The greatest hot hatch?

[trigger]

Being a Essex boy I grew up in a county full of testosterone filled hot hatches, I loved them, everyone either had a XR3i or a Renault 5 GT Turbo, Friday and Saturday nights where spent watching the same "Gary boys" lapping around Colchester high street trying to out race each other, seeing who could complete the lap around town the quickest and back to the "Patch" (which was a train station car park) to rev up your fire breathing CVH or Vauxhall OHC engine to impress the ladies.

 

Anyway, It had me thinking, what was the best hot hatch?, which one got you fired up or did you even own?.

 

One of mine would be the Fiat Strada 105TC, Not one of the quickest cars in it's day but what a fine looker, I don't actually remember there even being that many about as I was growing up.

 

1982 Fiat Strada 105TC by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

But the one I grew up with would have been the Mk4 XR3i, Looking back they weren't very quick or even anything that special but I still miss the sound of that CVH exhaust and sitting in them sports seats. Grreat cars!.

 

Ford Escort XR3i Mk4 Road Test 1986 (1) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[autofive]

[warren t claim]

[Shep Shepherd]

I adore the original Escort XR3, especially Prairie Yellow ones like this:

 

 

[SambaS]

C reg! Did not know they came on a C plate. My fav beyond the Talbot Samba S is the Daihatsu Charade GTti. Although there are so many huge wants in this catagory: MG Maestso/ Metro Turbo, MK1/2 Astra GTE, MK3 XR3/RS1600i/RS Turbo, Lotus Sunbeam/Ti.

[Micrashed]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiesta-xr2-/2 ... 3a802a4b00

This.

It wasnt the quickest

it wasnt the best handling

but for me it represents the best few years of my life.

[eddyramrod]

Who we-all chasin, boy?

[Des]

My vote is the 205, never owned one but drove plenty and they always impressed, but that may have been the novelty factor and that someone elses car always goes the fastest. The one I actually owned was a Cherry Europe, in spite of its GTI badge it had carbs, and was a bit of a handful, little bastard wanted to kill me.

[philibusmo]

I may be bias but:

 

Although I do like these:

[pandarus]

205 GTI for me...

 

Strange choice as I am not too keen on Peugeots but that 205 was the car to have when I was about 14.

 

I also had a soft spot for the Fuego!

[Pillock]

 

The Polo G40 was the hottest version of the Mk3 (or Mk2F if you're from t'continent) Polo, sold through dealers in the early 1990s. It began life as a Mk2, the GT-G40 produced in Germany right at the end of the production run as a test for a single-model race series and was produced in LHD only and limited to 500 cars. The sales were so good, when the new model was launched there was always meant to be a supercharged version and it went on sale in both LHD and RHD with the name shortened to "Polo G40".

 

It has a 1272cc engine of, erm, fairly simple design, as found in the 75bhp Polo GT (with multipoint injection) or the 55bhp standard models (with singlepoint injection). To this, VW hammered on a G-Lader Supercharger with 40mm inlet (hence the model name) and tricked up a few bits to suit - there's a beefier fuel pump, tougher pistons, lower compression ratio and all the necessary intercooler and pipework. This takes it up to 113bhp in a car weighing not a great deal which gives around 8 seconds 0-60.

 

As an ex-G40 owner, I can happily state these have quite a "sleeper" air around them with just a red badge front and rear, and 13" BBS wheels to set it apart from a GT. A few cheap mods can give good power gains - a chip, a smaller pulley and chopping plastic from the airbox will give 130bhp for less than £150 - and with such low weight, you can really feel the increase in power.

[phil_lihp]

For me it'd have to be the only one I've ever actually driven

 

Some years back while my Fiesta was back at the seller's garage being repaired, I was loaned a Peugeot 309 GTi identical to this.

 

 

Given the garage's reputation I doubt it was fully road legal and it took him several attempts starting it from cold. It wouldn't idle properly, smoked like the Flying Scotsman, had a large hole in the exhaust and was totally borked in every which way. It was also very fast, very lively and a complete hoot. I loved it and was rather sad to hand it back!

[Timewaster]

205 GTI for me...

 

Strange choice as I am not too keen on Peugeots but that 205 was the car to have when I was about 14.

 

I also had a soft spot for the Fuego!

 

+1

 

When I was 14 I wanted a 205Gti or an Mr2 (Mk1).

It took me 7 years but I got one

Google pic, but identical to this.

 

Not so sure about the Fuego, but at 8 I wanted a red Renault 5 Mk1 (with umbrella gearstick) which was replaced in my affections when I first saw a Renault 18 Turbo.

My dad had a R12 and the only garage I got to go in was the Renner dealer.

 

In the "Want but wouldn't buy" catagory is this:

[sporty-shite]

I'll echo both the 309GTi and the Sud Ti. Had both, and loved them both. The Pug was faster, more comfortable and better equipped, and handled really well. The Sud, sounded the tits, and handled even better than the 309.

 

I'd have another one of either in a heartbeat.

[RedSparrow]

Surely the shite-est (and therefore the best) has to be:

 

[jakebullet]

That yellow xr3 is lush!

[philibusmo]

Surely the shite-est (and therefore the best) has to be:

 

MG Metro Turbot

 

Pah, call that the shite-est hot hatch! AMETUR!

Winner.

[Shep Shepherd]

That yellow xr3 is lush!

 

The best colour, in my opinion. I think that they also look really good in Sunburst Red and Midnight blue, the latter being very rare indeed

[eddyramrod]

hot hatch

Winner.

 

Oh please, Mr Busmo, tell me what month and year (don't need the actual date) BL started issuing hatchback Allegros?

[Micrashed]

I also had a soft spot for the Fuego!

 

Hoghton Tower Car Show August 2009 - Fugeo by Micrashed, on Flickr

Hmmmmmm

[Richard]

Oh please, Mr Busmo, tell me what month and year (don't need the actual date) BL started issuing hatchback Allegros?

 

1995

 

1996 Rover 214i by GoldScotland71, on Flickr

[philibusmo]

Well I have just made a right tit of myself.

[eddyramrod]

You're not the first and won't be the last! I know I'm capable of it too, and I'm sure we all are at times. At least my Yank Barge was a hatch! And being used by James Bond makes it hot enough to qualify, doncha think?

[Timewaster]

Oh please, Mr Busmo, tell me what month and year (don't need the actual date) BL started issuing hatchback Allegros?

 

Could be arranged.

[Shep Shepherd]

If it's any consolation, the Allegro Equipe was BL's answer to the Golf GTI

[SambaS]

Was the Simca 1100 a hatchback? Did they do a hot Renault 16?

[skattrd]

205, R5 GTT, R11 Turbo Fuego, Strada - I've still not owned/driven any, but they're all on the list.

 

I'm unsure what to say which i think is/was best, but for me it would have to be something with forced induction.

[pandarus]

A quick mention also for the Maestro EFi

 

Loving this 'shite in a wolf's clothing thread!

[dollywobbler]

Austin Maxi HLS. Twin carbs. Oh yes.

 

For a proper hot-hatch, I always loved these.

 

Punchy engine, sweet bodykit (with unique rear window treatment) and digital dashboard. It's got it all. (especially in a nice colour like that).

[blakey79]

Golf Gti MK1 Campaign for me, lovely p slot alloys.