Sad Times

[Ed Doe]

I must be on my own here, I’ve never been a fan of the shopping trolleys with big engine era.

They are just so fast and fun, in the real world, for the money. The Fiat Coupe 20vt, was basically a hot hatch, with no hatch. I think it started as a Tipo in a dress. It could live with TVRs and embarrass E36 M3 Evo's. You have missed out Mike.

Don't forget the Clio Williams, 182 etc, Peugeot 106GTi, 205 GTi, 306 GTi-6s!! The French imo had he Hot hatch market absolutely nailed for such a large chunk of the 80s/90s/00s! Absolute HOOTs to drive, and actually sensible to run/practical as well. As I say, I still miss my old 306 GTi-6

[pvr]

And in those days there were no speed cameras, so I was absolutely loving the 16V Golf GTI I had in 1990 (well, it was my wife's ).

Also, there was also none of this woke stuff regarding driving.

[BMWZ4MC]

yeah but let's be honest, the traditional hot hatch has been dead years....

YES the Honda Civic Type R was on ECOTY this year, but when a hot hatch is £50k to buy new, is is not just missing the point (Simple decent chassis, big engine, cheap fun)?

I dunno, call me old and grumpy, but the Hot hatch died a long time ago - a casualty of the human necessity for 'more'; more power, more speed, better laptimes. The fun of spanking a relatively light, relatively soft NA hot hatch down the backroads has been drowned out in the marketing department demands for 'ring laptimes.

I miss my old Peugeot 306 GTi-6

I absolutely agree…except mine was a 306 XSi.

[buzyg]

And don't forget we still have the E86.

[Pondrew]

And don't forget we still have the E86.

Not really a hot hatch as such, though. Since BMW started meaning "Bloody Massive Weight" a good few years ago they were never in the running IMO.

1983 XR3i was my favourite! I had a Mk3 RS Turbo Escort aswell but the XR was more fun TBH.

[1536Z4]

Don't forget the Clio Williams

A mate of mine had a Clio Williams which as far as I remember had a build number plate . He was into his rallying and had owned a Talbot Sunbeam previously which was a laugh and after the Clio a Subaru WRX Sti . I didn`t know what all the fuss was about with the Clio until he took me out for a spin

[Pondrew]

A mate of mine had a Clio Williams which as far as I remember had a build number plate . He was into his rallying and had owned a Talbot Sunbeam previously which was a laugh and after the Clio a Subaru WRX Sti . I didn`t know what all the fuss was about with the Clio until he took me out for a spin

I worked for a while on the same industrial estate in Didcot where Williams "made" the Clio. I used to walk round there often and have a peer into the workshops. Cleanest and tidiest workshops I've ever seen!
My next door neighbour in 1993 bought a new Williams Clio (he was a BA pilot). It didn't look much IMO but was very fun to drive.

[MikeyH]

I must be on my own here, I’ve never been a fan of the shopping trolleys with big engine era.

They are just so fast and fun, in the real world, for the money. The Fiat Coupe 20vt, was basically a hot hatch, with no hatch. I think it started as a Tipo in a dress. It could live with TVRs and embarrass E36 M3 Evo's. (When it was working) You have missed out Mike.

No, just no

[1536Z4]

It didn't look much IMO but was very fun to drive.

I agree it didn`t look like how it drove . I think it had bronze coloured wheels but that was about it . Probably had other bits that I didn`t notice .I was more into motor bikes at the time .

[BMWZ4MC]

1983 XR3i was my favourite! I had a Mk3 RS Turbo Escort aswell but the XR was more fun TBH.

As a poor student, I had an Orion 1.6i Ghia - the thinking man’s XR3i (or rather the version insurable for a student living in London). It was fun at the time, but wasn’t as fast as I’d expected and the brakes were hopeless!

[buzyg]

And don't forget we still have the E86.

Not really a hot hatch as such, though. Since BMW started meaning "Bloody Massive Weight" a good few years ago they were never in the running IMO.

1983 XR3i was my favourite! I had a Mk3 RS Turbo Escort aswell but the XR was more fun TBH.

Just after a cheap bite. No they are not in the same league as genuine old school hot hatches.

[Pondrew]

As a poor student, I had an Orion 1.6i Ghia

My sister had one as a company car in 1988. I really liked it. Plush interior (for an Escort)!

I did manage to fry the front brakes on my XR3 during a drive through the Welsh mountains one day. All was well after a few minutes of cooling down (the car and me).

[BMWZ4MC]

As a poor student, I had an Orion 1.6i Ghia

My sister had one as a company car in 1988. I really liked it. Plush interior (for an Escort)!

I did manage to fry the front brakes on my XR3 during a drive through the Welsh mountains one day. All was well after a few minutes of cooling down (the car and me).

Mine was a 1988-89 F-reg in metallic Champagne Gold (polished turd with a dash of glistening pink in direct sunlight - the perfect colour choice for a Pondrew, I would imagine) over matt grey with clear indicators and XR3i spotlights. It was definitely the fastest thing in Saaaf Lundin.
It was old and knackered before I got hold of it and life became much harder for it thereafter. In retrospect, the interior was much nicer than my other student cars, but I didn’t really appreciate that at the time (not that I’ve had call to get to know many escorts in my time).

[pvr]

BMWZ4MC, did you dating life improve later on so you could drop the escorts?

[buzyg]

BMWZ4MC, did you dating life improve later on so you could drop the escorts?

Not until he stopped going Dutch.