So, what *was* the best 80s hot hatch?

[Gobsheene]

Well one vote for the AE92 Corolla. 

 

This was the 1st car I ever drove ( not sure if this is the one, but its identical! TSW Stealths and all), i was 16, it was on the beach and I got it all the way to 85 and didnt miss a gear change!  

 

So it holds a very special place in my heart! 

 

[Laurie61]

The corolla was one car I liked the look of but didn't get to drive. I had a look at a 1.6 AE 86 at the NEC motor show but changed my mind before buying.   

[AGENT 47]

my first car was a MG METRO loved it and its hydrolastic suspension also had a xr4x4 sierra in flint grey but a mate had pug 205 gti and a 309 gti and even though they did break down a lot they were fantastic to drive especially when you have a heavy right foot 

[tweenster]

I voted VW Golf GTI Mk 2, although specifically it has to be the 16v version. I fell in love with the original 1.6 Peugeot 205 GTI, an absolutely gorgeous car but I have never even driven one! We owned a Golf 16v for a couple of years at it was a superb car; completely docile when you wanted it to be but an excellent hot hatch when you pressed on. Very hard to believe that 139bhp back in the 80s was "high performance"!

[tweenster]

Well one vote for the AE92 Corolla. 

 

This was the 1st car I ever drove ( not sure if this is the one, but its identical! TSW Stealths and all), i was 16, it was on the beach and I got it all the way to 85 and didnt miss a gear change!

 

So it holds a very special place in my heart! 

 

I seem to remember this,and the coupe version, dominating their BTCC category for a couple of years.

[O.C.D.]

YO laurie61 did you have a habit of wearing stockings back in the 80s. :love:

[Guest Cossiecol]

The RS200

[Toxicvrs]

What about the Lancia Delta Intergrale!

Edited 20 February, 2014 by Toxicvrs

[Laurie61]

YO laurie61 did you have a habit of wearing stockings back in the 80s. :love:

 

Lol my secrets out   They belonged to a passenger who kindly donated them to the cause  It was either that or she walked back home as I did not have breakdown cover at the time 

[Lofty]

Ford Escort S1 RS Turbo for me. Having owned and driven extensively the 205 GTi, Fiesta XR2 (Mk1 & 2's), Astra GTE, I think even to this day the RST has some serious road presence.

 

Don't get me wrong a modern well driven 1.3 supermini would show it a clean pair of heels, but the RST is pure 80's in styling and stance. Shame they are all starting to command mega money and still get knicked so easily.

 

Anyway what do I know about style LOL, I own a yellow diesel skoda........

[swordstoke]

Two for me and here are the ones I owned.......     

 

 

Good old FIAT 127 1300GT 5 Speed.

 

 

 

 

 

MK1 Golf GTI 1800. Favourite of all time for me.

 

[SNH]

My cousin had an escort rs turbo but it just didn't handle as well as other hot hatches of that era. I test drove loads of hot hatches and eventually came to either the Dihatsu Charade GTI or the 309GTI. I settled on the 309 and loved it and never regretted it. I always wanted a 5dr 309 GTi Goodwood but they were rare and back then always demanded a premium. My 309, wish I still had it, it was great fun. It left me with a Mongoose exhaust/K&Ni/Piggyback ecu/kent high lift cam/lowered (forget which springs they were), none fitted in this picture.

I loved my 309.

Had a couple over the years and like yourself looked at goodwoods. Don't see many about these days, if you do there either mint and want a fortune or rundown with the ltd ed bits missing.

Shame as they were understated and over shadowed by the 205 even though they were meant to be better handling cars.

[AP Automotive]

I do like the Xr2.

But for me the escort rst was THE car of the 80's.

Always bought up around fast fords and eventually had my own S1 RST

[O.C.D.]

x1 for above.

[KOOLIE]

Interesting thread !  But why restrict it to the 80's.

My brother had a string of hillman imps which he rallied successfully in the early 70's.

His mate had a full race engine in his imp and it could scream it's way to 10.000 + rpm ( NATURALLY ASPIRATED ). Even the production cars could rev well.

My brothers last car was a Singer chamois which came with twin Strombergs and these later cars were much improved in quality.  They could be made to handle good too!.

They were also all opening hatch/rear windows.

Really just want to defend a forgotten hero of motor sport.

 

Koolie

 

LINK  http://www.imps4ever.info/tech/engine.html

Edited 22 March, 2014 by KOOLIE

[JohnMcL7]

I've never had a hot hatch although the Mk 2 Golf GTi always felt like the definitive hot hatch to me, there is a guy at work who has restored a mk 1 Golf GTI to pristine condition which looks like it could have rolled out the factory this year rather than many year ago.  It's funny just how small it is compared to that class of car now.

 

I'd love to try a Rover Metro with the 1.8 VVC engine in it, I had a 1.1 litre Metro and although it was painfully slow at higher speeds it was like a little go kart around town.

 

John

[loskie]

I was 16 and one of the "bigger boys" a 19 yr old farmers son had a Strada Abarth with proper recaro seats, went like feck.

When I left college at 19 I really wanted a Manta GTE Coupe not hatch but the £2500 car was £4k to insure this was in '89. Ended up with a Polo Coupe S. Certainly NOT a sporty car. Should have got a Nova SR. 

 

Oh yes in the list to vote it is ALFASUD  Not as spelled.

[Rutty555]

After thinking long and hard.. The escort rs turbo gets my vote.

[Rutty555]

Loved the mg maestro though.. Had the xr2's xr3's rs turbo. Loved the 5 turbo. The fiat turbo was sexy. Good times

[Kyle_vrs]

I'm a Ford nut at heart and after owning a s2 rs turbo I have to say that. Drove a few 205 gti's and I really don't see why everyone raves about them, not particularly fast and I didn't think the handling was that good but that might be because I was comparing it to a newer car. Drove a mk1 golf gti too and was unimpressed with that for the same reasons. I know they were 90s cars but the clio valver/Williams I liked and also the mk3 astra gsi

[Jay29]

Gotta be an astra gte redtop

Remember my uncle had one. As a kid thought it was best thing since sliced bread lol

Brilliant white, sharp looks, sporty seats and a digital dash I was in heaven

[Lady Elanore]

Interesting thread !  But why restrict it to the 80's.

 

 Because it's about the 80's hot hatches :think: 

 

Mind you, I too loved the Imp. My dad one and it was fab. I suppose it sort of had a hatc h though

[Coops]

Peugeot 205 GTI for me - very successful in both normal public guise and also T16 Group B homologation. In the final dying years of Group B the works 205s were the most successful winning both constructor titles and drivers titles in 1985 and 1986. Think the drivers were with Timo Salonen and Juha Kankkunen. Not a bad result considering they were up against the Audi Quattro, Lancia Delta S4 and Ford RS200 !

 

 

One that should also be included is the Nissan Sunny GTi-R - homologated for the WRC, it had a 2L turbocharged engine reportedly producing 220 bhp together with AWD. Apparently it could hit 60 in around 5 seconds.

 

[sparks03]

Wasn't the sunny gtr a 90s creation? Just looked at the poll results again and it's clear there are two favourites but I certainly expected the escorts to have a stronger following.

[TMB]

I'd go for the Sunbeam Lotus. Always had a soft spot for Sunbeams. I actually passed my driving test in one and then bought one, they were nice to drive but rusted pretty quickly, just like the Avenger they were based on.

 

 Here's my 1.3 model back in the day...