Hot Hatches

[Muzzman]

Granted they are chavtastic. But the world is a better place for them.

 

I just went out in my track prepped clio 172 cup, first time I've driven it in about 3 years. Just had a hoot through the lanes.

 

I think they're going for about £1500 now, what cheap fun. They're still pretty fast even by todays standards.

[Danish]

So true. My everyday car is a Clio 197, I love it to bits. I wanted an RS Focus, but the Renault was much cheaper.

[classicwhitey]

my mate took me out in his a few years back - what a hoot but used to chew trough front tyres, another mate has a megan 225, thats just crazy

[CortinaLover1971]

A  bit newer but the Toyota T-sport Compressor is a hoot to drive. I had the predecessor Corolla Gti 16v many years ago,  wish I still had it. Best quick car I ever owned, handling was superb (Only beaten by my Alfa 146ti which I'm ashamed to say went to the government scrappage scheme, I beat myself up each day for that decision the Momo leather interior was superb and possibly worth the scrappage price alone in parts sales!) 

[Vista]

There are hot hatches and there are hot hatches. There are some modern ones that are chavtastic (and I'm sorry but however good it is as a drivers car, I count the mk2 Focus RS as one of those due to all the plastic dressing it's festooned with) but still deserve the title of hot hatch (mk2 focus RS being point in case) but equally some that don't. Ever driven a 206 GTi?

 

I loved light nippy hot hatches as daily drivers in the late 80's and 90's but prefer comfortable but fast performance saloons now.

[mk2 mike]

I've had a mk1 golf GTi, Peugeot 205 GTi, and a Renault 5 turbo. Loved each of them for different reasons. I don't class the newer ones as 'hot hatches' they're just not in the same league for driving fun as the 80s originals IMHO.

[Muzzman]

My step dad had a 205 gti 1.6, loved going out in that when I was a teenager.

[Craig89]

I had a 106 rallye and a 205 rallye, the 106 probably being my favorite car I've owned. Both great cars

[SmokeEm]

I had a 309gti many moons ago that was modded by pug performance in Froxfield. Went like stink but ate cv joints!

[mk2 mike]

I had a 309gti many moons ago that was modded by pug performance in Froxfield. Went like stink but ate cv joints!

My 205 did the same. It had a turbo technics conversion. Must be a weak link!

[texr2000]

When i was 18 (9 years ago now) i got a Mk2 Golf GTi 8V to use as a daily instead of the Mk1 Escort and it was ok, i then picked up a 205 1.9 GTi and ever since been a huge 205 fan loved the way it felt to drive and handled. Year later got a Mk1 Focus RS, as was only 3 and a half years old didnt have the boy racer image quite the same as it does now. As a 19 year old with mates still in 1.3 Clio's etc a 2L turbo with around 212BHP felt rapid, and being newish and low mileage felt really sturdy and tight. Still had the 205 at the time which down the lanes left more of a smile on my face, even though the rate the Focus ate up the miles at some alarming speeds was special as well.

 

Fell into the modding trap and mine was only 276BHP 311Ft/lbs pretty tame compared to many on the RSOC. I Sold the 205 to pay for my 1700 in the Escort but then picked up a Racing Puma needing some work and that still to this day was my favourite FWD i have owned, it didnt have the power of the Focus but felt more like the 205 but far better sorted to drive. On the weekends would always be the Racing Puma keys i would grab than the Focus.

I then picked up a cheap Mi16 205, it was a little ruff and suspension wasnt as good as my old one but the thing was sooooo fast, remember it leaving a 2000 civic Type R with out much issue down the dual carriage way. Had a ZVH XR3i one winter when Focus was tucked up in the garage but wasnt all that. Couple of years ago had a VRS Skodia Fabia, and even though was a little front end heavy and not the handling the motor was good chipped to 160-170BHP pulled really well but still managed 55MPG

 

Driven a selection of other hot hatches and am a huge fan of them, 106 GTI is another good back road blaster 306 GTI-6 original 172 Clio. Im not a French Car fan but they have done a good few hot hatches.

The new range on Hot Hatches to come out i think are great fun daily drivers had a spin in the new Fiesta ST and was pretty impressed.

 

I do look back and feel lucky to have owned some of the best chassied FWD/hot Hatches

 

 

 

 

[Craig89]

^ nice selection of cars mate, I always fancied an FRP

[turnover]

When I was about 20 I owned an Rs turbo mk3,anyway then bought renault 5 gt turbo which was great fun,but a little car you don't see much now which was very quick in the day of hot hatches was an uno turbo ,brilliant little car ,I used to thrash it most days allways kept going and would beat most cars out there at the time,but probably most have rotted away by now

[mk2 mike]

A bit off topic but I've always wanted these two: <br /><br />

[Tom E Cropp]

also had a 106 rallye was a white S2 absolutely loved it! set of R888s and it was on rails! so much fun to drive!

[XjamesX]

Technically "Hot Hatches"?

 

 

 

 

If so, the best imo

[texr2000]

I have always fancied a Lotus Subeam but bits are hard to find and the word LOTUS on the engine suggest Big Bills 

[mk2dk]

Had a couple of Honda Civic GT's in my younger days (perhaps called SI in UK). They were great fun to drive and almost never failed. Last year I was offered an Alfa Romeo 145 QV (cloverleaf) it's the 2.0 16V Twin Spark version. It was cheap as chips, but needed lots of tlc. Took me quite some time to get it sorted, but it was worth it. It's a fantastic car to drive, handling is great and the twin spark engine revs and sounds fantastic.

[andy a]

I can't see how you can have a discussion about hot hatches and not mention the best one of them all...

 

The MG Maestro, I had one, but strangely I forgot to take pictures, silly me...

 

 

 

[mk2 mike]

I was unlucky enough to have a maestro turbo and a montego turbo. Horrific torque steer on the maestro. Was quick though!

[Kieran]

My mate got a Clio 172 a few months ago for £1500 nice example of one aswell, so cheap for what they are

[Vista]

Back in the day, my favourite hot hatch at the time was the Mk1 Astra GTE, I thought it looked better than its contemporaries, I couldn't afford one though so I had a mk1 Astra 1.6SR for about 3 years in the late 80's. I sold it to a friend and he wrote it off soon after, somehow that was my fault and we were therefore no longer friends!

 

What I wanted

 

 

 

What I got, exactly the same as this one, colour and everything and arguably I think it looks better. Pretty rare now too

 

[DT36]

Good car in their day, Vista.

I had a silver A plate and then sold it to a mate because I needed the funds to help buy my Mam a car, after her Granada got stolen on 3rd party insurance only.

Anyway, I bought my mam a really nice Chevette and got myself a red MK2 RS2000 Custom out of the change... Result

[SmokeEm]

I worked for the local BL dealer when the Maestro Turbo was released. Remember vividly my 1st Pre Delivery Inspection one! Did all the usual checks etc and poodled off down the road for test drive. I'd done Metro Turbo's and Rover Vitesse's before but nothing could've prepared me for the rush of power when i planted it!! I nearly shat myself!

[skeeter]

I owned a silver XR3, one of the very early ones with a four speed box and no "i". This was a replacement for a 1.6 Capri Calypso.

 

I followed this with 2.8i Capri and then moved onto to a XR3i.

 

Is a Capri a hot hatch? Not really but hey, it was a ford.

 

S