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| Authors note: Please be aware that what follows is just my opinion based on my experiences in this subject. All matters relating to motoring law, or any other legal/official matters should be pursued with the relevant authorities. I cannot accept any liability for loss/damage/divorce/grey hair or any other misfortune based on any of the following advice, given as it is in good faith only. Ta. |
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One of the biggest markets over the last 10-15 years has been the hot hatch market. In many ways kicked off by the Golf GTi way back in the 1970s, the types popularity soared with owners no longer willing to get their cheap sporty thrills in saggy old MGs or Triumphs. VW introduced the GTi to an originally doubtful market, but when it became clear that this was a lucrative area to get into, other manufacturers soon cooked up their own warmed-over hatchbacks in an attempt to join the party. Many of these have been thrashed and trashed, and finding a good unmolested original example will be sure to acquire classic status in the not-too-distant future. What to go for? well how about the Fiat Strada 130TC Abarth? most Stradas have long since rotted away, so this would be an interestinf car to have now, as would an original Renault R5 Gordini or Turbo 1 ( the rear engined one, not the later softer Turbo 2). Still have a soft spot for the 70s then how about the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, which if anything predated VWs idea to build a hot version of a mundance shopping trolley, itself predated by rally versions of Vauxhalls dull Chevette, breathed on and turned into the rorty 2300 HSR variants. Peugeot soon got in the act too during the 1980s with what was probably the best alternative to the Golf in the guise of the 205 GTi, available in both hatch and convertible forms, initially with a 1.6 then later a 1.9 engine driving the front wheels. These cars are now a bargain buy and surely destined for classic-ness, benefiting as they do from associations with Peugeots giant-killing rally version of the 205, the 205 T-16 group B rally car. Ford were not slow on the uptake either, and it wasn't long before adverts appeared on the telly showing Jackie Stewart waxing lyrical about the 'horny little number' XR3, still in carburettor form in its earliest version. If you can find one, snap up an RS1600i, though be prepared for some headaches as this had many unique and now hard-to-find parts. Best of the Ford bunch was probably the XR3i, beloved of boy racers everywhere - back in the 1980s you were no-one if you didn't have an XR3i fitted with Kamei screw on bodykit and Richard Grant rear window louvre, Soft Cell blasting from your graphic equalised car stereo. Similarly unsubtle was the sister car to the XR3i, the RS turbo, an altogether scarier machine that are now quite hard to find in undemolished condition, their owners not being renowned for their subtlety in applying the right pedal. Back then if you couldn't run to a hot Escort, the XR2 Fiesta was the next best thing, striped to death and looking butch will chunky wheel arch extensions and big bore exhaust pipes. If anything these fall apart even quicker than Escorts and finding one thats not been through a hedge or brick wall might take a while, and even if its not been bashed, finding an example thats not been modified and re-chipped won't be easy, yet unmodified examples of these as with most cars are the ones to hunt down. Later Escorts continued the XR theme although with the exception of the nutterboy Cosworth Escort they became more and more tame, the worst obscenity being the Mk4 Escort badged up as an RS2000, playing on the success of its 1970s namesake. One of the maddest hot hatchbacks of all time must be the Sierra Cosworth, in its original 3 door form, especially the homologation special RS500 version, launched at about the time that the Andy Rouses of this world were flying the Ford flag in touring car races with great success. As with many things, the original one is best in many peoples eyes, and the original Cozzie looks set to earn the respect that has been accorded to earlier hot Fords, primarily the Lotus Cortina, of 25 years before. If you can't run to securing a Cosworth, how about the Sierras other warm offering, in the be-winged shaped of the XR4i (later XR4x4), fitted with the V6 2.8 engine and surprisingly rare to find now in good condition, most having suffered at the hands of drivers with more brawn than delicacy. Of course if the sound of the V6 Ford engine still appeals, but you can't bring yourself to admitting to owning a Sierra, you might consider tracking down and preserving an end-of-line 2.8 Capri, its final incarnation being the leather trimmed 280. An unlikely source of hot hatch thrills could be found across the North Sea in Sweden, when SAAB took their lively fuel injected 99 EMS and worked their magic on it, producing the legendary 99 Turbo, the first real mass produced turbo car. Very early 3 and 5 door hatchback examples of the 99 are quite tricky to find now, most having been trashed or rallied, something that SAABs, at the hands of Eric Carlsson and others, were once renowned for. Most 99s are 2 door saloons now, but the diehard fan must seek out a well preserved hatch example. 145bhp was the standard power output for the 99 turbo (and early 900 turbo in 8 valve format), rising by 30bhp if the optional water injection kit was fitted, matching the 175bhp output of the later 900 turbo 16S models, with such mid range torque that many delectable supercars could be given a good run for their money in the overtaking times, especially 30-50mph. Although an acquired taste, early SAAB Turbos make for an interesting alternative to the more obvious quick hatchbacks of recentish times. While talking high tech, don't discount the early 1980s 4wd Audi Quattros, as they can still provide a fun mode of transport despite being launched 20 years ago, just as the Group B rally era was beginning to gain ground, and of course the mighty Lancia Delta Integrale, especially fun in later 16valve format. And whilst mentioning Lancia, hunt down, if you can, the lesser-spotted Y10 turbo, a bit of a nail by all accounts but ohh soo rare to see a Y10 of any variety now, especially the woeful turbo .. after all its often the automotive duffers that are most interesting once they get 15+ years of age. High Performance Saloon cars Despite the popularity of hot hatches, performance saloons have never gone away, despite a makers hot hatchbacks often grabbing the limelight. Witness the VW Jetta GTi, equally as capable as it hatchback brother, but always in the shadows of the Golf, making it an interesting alternative to consider now when assessing what modern classic car to go for. As mentioned already, while SAAB are maybe best known for their load swallowing hatchbacks, they were also producing capable saloon versions of the 99 Turbo and 900 Turbo, not forgetting the later Type 4 9000 turbo range. Although as already mentioned, 'Vauxhall' and 'performance car' are rarely uttered in the same sentence, but the usually conservative mass manufacturer blew away the press and public alike when they introduced the Lotus Carlton, a mad 170+ mph version of their yawn-worthy repmobile which made the Sierra Cozzie look sensible by comparison. Tree huggers and do-gooders conveniently ignored the huge raft of safety provision that had been built into the braking systems of the car, preferring to bang on about the so-called pointlessness of producing such a projectile. Needless to say petrolheads admire it to this day, and its unlikely that Vauxhall will take such a brave plunge again. Despite being renowned for producing sports and GT road cars, Jaguar have not let the side down with their performance road cars either, most of which are assured of classic credentials any time now. My top tip for Jag saloons probably lies with the X300 series XJR, the mad 370+ bhp supercharged saloon, originally with 6 cylinders and more recently upped to V8 spec. This is one of my own all time favourite cars, and will no doubt be joined by the soon-to-be-launched supercharged S Type in Jaguars pantheon of greats. The 1980s were a barren time for development of Jag saloons, the XJ series 3 plugging along nicely, eeked out until such time as the angular XJ40 series came along. Best of the Series 3s if grunt is your aim, must be the XJ12, although being permanently saddled to an auto box does blunt things slightly. BMW were not to be beaten and this period saw them launch the mighty V12 BMW, in both the 850 and 750 models, the latter being their monster Merc-beating saloon introduced in 1987. These 155mph (limited) saloons can be picked up for a measly sum nowadays, and offer more bang per buck than most older performance saloon cars .. look after it and it will become a regular attendee on BMW car club show stands in a few years. If turbo cars are your thing, and SAABs are just a little too weird, how about a BMW 2002 turbo? Ok they can be a bit manic, and the turbo lag can take some getting used to, but these are a surefire classic and are already being coveted by knowledgeable owners. When the hot hatch thing kicked off, some manufacturers began launching all manner of hot performace saloons, which in many cases were dull standard cars, tarted up a bit and had a turbo bolted on to make things lary. Turbo installations varied wildly in their implementation. Some where very well engineered, such as on the SAAB or Audi Quattro, whereas others were less developed as a package, and as such proved to be very tricky to drive rapidly, especially in wet conditions. Manys the Renault 18 turbo that ended its life on the hardshoulder of Autoroutes the length and breadth of France, and Japans scrapyards must be littered with the shattered remains of any number of chipped Mitsubishi Starion and Colt Turbos. Lancia is a name that has not graced our shores in terms of new car sales for a while, having never shifted the grim memories of their cars' lousy build quality in the 1970s, their Beta range having a fabled ability to dissolve at the merest hint of moisture. So bad was the situation that the company bought back much of the stock they'd sold, to try and lessen the damage that their problem child was causing the marque. Before they ditched the UK market altogether, their last large scale saloon was the Thema, big brother to the disastrously named Dedra. This was a competent machine, developed as part of the Type 4 project in partnership with SAAB (9000), Fiat (Chroma) and Alfa Romeo (164), sharing as they did certain key pressings and structural components. Most Themas were cooking 16 valvers or unruly turbos, but a select number of the 8.32 Thema model were sold to a discerning clientele. This subtle machine was fitted with a Ferrari based V8 engine, similar to those found in Ferrari road cars of the time, though built I believe not by Ferrari (did Lancia build 'em?? I don't recall offhand). These are mighty swift motorway machines, and one in good condition (often to be found in Germany it is said) can be a surprisingly good, and individual, purchase. While the French are known nowadays for making fine shopping trolleys, and usually pretty bad large cars, there are one or two glimmers of hope in some of their swifter machines. Going way back there is the Maserati-engined SM, but thats already a confirmed classic with the garlic chewing members of the classic car world. If you still fancy something from the land of the Eiffel Tower then look no further than the Citroen CX Turbo 2, a deceptively swift machine that looks like no other car on the road, and was probably the last truly interesting Citroen that the company made, having dropped the 2CV a while ago now, and focussed instead on mainstream dirge like the C5 (not the Sinclair, though about as exciting) and Picasso. |
| This is Part 2 of a 5 part article on what cars now may be worth preserving for the future [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] |
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