GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Sunday Times Hot Hatch comparison battle.

T

TheWombat

Go Kart Champion
Location
Vermont
S62R said:
Ford Pinto, aka coffin on wheels, killed the hatchback reputation.:D
Please put the 5 banger in the R, VW!
Click to expand...

There's that, too, though I never really thought of the Pinto as a hatchback, though technically I guess it is. The Chevette, while not, ahem, explosive, was so godawful BAD though.
 
Golf R1

Golf R1

Ready to race!
Location
Tampa Bay
Bring back the Pacer!
pacer.jpg
 
ElectricEye

ElectricEye

Autocross Newbie
Location
Central NJ
TheWombat said:
Definitely a weird American thing here, in that as noted our market views hatchbacks as cheap cars. I think part of that is the legacy of the horrible 1970s when Chevettes and the like made people think of "hatchback" and "crap" in the same sentence.
Click to expand...

It wasn't just that...
The fuel crisis drove Americans out of the giant cars they liked to drive, and were used to driving - into small economy cars - often hatchbacks, that they didn't really want to drive.
In effect, hatchbacks were penalty boxes of sorts - and they were entry level vehicles so they were often downmarket compared to the buyers previous car.
Americans - of which I'm one - can be really slow to get over things, and to realize that things change.
 
heiney9

heiney9

Go Kart Champion
Location
Illinois
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport DSG
In the HP race, VW's have always been underrated from the factory. So on "paper" means nothing. That said, more power is always a good thing, but to compete with something like the RS, the R doesn't have to match the HP on a piece of paper.

VW has picked a direction in the last 3 generations (GTi and R), and that's different than the direction the RS seems to be going. VW has chosen the more upscale, grown-up approach will still retaining a lot of fun and practicality. I don't see them straying to far from their philosophy.
 
Shane_Anigans

Shane_Anigans

Drag Race Newbie
Location
SE MI
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
ElectricEye said:
It wasn't just that...
The fuel crisis drove Americans out of the giant cars they liked to drive, and were used to driving - into small economy cars - often hatchbacks, that they didn't really want to drive.
In effect, hatchbacks were penalty boxes of sorts - and they were entry level vehicles so they were often downmarket compared to the buyers previous car.
Americans - of which I'm one - can be really slow to get over things, and to realize that things change.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Doesn't matter how much more practical a hatchback is, many people in this country don't think they're suitable for grown-ups unless they add 2 inches of ride height and call it an SUV. I mean, people actually buy those ridiculous-looking Fiesta sedans, when there's a much better hatchback option available.
 
T

TheWombat

Go Kart Champion
Location
Vermont
ElectricEye said:
It wasn't just that...
The fuel crisis drove Americans out of the giant cars they liked to drive, and were used to driving - into small economy cars - often hatchbacks, that they didn't really want to drive.
In effect, hatchbacks were penalty boxes of sorts - and they were entry level vehicles so they were often downmarket compared to the buyers previous car.
Americans - of which I'm one - can be really slow to get over things, and to realize that things change.
Click to expand...

Good point, though I often wonder whether better small cars might have made a difference. In fact, I'm pretty sure they would have; those of us who voluntarily went for small cars in the seventies (had a Rabbit, here) and liked the experience often never looked back at big cars.
 
ElectricEye

ElectricEye

Autocross Newbie
Location
Central NJ
TheWombat said:
Good point, though I often wonder whether better small cars might have made a difference. In fact, I'm pretty sure they would have; those of us who voluntarily went for small cars in the seventies (had a Rabbit, here) and liked the experience often never looked back at big cars.
Click to expand...

Yes, and it's unfortunate that many Americans don't recognize that there are premium small cars today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top