Hot Hatch of 2011
With the traditional hatchback being the choice of many for a company car, is there any room for something a little bit more exciting in the range? The year 2011 has already thrown into the mix some enticing hot hatchbacks just begging to be your next business car lease, so long as you ask your boss nicely.
The appearance of the French hatchback
The French seem to be dominating the hot hatch market at present but they have often excelled in this marketplace since at least the early 1980s. Think back to the legendary Peugeot 205 GTI which is still desirable today and features in many amateur rallies. Whilst Peugeot dominated the 80s and 90s business car lease markets with legendary cars such as the 205 GTI, the 106 GTI, the 106 Rallye, the 306 GTI and the 306 Rallye, Renault in 2011 have taken their accolade. In fact three of the most desirable hot hatches are now produced by the Renaultsport team.
The cheapest and smallest pocket rocket available today is the Renaultsport twingo 133 Cup. The equivalent to the Renaultsport twingo is the Fiat 500 Abarth but whilst the car offers more refinement and higher levels of equipment the Renaultsport twingo is reportedly much more fun to drive. The twingo 133 Cup comes with sports seats, lowered sports suspension and meaty 17’’ wheels meaning there is very little body roll through those twisting corners.
The next size up in terms of price, size and specification is the Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup. The equivalents in price are the Mini Cooper S, the Polo GTI and the Peugeot 207 GTI. Both the Polo and the Mini are more refined but the Renault just beats them for handling and the fun factor. The Peugeot 207 is attractive and faster than the Polo, but the Polo GTI is available with a paddle shift gear box and the Mini Cooper S has a new engine which offers more power and fuel efficiency. But if it is purest handling and acceleration you are after then the Clio just beats them all.
Hot hatches on a grander scale
If you go up by one level in price and size, things become very exciting. There we have the Ford Focus ST, the Golf GTI, the Seat Leon Cupra R, the Honda Civic Type R and the Renaultsport Megane 250 Cup all competing for hottest hatch of 2011. It becomes very hard to choose between these few cars. The original Honda Civic Type R would probably be a true winner but the new shape is a lot heavier and has less advanced suspension than, say, the Focus or the Golf.
For all out power the Seat Leon Cupra R with its advanced 2.0lt TSI engine pips the post with almost 265bhp, but if it’s a fast car with style and driver comfort you want then choose the Golf GTI. The Focus probably offers the best handling but there is a new one coming soon which should be worth the wait. At the pinnacle of all the above, however, is the Golf R and the Ford Focus RS. The Focus RS offers the most blistering performance but the Golf R wins out of sheer attractiveness and the level of driver aids.
And to think, we didn’t even have time to mention the Subaru Impreza. 2011 is shaping up to be a great year for hot hatch lovers everywhere.
