A little while ago I looked at the evolution of the hot hatch and where it started, namely the Mini Cooper S. What some credit as the first of this breed, the Cooper epitomised the small, lightweight ethos that makes hot hatches so special, and feel different from anything else.
The Cooper S template was destructively successful and popular, and has turned into a very collectible car in modern times.
As the 70’s took off, the ‘hot hatch’ gene pool began to grow. Cars like the iconic Volkswagen Golf began to gain a lot of popularity. ‘Sports’ options that previously only included cosmetic and aesthetic upgrades began to spread to the driveline and suspension in a bid to increase performance. Like the Cooper ‘S’ the Golf Gti also blazed a trail of sporty credibility and popularity.
Many carmakers, like Isuzu, Saab and Fiat began to develop and sell range-topping superminis with a definite lean towards performance. Weight was kept low, but performance and handling were upped to provide a much more entertaining drive.
Markets around the world loved the idea, and bought them in droves. Competition sprung up, and wars were waged across the brands. Such an environment was fantastic for buyers and enthusiasts, as carmakers were constantly vying for top spot in a more and more lucrative niche.
Let’s have a closer look at the Golf Gti Mk I, and what made it such a hit. The engine, a 1.6 litre dual-carb fed four-pot was sourced from Audi, and was linked to a snappy 5-speed transmission. Disk brakes, bigger wheels, a lower ride height sitting on stiffer springs all amounted to a lot of fun.
Fuelling was changed from carburettors to a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system and increased power to 110 bhp (82kW) from 100bhp (74kW). An additional 2hp and 13 lb/ft were gained from stroking the engine capacity out another 200 cc.
Hardly any additional weight was added compared to the base Golf. The spartan interior and humble wheelbase did not allow for any significant weight increases, and so the acceleration, handling, braking and durability all was for the better.
Volkswagen was not along, however. Ford’s successful Escort had RS1600 and RS2000 derivatives, that both had uprated supsension, power and braking capabilities. The RS1600 even had a strengthened shell that was more resistant to twisting under pressure. Go fast options of Escorts culmintaed in the giant-slaying Escort RS Cosworth, a four wheel drive monster with 167 kW and a massive whale-tail to boot.
