Since reading the thread started by LanEvo about the Renault GTA, I thought I could dig out a few old articles about that model. Actually, I saved articles in a notebook from back in the day that referenced the Toyota Corolla FX16. But of course, there were several neat options back then. Not sure how easy these will be to read as I had to convert them to .jpg to post. If you are browsing from your phone...well sorry! Let's start with Popular Science.
Renault GTA goes 0-60 in 11.9 seconds.
1992 Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer AWD goes 0-60 mph 9.8.
Can a Mazda 323 GTX play here???
759NRNG said:Can a Mazda 323 GTX play here???
Absolutely! I have no articles on that model to share.
try this .........yea I know....jalopnik
https://jalopnik.com/for-9-500-this-1988-mazda-323-gtx-might-be-one-for-th-1777050073
759NRNG said:try this .........yea I know....jalopnik
https://jalopnik.com/for-9-500-this-1988-mazda-323-gtx-might-be-one-for-th-1777050073
One of our local club members is building a 323 GTX.
https://forums.hscc.club/forums/topic/mazda-323-gtx-wrc-for-the-common-man-part-deux/
Omni GLH or GLH-S? As a kid from the rust belt these were the pinnacle of hot hatches even if the Escort GT did better in the twisties.
My favorite '80s hot hatch
I always liked what Fiat did to the Strada/Ritmo in the 80s. They took the diminutive grocery getter and dropped the 2litre twin cam in, boosting power to 125 and 130hp, making it into the TC125 and TC130. It was the car that finally out GTIed the GTI.
TC 125 for reference. It was crude, it was ill equipped, but it was fast. It was so badly executed in fact that you couldn't fold the seats forward to access the rear seat without them hitting the headliner.
Renault GTA goes 0-60 in 11.9 seconds.
1992 Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer AWD goes 0-60 mph 9.8.
Sure. But lets see you have fun driving it.
I have a feeling a lot of us could find ways to have fun driving an Aerostar.
Nostalgic me still wants an Escort GT.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Omni GLH or GLH-S? As a kid from the rust belt these were the pinnacle of hot hatches even if the Escort GT did better in the twisties.
https://petrolicious.com/articles/the-omni-glh-is-awesome-and-has-a-curse-word-in-its-name
The GLH was built to out perform the GTi in every measurable category, which it did.
The GLH had a 0-60 of 8.7 seconds and 110hp.
The GLH-Turbo was even faster since it had 146hp and a 0-60 of 7.5 seconds
The Shelby built GLH-S had 175hp and adjustable Koni's and a 0-60 of 6.7 seconds and pulled .88G on a skidpad.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1986-dodge-omni-shelby-glhs-instrumented-test-review
http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/dodge/omni/omni_hatchback_glh/1985.html
pinchvalve said:Renault GTA goes 0-60 in 11.9 seconds.
1992 Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer AWD goes 0-60 mph 9.8.
When I was teen who religiously devoured the performance stats in 'Performance Car' magazine (precursor to EVO) the generally accepted cut off for a 'fast' car was a 0-60 time of 10 seconds or less. I remember the issue they tested this bizarre spaceship looking American car (the new C4 Corvette) and I was stunned that you could by a sports car with a 205hp engine that didn't say Ferrari or Lamborghini on the back. The press that the original carburetted Escort XR3 got with it's massive 1.6L 95hp engine was off the charts. By the time hot hatches were hitting 150hp the whole country was in an ecstatic tail spin of performance. Let's not even touch on the original 204hp Sierra Cossie I might have an anyrism.
Dunno if this qualifies as "hatch" but my first car was 86 Pontiac sunbird gt turbo with 4spd manual. Granted not best looking car but was decently quick for what it was. Think stock numbers were 150hp/ 165tq . Had loads of fun picking on all civics back in high school
93EXCivic said:My favorite '80s hot hatch
Can one still see these perform somewhere?
In reply to trucke :
Wow on the braking distances. I forgot just how bad braking used to be on stock OEM "performance" tires.
Dunno if this qualifies as "hatch" but my first car was 86 Pontiac sunbird gt turbo with 4spd manual.
Those are surprisingly quick.
In reply to 759NRNG :
IIRC they're still banned from any sort of competition (because Group B). I've seen them on exhibition runs at the Autosports show (I think that's what it's called) at the NEC in Britain. Pretty impressive, especially given their interpretation of "exhibition".
The 6R4 wasn't much of a hatch, given that the boot was filled up with an engine. The regular Metro, well, even the turbo wasn't that great.
BoxheadCougarTim said:In reply to 759NRNG :
IIRC they're still banned from any sort of competition (because Group B). I've seen them on exhibition runs at the Autosports show (I think that's what it's called) at the NEC in Britain. Pretty impressive, especially given their interpretation of "exhibition".
The 6R4 wasn't much of a hatch, given that the boot was filled up with an engine. The regular Metro, well, even the turbo wasn't that great.
Can someone bar a car from any sort of racing period? I mean I would think FIA could ban them from their competition but surely they couldn't stop another group from allowing them to run.
Also I could have sworn I saw a video of them doing rallycross in the early 90s.
and then there was this........
I'm a little partial. 
93EXCivic said:BoxheadCougarTim said:In reply to 759NRNG :
IIRC they're still banned from any sort of competition (because Group B). I've seen them on exhibition runs at the Autosports show (I think that's what it's called) at the NEC in Britain. Pretty impressive, especially given their interpretation of "exhibition".
The 6R4 wasn't much of a hatch, given that the boot was filled up with an engine. The regular Metro, well, even the turbo wasn't that great.
Can someone bar a car from any sort of racing period? I mean I would think FIA could ban them from their competition but surely they couldn't stop another group from allowing them to run.
Also I could have sworn I saw a video of them doing rallycross in the early 90s.
Well, at this point they are considered collector's items and generally elligible for Vintage racing, especially as their safety equipment is out of date and behind the current specs for cage builds, etc.
That said, yes once Group B died, most Group B cars (especially the GR4 and RS200) were used in British Rallycross. They obviously aren't used anymore since the sport uses newer vehicles and alterations in the rules from those days.
Some might be found competing in hillclimbs, but I suspect they aren't cheap to maintain and their rarity and age means their values pretty much exclude them from real, serious competition.
Another vote for GLHS.
759NRNG said:Can a Mazda 323 GTX play here???
only if you can find parts for it!
We have one that runs local rallycross with us here in DC
You'll need to log in to post.
