Have you guys seen this new article on PistonHeads?

http://www.pistonheads.com/roadtests/doc.asp?c=47&i=24518

Octavia vRS story: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=24523

Shame they picked one with manky DRL's and door bump strips! Sounds like the dampers were shot too.....

tbh thought it was a badly researched filler article.

Comparing cars from different era, some of which are actually far from forgotten.

I saw it, seems like a fair summary to me. Out of the cars they drove I'm not surpised the Octy felt soft.

Glance read this today. Agree, not particularly well researched although the BX 16Valve is a bit of a rare beast as I believe the engine wasn't designed to run on unleaded. My dad had the 8 valve BX Gti back when I was just learning ... I got the keys to the Citroen Visa 1100 RE only though ... :'(

Although not all hatches, the Cavalier Gsi / Peugoet 405 Mi16 / Sierra 4x4 and Audi Coupe 20v would have been a better match for this car, possibly in a different article...

Very weak write up and the pictures are terrible as well. I don't like Nicks stlye of photography, really didn't do any of those cars justice.

No offence to the owner, but they could of really gone for a younger car and one that has had the improvements it should of had from factory.

Beetle RSi

16Valve is a bit of a rare beast as I believe the engine wasn't designed to run on unleaded.

Those engine run fine on unleaded. The engine was a Peogeut developed engine for both the BX 16v and the Mi16x4. The Mi16x4 had an uprated autoleveling version of the BX's pneumatic rear suspension.

... and one that has had the improvements it should of had from factory.

problem is, you start comparing a modded car against an unmodded car, it all starts gets a bit confusing.

For such comparisions you do need to compare the base car. Fair enough if you then compare the unmodded car to the modded, or talk about how easy car problems can be solved etc.

You've got to remember the performance of the stock Octavia has been designed by VAG to fit to their global marketting ideas.

I bet the folks at Skoda would have loved to have put a BAM engine in the production vRS, make it handle better etc, so it could undercut & outsell Golf GTI, LCR etc, but VAG management had other ideas.

They instead decided that Seat would get the performance FWD model, Audi would get the performance turbo 4WD model and VW got the performance V6 4WD model, giving the impression of greater choice.

modra_vrs - the BX 16 valve used the Mi16 engine (or XU9J4 as PAS call it). I am forgetting lots of info from my 205 Mi16 days, but there was a knock sensor and I used to run unleaded with no issues. I have not heard this before on the 205GTidrivers forum.

The cylinder head with its 8 exhaust ports and complex exhaust manifold was some nice engineering :p

A 900kg Pug 205 with the closer 1.6GTi gearbox and 7400rpm to play with, was heaven. Who needs VTEC

Ah, Snow_muncher - I thought I recognised your name here when I saw it on Pistonheads. I think I am 'Roono'on that forum!

Ah, Snow_muncher - I thought I recognised your name here when I saw it on Pistonheads. I think I am 'Roono'on that forum!

You're the destroyer of Mi16x4's !

You should have kept them. They're one of the rarest production cars out there.

I sold mine to someone from Romania, who came and collected it with a trailor.

Would dearly loved to a have kept it.

I always thought the engine was the weak point tbh. Mine was 185bhp, but still not enough power. Wanted the T16's XU10J4TE turbo engine.

Funnily enough, the Mi16x4 + T16 have exactly the same curb weight as my Octavia 4x4 (1340Kg), and the T16 made about 200bhp as standard (220 on overboost). So same power to weight as a stage 1 remapped Octy 4x4 (still isn't enough power tbh).

like the look of that Alfa for £1200