It doesn't need to be more powerful, the problem is it lacks the character of the old mk1 and 2. Like a lot of German cars they made it boring. It's also way more expensive than it should be.
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Hot Hatch Owners
- Thread starter J and j
- Start date
It doesn't need to be more powerful, the problem is it lacks the character of the old mk1 and 2. Like a lot of German cars they made it boring. It's also way more expensive than it should be.
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Driving a nice Abarth 595 competizione for almost a year now. Modified quite a bit Instagram below if you feel like a read, making 230ish and weighing 1 tonne so pretty good fun. My main car is much faster in a straight line but the Abarth is perfect for smaller roads, an absolute hoot.
https://www.instagram.com/adarth595_abarth_competizione/
That must be a hoot!
I love the burble these cars make as standard.
Caporegime
HDR!
Associate
I got a M140i on the 28th Sept, on the 29th I got 6 points...... I use the limiter now, the car is fun to drive but I think I will swap it in the next couple of years for something like a 3/5 touring.
Eh? You got caught speeding a day after you got the car ? Mobile camera van? That’s really unlucky.
Loving my new car at the moment. Feels very fast compared to my MX5-RF. great thing is, with the turbo and torque, it feels fast without speeding. Also, the exhaust note is so satisfying, especially when it lets out a few pops and crackles.
makes me grin each time. I was advised by the garage to not go over 3k rpm for the first 700 miles. Finding it difficult not to though. In reality, is this really going to do any damage to the engine? I always thought the engines were “run in” from factory ?
Associate
Eh? You got caught speeding a day after you got the car ? Mobile camera van? That’s really unlucky.
Loving my new car at the moment. Feels very fast compared to my MX5-RF. great thing is, with the turbo and torque, it feels fast without speeding. Also, the exhaust note is so satisfying, especially when it lets out a few pops and crackles.
I was advised by the garage to not go over 3k rpm for the first 700 miles. Finding it difficult not to though. In reality, is this really going to do any damage to the engine? I always thought the engines were “run in” from factory ?
I may of got caught on the M5 by their new cameras, they work without the gantries being lit up, i know now that
I think I just had a rush of **** to the brain!Am about to change my Golf R for an RS3. Are these even hot hatches anymore, so much power (and weight 
)??
Now my thoughts are that the RS3, as nice as it is, isn’t exactly worth the increased cost over the Golf, but it does feel more special to sit in and drive.
Still having the battle of head vs heart on it, have a deposit down with a dealer on one whilst I sort getting rid of the Golf, but keep doubting myself over things
Not sure if it’s a case of looking back with rose tinted glasses, but always remember my old cars being loads of fun with relatively minimal power, along with the build quality of a tin can
Loved my old phase 1 172, and the 19 16v I had before that.
)??Now my thoughts are that the RS3, as nice as it is, isn’t exactly worth the increased cost over the Golf, but it does feel more special to sit in and drive.
Still having the battle of head vs heart on it, have a deposit down with a dealer on one whilst I sort getting rid of the Golf, but keep doubting myself over things
Not sure if it’s a case of looking back with rose tinted glasses, but always remember my old cars being loads of fun with relatively minimal power, along with the build quality of a tin can
Loved my old phase 1 172, and the 19 16v I had before that.
Am about to change my Golf R for an RS3. Are these even hot hatches anymore, so much power (and weight
Now my thoughts are that the RS3, as nice as it is, isn’t exactly worth the increased cost over the Golf, but it does feel more special to sit in and drive.
Still having the battle of head vs heart on it, have a deposit down with a dealer on one whilst I sort getting rid of the Golf, but keep doubting myself over things
Not sure if it’s a case of looking back with rose tinted glasses, but always remember my old cars being loads of fun with relatively minimal power, along with the build quality of a tin can
Loved my old phase 1 172, and the 19 16v I had before that.
Driven both a Golf R handles more neutral and is more fun on and beyond limit. Nice fake sound in cabin, sounds crap on outside. £1500 gets you supercar performance, 0-60 in 3.5 and 0-100 in 7.5s which will see of pretty much any fast car and most super cars.
RS3 is nicer inside, it sounds absolutely incredible and it’s quicker. But the handling is not as fun, nose heavy and more understeer generally followed by more understeer. Again a couple of grand will see supercar bearing performance with 0-60 in around 3.3 and 0-100 sub 7 and high tens quarter mile.
Of course based on both being DSG the manuals are way way slower.
Tough choice if you drive the Golf R hard and at the limits it’s a better car but if your more a sedate or straight line driver the RS3 is faster and makes a way better noise.
To be honest now It’s more of the latter style of driving rather than the former, which was one reason for making the change.
The noise was rather nice, also most options were ticked by the previous owner so it’s certainly a nice spec (pre facelift + dynamic pack = noisy ).
Still don’t think it’s worth the money over a Golf, but feel like I need to scratch the itch
Even the wife said she was getting a little bored with the Golf lately whenever she drives (well, steals) it.
The noise was rather nice, also most options were ticked by the previous owner so it’s certainly a nice spec (pre facelift + dynamic pack = noisy
).Still don’t think it’s worth the money over a Golf, but feel like I need to scratch the itch
Even the wife said she was getting a little bored with the Golf lately whenever she drives (well, steals) it.
To be honest now It’s more of the latter style of driving rather than the former, which was one reason for making the change.
The noise was rather nice, also most options were ticked by the previous owner so it’s certainly a nice spec (pre facelift + dynamic pack = noisy
Still don’t think it’s worth the money over a Golf, but feel like I need to scratch the itch
Even the wife said she was getting a little bored with the Golf lately whenever she drives (well, steals) it.
The Golf is very fast but I found it a none event to drive and to enjoy it you had to drive it very fast, get the RS3 the noise makes it much more an event.
There needs to be a new term for the modern hot hatch.
None of the turbo charged, aero heavy cars of today capture the essence of the hot hatch/fwd cars from the first Golfs and 205s to the late 90s with Civics, Integras, Clios and Focus STs etc.
Cocking a leg in a tin can at non lethal speeds was where it was at.
None of the turbo charged, aero heavy cars of today capture the essence of the hot hatch/fwd cars from the first Golfs and 205s to the late 90s with Civics, Integras, Clios and Focus STs etc.
Cocking a leg in a tin can at non lethal speeds was where it was at.
I miss my Naples Red Clio 16V 1996 - the bonnet lump just looked so cool.
Had an induction kit on it and it sounded (to my 19 year old ears) bloody fantastic.
God it was fun.
Except when you turned right and it was raining and the sunroof would leak water all over your crotch.
Did I care though? Did I heck.
Had an induction kit on it and it sounded (to my 19 year old ears) bloody fantastic.
God it was fun.
Except when you turned right and it was raining and the sunroof would leak water all over your crotch.
Did I care though? Did I heck.
I currently own a Golf R, had it a while now, always wanted the MK7 R.
Very impressed with it, yes there are lots of them, yes they're not the most exciting to drive, and yes my 2.5 Focus sounded a lot better, but the performance you get for the money is insane. I spent £500 on a JB4 tuning box a few weeks ago on a custom map-6. I took it out with the Dragy telemetry device and it was putting down 3.75 0-60, in the wet with terrible tyres. 0-100 in 9.26 with a bad start, and 60-100 in 5.34 seconds.
They could definitely be improved upon with a good day and better tyres. I do however miss the raw feel of the Focus (or anything that demands attention when driving). I've been scouring AutoTrader for quite some time but I just can't find anything that tickles me.
140i/240i - yes they're great, bags of potential (430+ from £1k) - on the move quicker than the R, but they're incredibly expensive for me to insure (I'm 24)
I30N - Seen great things about them, but I don't know of their potential in tuning/improvements
GTI/Cupra - Pointless move unless it was down to cost
RS3 - Amazing car, just way too expensive.
I even looked at 370Z yesterday, I just know they're chunky bois so won't feel massively fast. GT86 was next on the list and I feel I'd only pull the trigger on one if it was supplemented with a supercharger or turbo. The other side of the scale sees E92 M3 (no doubt costs a bomb to insure), or the older C63s.
I think I'll stick with the R for now
Very impressed with it, yes there are lots of them, yes they're not the most exciting to drive, and yes my 2.5 Focus sounded a lot better, but the performance you get for the money is insane. I spent £500 on a JB4 tuning box a few weeks ago on a custom map-6. I took it out with the Dragy telemetry device and it was putting down 3.75 0-60, in the wet with terrible tyres. 0-100 in 9.26 with a bad start, and 60-100 in 5.34 seconds.
They could definitely be improved upon with a good day and better tyres. I do however miss the raw feel of the Focus (or anything that demands attention when driving). I've been scouring AutoTrader for quite some time but I just can't find anything that tickles me.
140i/240i - yes they're great, bags of potential (430+ from £1k) - on the move quicker than the R, but they're incredibly expensive for me to insure (I'm 24)
I30N - Seen great things about them, but I don't know of their potential in tuning/improvements
GTI/Cupra - Pointless move unless it was down to cost
RS3 - Amazing car, just way too expensive.
I even looked at 370Z yesterday, I just know they're chunky bois so won't feel massively fast. GT86 was next on the list and I feel I'd only pull the trigger on one if it was supplemented with a supercharger or turbo. The other side of the scale sees E92 M3 (no doubt costs a bomb to insure), or the older C63s.
I think I'll stick with the R for now
Soldato
I was in dilemma about which hot hatch to get next, as my R26 was starting to produce some bigger bills (and I fancied a change).
Audis and the Golf R do absolutely nothing for me, in fact I'd prefer a GTI to an R. I really liked the look of the new Megane, but I've had a few Renault hot hatches over the years, as as brilliant as they are, I wanted something different.
One of my colleagues persuaded my to pop into a local BMW dealer to test drive a 140i, and only a few days later I bit the bullet and got one.
It's obviously a much more 'grown up' car compared to the Renault, and of course much more refined. But my god does it shift! I really can't how or why you'd want or need anything more on the roads to be honest.
I've only done about 200 miles in it so far, but I'm loving every minute of it. And it's even averaged about 30mpg too! About the same as the R26, but mightily impressive when you consider the BMW has a 50% bigger engine!
Audis and the Golf R do absolutely nothing for me, in fact I'd prefer a GTI to an R. I really liked the look of the new Megane, but I've had a few Renault hot hatches over the years, as as brilliant as they are, I wanted something different.
One of my colleagues persuaded my to pop into a local BMW dealer to test drive a 140i, and only a few days later I bit the bullet and got one.
It's obviously a much more 'grown up' car compared to the Renault, and of course much more refined. But my god does it shift! I really can't how or why you'd want or need anything more on the roads to be honest.
I've only done about 200 miles in it so far, but I'm loving every minute of it. And it's even averaged about 30mpg too! About the same as the R26, but mightily impressive when you consider the BMW has a 50% bigger engine!
more or less same weight as every other car on your list bar the GTI? just doesn't have a turbo so you have to hammer the knackers off of it beyond 7400rpms, which is rewarding in its own way.
Driven quite a few of these modern hatches and think I prefer to stick to the smaller lighter cars with circa 200hp, I test drove the i30N and whilst it was good being less than 10hp/ton different to my Abarth Punto it wasn't as much fun as reviews suggest, you really notice that extra 300kgs, turn in and braking just nowhere near as responsive, reckon I be stuck in this class of car for a while.
The i30n would still be an option for the missus, as it is cheap and its weight is a plus for one of my scenarios, that is if Hyundai UK would support the UK with accessories, you can tow with the i30N so perfect for caravan/race car duties
if Hyundai would actually sell me a towbar. 
more or less same weight as every other car on your list bar the GTI? just doesn't have a turbo so you have to hammer the knackers off of it, which is rewarding in its own way.
Driven quite a few of these modern hatches and think I prefer to stick to the smaller lighter cars with circa 200hp, I test drove the i30N and whilst it was good being less than 10hp/ton different to my Abarth Punto it wasn't as much fun as reviews suggest, you really notice that extra 300kgs, turn in and braking just nowhere near as responsive, reckon I be stuck in this class of car for a while.
The i30n would still be an option for the missus, as it is cheap and its weight is a plus for one of my scenarios, that is if Hyundai UK would support the UK with accessories, you can tow with the i30N so perfect for caravan/race car duties
I may have been thinking of the 350Z then as I know some of them can weigh ~1600kg. 370z may be an option in that case then.
the 370 is shorter and lighter than the 350, it is still heavier than you expect a two seater to be at ~1500kgs, but is similar ball park for many of those cars in your list, its 344hp is decent enough to propel it along but never feels rapid, just quick, reasonable value now though, loads of dealer demos around with a couple of k on for ~27k also cheap to tax the big engine these days at £140 now the rules changed for post Mar 2017 cars.
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