Hot Hatch Opinions?

Plug

lightening wrote: »

Is the new Impreza not a hot hatch?

Thats what I was going to say.
True, it is basically a golf R32 with 50hp extra.

E92

ronoc wrote: »

There are still rumours that the RS will be AWD. If it is.. I'm going to sell a kidney to get that car

It is going to be 4WD. It will be a more powerful version of the current ST engine.

E92

Longshanks100 wrote: »

That is a Corsa OPC.

Below is a photo of a Corsa VXR:

TheBazman

Does it have to be a hatch? What about one of these??

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=869854

E92

E92 wrote: »

That is a Corsa OPC.

Below is a photo of a Corsa VXR:

Surely the badge is the only difference

Fizman

E92 wrote: »

That is a Corsa OPC.

Below is a photo of a Corsa VXR:

Aren't they exactly the same car? I'm fairly sure they are. Its VXR in the UK and OPC (opel performance center) over here. My mate has had a Astra OPC for the past 2 years and im pretty sure he put it something like that.

.Longshanks.

Fizman wrote: »

Aren't they exactly the same car? I'm fairly sure they are. Its VXR in the UK and OPC (opel performance center) over here. My mate has had a Astra OPC for the past 2 years and im pretty sure he put it something like that.

Spot on, OPC = opel performance center
http://www.opel-opc.com/

E92

OPC= Opel Performance Centre.

But some posters were posting about the Opel Corsa VXR;)! There is a Vauxhall Corsa VXR.

And no they are not the same I believe, the suspension is different in OPC models(it's softer), though RHD OPC cars are the same as VXR's bar the badges, but LHDs use different suspension settings AFAIK.

Gatster

Off to Liffey Valley to look at the Corsa OPC in minute, and will cast my eye over the Astra OPC they have as well.

Don't really want to go back to +3ltr engines so 130i is out (and probably on price, don't want to go over 27k-ish really) and unfortunately as it's a daily driver, Delta Intrgrales are definitely out

E92

The 130i pollutes 197 g/km, compared the OPC Corsa which pollutes 190 g/km, so if you're ruling out the BMW on the grounds that it will cost an arm and a leg on petrol, it actually is only a shade worse(CO2 emissions are directly related to fuel consumption).

Though the 130i has been slated in the press, so you're probably as well off to stay away from it.

The Corsa will be in the 28% VRT band in July, and also will cost €600 a year to tax(€428 from Feb), so you are clearly better off to get the Opel now if that is what you want.

Have a look at the VRT sticky, the emissions of most cars were uploaded last night, and I have put up Excel files giving a rough guide as to what cars will cost in July(I say rough because my calculations are flawed, but they should be only slightly assuming that any VRT saving/increase is passed on in full to the consumer) for Alfa-Opel inclusive, as well as Toyota.

.Longshanks.

Tax €600 after July but buy and tax it before 1st Feb '08 and the tax will only be €391. Next years will be €427 (391 + 9%)

Andrewf20

Gatster wrote: »

Focus could be a contender though, I have a mate who works for Ford. I do like the Asta VXR (don't really want to go above 2ltr), but can't decide if it's a bit 'crashed into a Halfords'.

Tax on a ST is 962euro at the mo and is in the process of getting a 10% hike.(I think its 2502cc, 3 cc less and it would be 821+10%euro!)

Henry Ford III

2522cc.

Biro

E92 wrote: »

(CO2 emissions are directly related to fuel consumption).

Not necessarily true... look at diesels in the last 5 years, significant drop in CO2 emissions, feck all difference in economy.

groupb

Ferris wrote: »

Bit of an off the wall one but what about a bmw 130i, I think the emissions are not too bad so the car tax wouldn't be huge under the new system. Very few here but you'd get one over the water. Its the only one here that would follow an Impreza up a twisty road.

Mini Cooper S??

The old focus RS was tested through a series of corners against a impreza by Autocar and was up to 10 mph quicker through most corners. In fairness this test was carried out on a dry track.

Gatster

It's widely acknowledged the old Focus Rs is only genuinely quick on marble-esque tarmac, once the terrain gets a bit choppy it comes unstuck...I'd be pretty confident in my Impreza against an RS on Irish roads . The 130i is out because of the purchase cost, more than anything else.

So, Liffey Valley - Corsa is like 'my first hot hatch', beautiful seats but awful semi-translucent switchgear in places and a lot smaller inside that the Clio and it looks too much like the bodykit was tacked on as an afterthought...however, the '08 Astra OPC thay have, phew :D:D

Went back to the Clio and I still love it and they are offering a great discount, but the Opel 50:50 deal on the Astra OPC probably makes more financial sense, bizarrely

Edit: What sort of discount should I be expecting of list for straight deal on the Astra?

Armin_Tamzarian

R32 Golf if you can afford the purchase price and the TAX.
They're not too flash if that's what you want.
Audi S3 would seem to suit you also, don't know much about them but I'd imagine they're decent.
Then there's the 106 Gti and the Saxo VTS but they'd probably be abit cramped.

E92

Biro wrote: »

Not necessarily true... look at diesels in the last 5 years, significant drop in CO2 emissions, feck all difference in economy.

Ah well I'm using the EU tests, and every gallon of petrol or diesel burned does produce CO2.

Just because the EU tests say a car will do x mpg doesn't mean it's ever going to do it(most cars never achieve their quoted figures);).

And diesel produces 13% more CO2 than a petrol, i.e. if a petrol and diesel both did 50 mpg, the diesel would have polluted 13% more CO2 in the process(not to mention more considerably more Particulates and Nitrous Oxide, though they only pollute something like half the Carbon Monoxide of a petrol, and also beat them on Hydrocarbon emissions).

Biro

E92 wrote: »

Ah well I'm using the EU tests, and every gallon of petrol or diesel burned does produce CO2.

Just because the EU tests say a car will do x mpg doesn't mean it's ever going to do it(most cars never achieve their quoted figures);).

And diesel produces 13% more CO2 than a petrol, i.e. if a petrol and diesel both did 50 mpg, the diesel would have polluted 13% more CO2 in the process(not to mention more considerably more Particulates and Nitrous Oxide, though they only pollute something like half the Carbon Monoxide of a petrol, and also beat them on Hydrocarbon emissions).

Ya, but that's my point. I know someone who's had a few Passat's for example. The mpg hasn't really changed between '98 and now, yet the quoted CO2 figures have dropped a good bit. My point is that the mpg is an accurate reading, the same person using the cars in the same way, and getting similar mpg, regardless of any official figures.
So maybe the CO2 figures are the farce. Particle filters etc can only do so much! If that's the case, we're all being fooled!

ianobrien

Biro wrote: »

Hard to beat the Clio 197 for handling.

I drove one and found it far too skitty over bumps when pushing on.

On back roads, it was bloody hard work with the back of it jumping around. It was worse than my AX GT (that'll go sideways if you go over a pebble!). On smooth roads, massive grip and cornered amazingly well, but hates bumps!

LarWright

Gatster wrote: »

.....the Opel 50:50 deal on the Astra OPC probably makes more financial sense, bizarrely

Edit: What sort of discount should I be expecting of list for straight deal on the Astra?

Gatster... PM me! Re discount.... 2000 euro ish.....

RobAMerc

Gatser, even with a hefty discount I think you'll be sorry you changed from an Imprezza to an Astra of any sort.

I have changed cars many times for something just to change cars - very shortly afterwards I realize my mistake.

It will be a big step to a hot hatch from the Scoobie and Astra will be way down the list of ones you should look at imo.

omega man

RobAMerc wrote: »

Gatser, even with a hefty discount I think you'll be sorry you changed from an Imprezza to an Astra of any sort.

I have changed cars many times for something just to change cars - very shortly afterwards I realize my mistake.

It will be a big step to a hot hatch from the Scoobie and Astra will be way down the list of ones you should look at imo.

Agreed. Make sure you test drive the likes of the Focus ST, 3 MPS or the Leon Cupra before you hand over any cash for the Astra OPC, 50/50 or no 50/50!

E92

Biro wrote: »

Ya, but that's my point. I know someone who's had a few Passat's for example. The mpg hasn't really changed between '98 and now, yet the quoted CO2 figures have dropped a good bit. My point is that the mpg is an accurate reading, the same person using the cars in the same way, and getting similar mpg, regardless of any official figures.
So maybe the CO2 figures are the farce. Particle filters etc can only do so much! If that's the case, we're all being fooled!

Particulate Filters have nothing to do with CO2. They simply reduce the amount of soot and the smell that you used to get from the exhaust of old diesels.

When the EU does the fuel economy tests, what they actually do is measure the pollution(there are 5 main types of pollution, I presume you know what they are but in case you don't, they are Carbon Dioxide(CO2), Carbon Monoxide(CO), Hydrocarbons(HC), Nitrous Oxide(NOx) and Particulate Matter aka Particulates(PM)), and take the CO2 reading, and from this they know what the fuel consumption was(don't ask me how, the only thing I know is that lower CO2 = higher mpg and by deduction, CO2 is a by product of burning petrol and diesel).

Personally I am surprised that the Greens though that the only form of pollution that matters is CO2, had they considered the other types you can be certain sure that there would be a diesel levy, while Euro 5 is going to solve one of the areas that diesels are a lot worse than petrols, namely PM(the Euro 5 limit is 20% of the Euro 4 limit), we still have another 6 years before NOx is dealt with.

It would have made more sense if the Government, in their drive to promote lower emissions cars, gave some sort of tax break for people who purchase Euro 5 cars, and also made DPFs mandatory(that is one thing they should not have let diesels get away with), other than that I don't think the new system is bad at all really. The old system of just taxing cars on engine size was clearly rubbish.

Gatster

Drove the Astra today, and basically, wow. More agile than the ST (still not interested in the Golf tbh, and although I admire the Mazda, I think it looks too dull), definitely comfy enough even with 19's (well, a better ride than mine) and very linear delivery when I got used to the throttle.

The only hint of torque steer was very slight when I floored it in 2nd down the airport/M1 (north) slip road, but it added to the fun imo. I like the fact I think I'd have to learn how to drive it well, like I did with the Impreza...it had character, which I wasn't expecting at all

Now then, any takers for an Imprezzza???