Is The Hot Hatch Dead?

Vegeta

Henry Ford III wrote:

Focus ST has 225 bhp, and puts down the power fine.

Mine doesn't have traction control, not that it needs it. The chassis really is that good.

it has a very posh front diff though doesn't it!

Big Balls

I can assure you that with 21,000 kms on the engine now, my MKV GTI very much has torque steer when in 3rd and 4th gear and you're revving the nuts off it.. I dunno how anything more powerful without traction could cope but I haven't driven any of the GTIs competitors.

Does everyone here really think that if things like airbags, traction, esp etc were available in the late 70s, the MKI GTI wouldn't have had them??

d4r3n

Big Balls wrote:

I can assure you that with 21,000 kms on the engine now, my MKV GTI very much has torque steer when in 3rd and 4th gear and you're revving the nuts off it...

Clutch control...

Big Balls

I've a fair few miles under my belt at this stage thanks... :rolleyes:

CPG

Focus ST, ahh thats the Volvo T5 engine, correct??

5 pot turbo charged, 225 BHP, yeah my '94 850 has that engine.

esskay

The flood of Skylines, 300zx, GTO's and such are putting the hot hatches outta business imho. Why pay a fortune on insurance for a hatchback when you can insure a proper "sports" car for near enough the same money? Cars that were designed to go fast from scratch, not modified "normal" cars. I drive a 92 Corrado G60, I could never afford something newer with similar performance. It's a Supercharged 1.8L and has only 20bhp less than the 2.9L VR6 but is a hell of a lot cheaper to tax and insure (but a bit heavier on the juice tbh) As the performance cars of the 90's appear on the 2nd hand market at an affordably price they are hard to resist when put beside hatchbacks.

Vegeta

CPG wrote:

Focus ST, ahh thats the Volvo T5 engine, correct??

5 pot turbo charged, 225 BHP, yeah my '94 850 has that engine.

I could be wrong but is that not the RS

CPG

yeah, its the new ST that has the Volvo lump.

Big Balls

GTOs putting hot hatches out of business???

Are you having a laugh?!! It's not still 1996 buddy!!!!!

Plug

Will be intreasteing to see how next years GTI will fair out with the ST.

Vegeta

CPG wrote:

yeah, its the new ST that has the Volvo lump.

got ya, cheers.

Big Balls

VW dealers seem to know nothing about the 30th Anni GTI.

I don't know where the market for one will be to be honest. An R32 will be probably the same price (if not less!) and has 10bhp more give or take.

Same story with the new GT 1.4 engine.. it's gonna be 31k - a GTI is 4k more only.

esskay

Big Balls wrote:

GTOs putting hot hatches out of business???

Are you having a laugh?!! It's not still 1996 buddy!!!!!

I didn't say just GTO's :rolleyes: As 2nd hand performance cars get cheaper in price they would seem a better buy in a lot of cases than hot hatches. Not in all cases, but in a lot of them. Most people buying hot hatches are young(ish) and can't afford real performance cars. The corrado I drive was crazy money when it came out and was a flop for VW. Now you can get one for peanuts and there are loads of original parts too. They handle well, have decent enough power and look pretty ok.

If you want to ship a car from japan the deals available are unreal. How's about a skyline GT-R for about 6 grand
http://www.gcar.co.jp/gbtrader/1stock/r42/
A mate of mine bought from these guys so I know they are legit. Shipping from japan to here is only about 700euro.
Or a Celica for about 4 grand
http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~gbit/stock/t55/
The japanese equivalent of the NCT is very thorough. You can see the celica has a few dents, has had a bonnet and wing replaced. You get a copy of the full papers for these cars before you buy too so you get FSH, all parts that have been replaced and lots more. Sure you'd be mad not to buy one :-)

Plug

Big Balls wrote:

VW dealers seem to know nothing about the 30th Anni GTI.

I don't know where the market for one will be to be honest. An R32 will be probably the same price (if not less!) and has 10bhp more give or take.

Same story with the new GT 1.4 engine.. it's gonna be 31k - a GTI is 4k more only.

From what I can see these new fsi engines are insurance scams. 170HP from a 1.4, soon theres going to be a 1.2 150HP and a 1.6 200HP.

Henry Ford III

Vegeta wrote:

it has a very posh front diff though doesn't it!

No it doesn't. The Mk1 Focus RS had an ATB diff. It was a tricky car to drive. Very hard suspension and the active diff. meant endless steering corrections were needed.

The ST hasn't got lsd nor traction control as standard. In my view they are not needed. The grip is huge. You can break traction in the lower gears, but you really need to provoke it to do so.

Anan1

esskay wrote:

The flood of Skylines, 300zx, GTO's and such are putting the hot hatches outta business imho. Why pay a fortune on insurance for a hatchback when you can insure a proper "sports" car for near enough the same money? Cars that were designed to go fast from scratch, not modified "normal" cars. I drive a 92 Corrado G60, I could never afford something newer with similar performance. It's a Supercharged 1.8L and has only 20bhp less than the 2.9L VR6 but is a hell of a lot cheaper to tax and insure (but a bit heavier on the juice tbh) As the performance cars of the 90's appear on the 2nd hand market at an affordably price they are hard to resist when put beside hatchbacks.

Not for people who need to carry three or four passengers they're not.:)

Sundy

Anan1 wrote:

Not for people who need to carry three or four passengers they're not.:)

unfortunatley your right i have never taken people further than 15miles in the back of my corrado, its just way too bumpy