I can't help but think when I look into all these hyper hatches, that they're all starting to make the new WRX STI feel like good value. The new STI is slightly cheaper or around the same price as these depending on the car you look at. But is bigger, with 5 proper doors. Also, would the residual value be better? It's debatable. 

 

I don't know if it's just part of a younger me trying to tug at my heartstrings for getting excited over a beefy Subaru again. Or whether it is a genuine bit of sense. But fun to see what other people though as to whether the STI was a good alternative to some of these. 

I can't help but think when I look into all these hyper hatches, that they're all starting to make the new WRX STI feel like good value. The new STI is slightly cheaper or around the same price as these depending on the car you look at. But is bigger, with 5 proper doors. Also, would the residual value be better? It's debatable. 

 

I don't know if it's just part of a younger me trying to tug at my heartstrings for getting excited over a beefy Subaru again. Or whether it is a genuine bit of sense. But fun to see what other people though as to whether the STI was a good alternative to some of these.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/battle-affordable-performance-2015-vw-golf-r-vs-2015-subaru-wrx-sti/

Edited 4 February, 201511 yr by vrskeith

This would be okay for approx £36k imo.

Provided you don't mind forgoing VW Warranty.

Checking out, if OETTINGER give some sort of warranty depending on level of tune.

http://www.evo.co.uk/volkswagen/golf/13823/oettinger-vw-golf-r

[snip]

 

Really good article, and great video's thanks. 

 

I guess I'd still be leaning toward the STI. But I guess going off that article, that probably says more about me, then it does about the cars. 

This would be okay for approx £36k imo.

Provided you don't mind forgoing VW Warranty.

Checking out, if OETTINGER give some sort of warranty depending on level of tune.

http://www.evo.co.uk/volkswagen/golf/13823/oettinger-vw-golf-r

This is a rather conservative statement for EVO:

 

" With such a substantial power hike however, the Oettinger Golf R could well be even more exciting. "

 

I guess their swear filter won't allow them to write it's effing mental.

I'm still sceptical about an Alfa with over 500bhp in it. But, if they are half of one of these:

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/maserati/granturismo/used-maserati-granturismo-4-7-mc-stradale-shift-2dr-preston-fpa-201502030655404?logcode=p

I can't help but think when I look into all these hyper hatches, that they're all starting to make the new WRX STI feel like good value. The new STI is slightly cheaper or around the same price as these depending on the car you look at. But is bigger, with 5 proper doors. Also, would the residual value be better? It's debatable. 

 

I don't know if it's just part of a younger me trying to tug at my heartstrings for getting excited over a beefy Subaru again. Or whether it is a genuine bit of sense. But fun to see what other people though as to whether the STI was a good alternative to some of these. 

 

I was a big Scooby fan, but I've come to the conclusion that they got caugt up and overtaken some time ago.

S3 and Golf R are better in my opinion.  Both of which have 5 doors if you want, as does the new Focus RS.

 

The Scoob used to occupy a small niche of turbocharged four wheel drive 4/5 door family cars.

VAG has trumped it.

Same here Richard. I yearned for the original when it first appeared. By the time macrae was stood on its bonnet spraying champers everywhere the magic had gone. As good as the evo versions were, particularly the 22B, the insanity had already set in.

Maybe something nice to come from Toyota in the way of a Small Hot AWD Hatch in the future since they are going back 

into WRC in 2017, i certainly hope so because it could be wonderful.

 

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/toyota/2015-toyota-yaris-wrc-ar167455.html

Edited 6 February, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

Maybe something nice to come from Toyota in the way of a Small Hot AWD Hatch in the future since they are going back 

into WRC in 2017, i certainly hope so because it could be wonderful.

 

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/toyota/2015-toyota-yaris-wrc-ar167455.html

I hope so too, but that is one fugly car!

I just cannot get excited about WRC at all, and not necessarily after the demise of Group B and all that. There is something wrong when a top performing machine has an engine with less bhp than mine. They all look too easy to drive. 

It just goes to show how figures like 300 BHP can be deceiving,

and it is where the power / torque is and then gets transmitted to the surfaces.

 

Rally cars do not stop at traffic lights very often, other than transiting between stages,

and then require standing starts at the start of a stage, then the map and gearing is for a different usage.

Edited 6 February, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

Well, it's probably more about power / weight. Rally cars don't have rear seats, aircon, bags of shopping in the boot.

FIA Regulations, 1,200kg minimum, 1,360 kg with Driver & Co-Driver,

so if the VWG had the cars the sell near the Unladen Weight they publish the difference is between oo and ahh.

I can only compare the old gen civic to the mondeo of 2005 vintage, but the civic shifter cable was a stronger inner, had a better conduit, had twice as many brackets to hold it in place (reduces hysteresis) and stiffer / stronger bushes mouldings. Honda components are often over-engineered compared to everyone else. I worked on the old Type R spoiler, it had four times as many fixing points as a BMW Mini roof spoiler. I've sat thougy many engineering meetings over the years, and no one is quite like Honda, even the other Japanese auto makers. 

 

totally OT I know, but I do like the gear shift in my Honda - makes getting back in the Ibiza sort of shocking it's such a long throw and so...squidgy feeling

Much money for the thrill?

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=31598&utm_source=2015-2-17&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=newsletter

I may have to do the deal sooner than I had planned...

 

http://www.autonews.com/article/20150119/OEM04/301199934/alfa-romeo-aims-to-play-with-the-big-boys

 

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/spy-shots/alfa-romeo/alfa-romeo-giulia-2015-first-of-nine-new-alfas/

 

I'm already in the process of talking to the Alfa dealer around the corner from me (incredible but true, must be only the 3rd in the whole of Wales) of test driving the V6 biturbo. 

Much money for the thrill?

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=31598&utm_source=2015-2-17&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=newsletter

 

Er, clearly not driven the R / Cupra then. 

 

 

A big dump

Moreover, the 2.0-litre is a fabulous engine. When discussing most modern turbos, it's a case of a huge torque dump before 2,000rpm with no real incentive to rev it. Fast and easy, yes, but not the most exciting. The Mercedes is very different. There's a bit of lag and plenty of low-rev torque too but a second wind at about 5,500rpm that still comes as something of a shock. It's properly ferocious round to the limiter, revving with an intensity you would never credit such a heavily turbocharged engine with.

This month's EVO mag has just popped through my letterbox, and appears to be a hot hatch special! Gentlemen, start your wallets.

Interesting shoot out. Unsurprisingly the megane wins, but the focus ST is not even close.

Interesting shoot out. Unsurprisingly the megane wins, but the focus ST is not even close.

That saved me buying the mag Steve.Is that the 2+0 megane!?

http://www.evo.co.uk/features/15324/the-top-five-best-hot-hatchbacks-on-sale-right-now

Megane 265

http://jalopnik.com/the-2016-honda-civic-type-r-is-310-hp-worth-of-turbo-vt-1688953678 310bhp Type-R

Edited 2 March, 201511 yr by andypandypoos

VTEC engine with torque shocker!

 

It's looks are growing, will be interesting to see how it fares with just FWD too. 

HONDA Type R competion:http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-show/2016-ford-focus-rs-offer-launch-control