Hot Hatchbacks..

Dav4 said:
Your a delicate flower aren't you :p:D
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.
Click to expand...

Yea that 5cyl engine it is a bit lazy until you tune it. I found that with mine. The fast fords are pretty good though, they don't actually FEEL turbo charged since they have a nice power curve.

But yea, hot hatches are the only cars where you can hoon it around with a large christmas tree hanging out of the back :D
 
Last edited:
Nasher said:
Yea that 5cyl engine it is a bit lazy until you tune it. I found that with mine. The fast fords are pretty good though, they don't actually FEEL turbo charged since they have a nice power curve.

But yea, hot hatches are the only cars where you can hoon it around with a large christmas tree hanging out of the back :D
Click to expand...

Im not going to blame the car but the brakes needs placing (ask Skully) so currently they do not inspire confidence in braking distance but have plans to get them changed this month and service ready for MOT next month. I do find the steering lacks feedback even compared to the Yaris too. Great for cruising and long distance, could literally drive it with a finger but for the country roads I remember the Yaris really was good.

Also, being an Auto I miss that control over the revs I did with a manual. I've actually not tried using the semi auto side being a lazy sod.

Will also replace the tires soon for something better and should translate to a better handling car...a little bit.
 
chaparral said:
An AMG A45 would have to much power to have proper fun on public roads..
Click to expand...

Agreed. Even my S3 has too much power to really "give it death" on the public road. More than a few seconds of throttle from 40MPH~ will have you at utterly daft speeds for A roads.
 
paradigm said:
Agreed. Even my S3 has too much power to really "give it death" on the public road. More than a few seconds of throttle from 40MPH~ will have you at utterly daft speeds for A roads.
Click to expand...

tbh even my 530d is like this. Nail it out of a 40mph bend and you get a few seconds before it's time to throttle off completely.
 
I don't doubt that at all to be honest. But given the inherent nature of the petrol engine wanting to rev, and paddle shifting down into the power band, it really is quite stupid in very little time. The 4WD grip also encourages you to drive harder and harder into corners without really trying.

I'd probably put cars of a similar power output in the hyper-hatch category rather than hot.
 
I think the S3 level of power is probably about the limit of where you can still have fun on the road without being silly. But 4-500hp, rwd cars you just can't.
 
You can have plenty of fun with 550bhp I assure you, but you can't prolong acceleration. The absolute grip of and R8 and a good hot hatch is actually not that much different, only have to see Ring times to see that, but what the powerful car gives you is throttle control, especially in the wet as it's still easy to spin up all 4 wheels.
 
At the time i had them I loved my Renault 19 16V and the subsequent 172, not sure what I'd think of them now but like to think they would still make me grin a hell of a lot :)

Thinking about it most of my cars have been hot(ish) hatches over the years, definitely the ones I've enjoyed the most apart from maybe the S2000.

But therein lies the point, the S2000 was great fun but fell down on the practicality and comfort (more for my wife with a bad back than myself), the hatches really did pretty much do everything to a reasonable level.

Enjoying the current Golf R a lot but as said it's crazy how quick relatively mundane stuff like a Golf, A3 etc is now to the point where you can't just wring it's neck everywhere.
 
Last edited:
Kemik said:
This. Handles so much better than the Polo GTI I had before it.
Click to expand...

Wife had one of these and it was very good, ride on it was absolutely terrible though. I didn't get to drive it much (she wouldn't let me :p), but remember on one occasion driving it when I wasn't feeling too fresh and it actually made me feel a bit sick!
 
The only thing hot about Raymond's car is the flaming wreck after his spongy brakes put you into a ditch.
 
In a year I've yet to get the traction control to light up on the A45, even in rain and greasy conditions.

Had a couple of occasions where you can feel the haldex pushing the rear round, but apart from that it just grips and goes. In that respect it's certainly a monster.
 
Six years ago I bought a E92 335i to replace a Clio 182. I had every intention of selling the little 182 on. Six years later I still have the 182 and the 335i. It is just so much fun to drive compared to the 335i. The 182 is worth so little now that I'll just keep a hold of it until it breaks. It really is an epic little car!
 
Last edited:
I nearly bought a Clio Trophy when I had my GT3, to use like I use the Polo today. Wish I had, test drove a few and thought they were epic cars.
 
A good 182 Trophy I think would make a great investment. I can only see the value going one way. I wish I'd bought a V6 when I'd had the offer of one for a reasonable price.
 
In 2003 some woman wrote off my GTi-6 by driving into the side of it, I was gutted. So what did I do? Something a bit odd - I bought a 2001 Fiat Punto 1.8 HGT Abarth (Alfa Engine, 130BHP) - was a surprisingly good little car, I gave it death everywhere and not once did it let me down. I ended up adding a GSR induction kit, custom exhaust (quite a quiet one actually), a 100BHP wet NOS kit with a progressive controller - I then took the HGT badges off and fitted 1.2 'Sporting' badges.

It was mental, could spin the wheels at 90 (Before the progressive controller kit!) but I loved it, again never once let me down in about 4 years of ownership.

Only 5 speed box, but it's 50-100 acceleration was brutal.

Hmm...goes to look at Autotrader for hot hatches...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom