VW Sorocco GTX: Really quick, very fast, very loud.

Cavalier Sri 130: Suprisingly quick and really fast in a straight line in it's day.

Rover 220 Coupe Turbo: Nothing but problems with this little gremlin, but when it was running, it was hang onto your hat time. Again couldn't handle for ****, but was as quick as anything in a straight line!

Vectra GSi 2.6: Vastly underrated car. Decent handler, super smooth, reasonably quick and sublime on the motorway.

 

Chap, I bought one of the zero mileage jap spec 220 turbos left on the docks, for cheap money and I totally agree with you.. power minus brakes and handling

 

for many years I owned a 1982 XJ-S V12 HE.

Lovely big coupe with a 295bhp 5.3 litre V12 engine. Was wonderfully smooth and fairly rapid although not fast. The 3 speed GM400 tranny with the stock gearing is what held it back the most.

It did sound wonderful though and could top 150mph

On the other hand my father used to own a 1993 Jaguar XJ40 XJ12. This had the last of the line 6.0 variants with a 4 speed auto (think it was ZF). This was a totally different animal altogether. It really would plant you in the back of your seat and not let up until high triple figure speeds.

The revised gearing and 4 speed box made it a totally different car and capable of rocking with the best.

I admit the Jaguar V12 is not the best engine ever. But its fairly robust and with over 300bhp stock it deserves some credit. They also take to nitrous rather well.

The XJ40 handles pretty good and will easily reach its 155mph electronic limiter, its 0-60mph time really doesn't convey how rapid it is on the road. Nor how smooth. In all the cars I've been in, which include a Bentley Continental RT, Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin DB7, Ferrari F355, Jagaur XJ8, Jagaur XJ6, Jaguar S-Type, BMW, Mercedes SL500 and many others I have NEVER experienced anything that even comes close in terms of refinement and engine smoothness.

Downside, expect 12-16mpg normal use and 18/20mpg max on a long motorway run.

 

My last Cavalier and my favourite - lovely car. I had the 8v version and it could return over 500 miles from the 13 gallon tank when motorway cruising but still be fun to drive.

Then I bought a Calibra Turbo. Kind of forgot about fuel economy then.

Mind you if you want understated and under-rated I always thought that car got bad press... Upgrading it was a doddle and you could always bring a smile to your face when you got the turbo spooled up

 

i use to have some good fun on my old punto gt turbo, 170bhp in one of them littlethings is

 

...and have some fun with unsuspecting people who thought you were just in an 'old cavalier' lol....i had one and loved it!!

 

Aristo Vertex. Looks like a GS300, goes like a Supra.

 

Renault 11 Turbo's were really good, dog ugly but oh so quick. Used to paste a few "hot hatches" in a friends, years ago.
Nissan Bluebird Turbo ZX - nice car kit wise, good engine and fair amount of grunt in their day, built out of old shoe boxes so lots of right angles
MG Montego 2.0i - quick for what they cost and practical
Renault 19 16v - with a few choice mods - decent motors
Seat Ibiza Cupra Sport 2.0 16v - VW quality and faster than the equivalent VW's of the day Really long name too!
Honda CTR's - defo brilliant in most departments - shame about the new one though.
VW Golf mk iv R32 - these are incredible cars, quite possibly one of the most under rated mega hatches when they were first launched, better thought of now and quite rightly
Subaru MY 05 STiPPP - what? These are now older cars and possibly the best value around for blistering pace & practicality

How's that?

 

4th gen Honda Prelude 2.2 SiVtec,
SAAB 9000 cse 2.0 and 2.3 turbo, forged internals as standard.

 

Fixed for you.

4x4 1.8 turbo engine good for 2bar of boost as standard. Gearbox doesn't like hard launches but for 1k you can have 300bhp and 300llb of torque. at only 18psi(ish)

MK2 CRX
4g Civic VT
Lotus Sunbeam

 

Toyota Caldina GT-T or GT4, 260bhp turbo charged 2ltr. Its the JDM version of the Toyota Avensis

 

Thats being kind, calling then masic is an understatement!!! My parents had 2 of them!! 1st 1 got nicked as it was 1 of the first estates and was used in a ram raid (theives came from Warrington)

2nd a D reg saloon, used to eat front wheel bearings for breakfast.

IIRC the TD's were non to shabby in the quickness stakes.


Haven't seen a monty in years as they rusted like crazy.

 

I saw a monty about junction 6 of the M1 the other week, the amusing thing was I passed a ferrari about 5mins before and just said "oh ferrari" when I passed the montego i said "OOOOO" and slowed for a look...

There like hens teeth now!

 

Mazda 6 MPS.

250ish BHP, 4WD and looks good in a subtle way.

They are 2nd hand bargins now too.

Steve

 

Omega MV6, RWD police interceptor in white with gun rack still in the back.

 

I had one of them the box shape one used to suprise the rs turbos

 

1) Lancia Thema 8.32.
4 door LHD only exec saloon with 240bhp Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole engine driving the front wheels up to 150mph or so. Torque-steer city I reckon. Oh and a spoiler that pops out of the boot at speed. Lancia UK only sold a handful, but a few private imports since arrived. Worth about 5 - 7K now (probably less than the 308 engine alone). Always fancied one now we've got kids, but LHD means the missus wouldn't agree.

2) Renault Alpine GTA Turbo.
What other unmodified sports coupe can break the 150mph barrier for 4 - 5K with only 200bhp? Plastic body means no rusty body panels too. We've had one in our family for about 15 years now. Downside: electrics & very '80s plasticky interior, that was improved with the subsequent (165mph) 250bhp A610.

 

Lister XJS wow i guess that is spectactular to drive then.That would destroy the new BMW M6 now wouldn't it ?.

Nathan.

 

It was based on the 328 block but ran in the opposite direction for packaging reasons i.e. so it mated to the gearbox and didn't end up with 1 forward and 5 reverse gears

Unfortunately, it was twice the price of the Thema Turbo and only slightly quicker. I used to want one really badly.

 

 

Must admit that some of the best fun I have had in a car was in a Fiesta Supersport.

Loved the Fiat 131 mirafiori Sport. The 2000 TC was a dream come true