack as they came with LSD standard. Easy to mod plus being supercharged you still have that throttle response that turbo charged cars fail to deliver.
The Peugeot 208 by Peugeot sport is a fantastic little car but is turbo charged.
There is however a Mazda 3 that uses the 190BHP engine from the MX5 which is a high compression rev monster which is actually done so it can run on compression combustion rather than explosive. In a way it might be a little gem.
I would be looking for a late model r53 with the chilli pack as they came with LSD standard. Easy to mod plus being supercharged you still have that throttle response that turbo charged cars fail to deliver.
The Peugeot 208 by Peugeot sport is a fantastic little car but is turbo charged.
There is however a Mazda 3 that uses the 190BHP engine from the MX5 which is a high compression rev monster which is actually done so it can run on compression combustion rather than explosive. In a way it might be a little gem.
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I found a 75hp Twingo I had for a while more entertaining than a golf. You can't even give it a bit of handbrake in a golf anymore, which removed all the fun driving in snow