Hot hatch
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A hot hatch is an informal or slang term for a performance derivative of a small hatchback car. Vehicles of this class are typically based on a budget, family orientated car, and equipped with improved suspension and a more powerful engine. Front mounted engines and front wheel drive is the most common layout.
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Development of the hot hatch
The design most often considered to have started the hot hatch genre is the 1977 Volkswagen Golf GTI. The original 1974 version of the Golf was in mass production at this point, and the addition of a 1.6 litre fuel injected engine, sharp handling, and sharper marketing found a huge market for enjoyable yet practical cars.
The Golf GTI enjoyed a short run of almost unparalleled success, but by the early 1980s car manufacturers worldwide were racing to market with their own alternatives. Notable big-sellers in the early days were the Ford Escort XR3 and Vauxhall Astra GTE.
By the end of the 1980s the hot hatch had taken its place across the UK and Europe, and was pushing into other worldwide markets. The brief heyday of Group B rallying pushed the hot hatch genre to its limits, and small numbers of ultra-high performance variants were manufactured to comply with the rally rules. These enthusiasts vehicles represented a brief, extreme branch of the hot hatch, and included such notable vehicles as the Peugeot 205 T-16 and MG Metro 6R4.
Pre-History: Hot hatches and compacts before 1980
Until 1980 the VW Golf had the market largely to itself. Competition was limited to non-hatchbacks such as the Mini, and race-inspired enthusiasts' vehicles such as the Vauxhall Chevette HS. However, sub-compacts and superminis had adopted a two-box design ever since the Mini, and, in spite of their small engines, had been adopted by young racing enthusiasts with little money because of their low weight. Thus, even though the Golf was one of the few cars with engines larger than 1.4 liters and with more than 100 bhp, other hatches were on their way to becoming "hot". Also, cars such as the Hillman Imp or the Simca Rallye, while having sedan bodies, were small enough to be considered direct ancestors of the hot hatch.
- Alfa Romeo Alfasud TI
- Autobianchi A112 Abarth
- Austin/Morris Mini Cooper/Cooper S/1275 GT
- Datsun/Nissan Cherry 120A
- Datsun/Nissan Sunny/B110 1200 SSS
- Fiat 600 Abarth
- Fiat 127 Sport
- Hillman Imp
- Renault 8 Gordini
- Renault 5 Alpine/Gordini
- Renault 5 Alpine/Gordini Turbo
- Simca Rallye /2
- Vauxhall Chevette HS
- VW Golf GTI
1980–1990—The first generation
The first generation of hot hatches included the following notable models:
- Citroën Visa Crono/GT/GTi/1000 Pistes
- Citroën AX GT/Sport
- Fiat Uno Turbo
- Fiat Ritmo 130 TC
- Ford Escort XR3/XR3i/RS Turbo
- Ford Fiesta XR2/XR2i/RS
- Lancia Delta HF Turbo/Integrale
- MG Metro GTA/Turbo
- Opel Corsa/Vauxhall Nova SR/GT/GSi/GTE
- Opel Kadett/Vauxhall Astra GT/GSi/GTE
- Peugeot 205 Rallye/GTi 1.6/GTi 1.9
- Renault 5 GT Turbo (Phase 1 & 2)
- Talbot Sunbeam Lotus (unusual in being rear wheel drive)
- Toyota Corolla Twin Cam
- VW Polo G40
- VW Golf GTI/GTI 16v/G60
1990–2000—The second generation
With the Golf getting slower, heavier and more expensive to match its target market, space opened for a new breed of hot hatches in the 1990s:
- Citroën AX GTi
- Citroën Saxo VTR/VTS
- Citroën ZX Volcane/16s
- Fiat Punto GT
- Ford Escort RS 2000/Cosworth
- Honda Civic VTEC/VTi/SiR-II
- Mitsubishi Colt GTi
- Nissan Sunny/Pulsar GTi/GTi-R
- Opel/Vauxhall Corsa GSi 16v
- Opel/Vauxhall Astra GSi 16v
- Peugeot 106 Rallye/XSi/GTi
- Peugeot 306 S16/GTi
- Renault Clio 16S/Williams
- Rover Metro/114 GTi
- Rover 220 GTi / 1.8 VVC
- Seat Ibiza GTi/GT 16v/Cupra
- Suzuki Cultus/Swift GTi
- Toyota Starlet Turbo
- Toyota Corolla GTi
- VW Polo GTI
- VW Golf GTI/VR6
Hot hatches since 2000
The late 90s saw a volley of criticism leveled at the hot hatch market. The so-called "Max Power" culture had overtaken the lower priced models, and the higher-end models were expensive, heavy and slow. Radical new designs are called for if the hot hatch market wants to avoid blurring into mass of over-stylised modern vehicles. Fortunately, the car manufacturers are feeling the threat, and the future promises new, aggressive and exciting designs. The current crop include:
- Alfa Romeo 147 2.0 TS/GTA
- Audi S3
- BMW 1 Series
- Citroën C2 VTR/VTS
- Citroën Xsara VTS
- Fiat Punto HGT
- Fiat Bravo HGT
- Ford Fiesta ST
- Ford Focus ST170/SVT/RS
- Honda Civic Si/Type-R
- Mazda 3/Axela
- MG ZR 160
- Mini Cooper/Cooper S
- Opel Corsa GSi 16v
- Opel Astra OPC/OPC Turbo
- Peugeot 206 S16/GTi 138/RC/GTi 180
- Renault Clio Sport (Cup), RS and V6
- Renault Megane RS
- SEAT Ibiza Cupra R
- SEAT Leon Cupra R
- Toyota Vitz/Yaris T Sport
- Toyota Corolla T Sport
- VW Lupo GTI
- VW Golf R32/GTI/TDI 150