Peugeot 205 GTi - Officially the Greatest Hot Hatch Ever • MotorPunk

When the subject turns to fast practical hatchbacks everyone knows that I’m an unashamed dyed-in-the-wool Golf GTI fanboy; the Octane clan have owned ’em all from a 1983 Mk1 ‘Campaign’ to spanking new Mk7s. Nevertheless, there’s always been a fierce divide among my car-savvy colleagues here at MotorPunk HQ as to which really is the ‘Greatest Ever Hot Hatch.’

However, last week at the Performance Car Show, a sideshow to Autosport International at Birmingham’s NEC, this thorny question was finally put to bed … probably. A shortlist of hot hatch heroes was whittled down, from an initial pool of 50 modern classics, to just 10 of the very best contenders by a crack team of British motoring journos. Sadly, some of our personal faves missed the cut – out went the Golf VR6, Audi S3, MG Metro, XR2, Alfasud and Corrado – and the remaining four-pot wonders were then put to the fickle scrutiny of a public vote.

Cherrypicked minters from across the land representing the very best surviving examples were displayed on the ‘Hot Hatch Nirvana’ stand, which also illustrated to showgoers how this this motoring genre evolved from everyday 70s shopping carts into the 300bhp Porsche-beaters we might enjoy today. That final ten included some of the most iconic and emotive modern classics of the last forty years. The rally-bred Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evolution 1 got a podium finish as a popular runner-up, as did the Escort RS Cosworth.

There was also a lot of love for the trio of hot little Renaults, including the 1.4-litre turbocharged screamer from the 80s, and unsurprisingly my beloved Mk1 & 2 Golfs finished pretty strongly too. But there can only be one winner, and it was a mightily worthy one. This particular Pug, an Alpine White 1991 205 GTi 1.6, is the P&J of Mr. Chris Hughes (well worth a follow at @Chris_Hughe ), and nobody explains the allure of this fab little motor better than he does within this short film, entitled French Perfection, recently shot with our good chums at Carfection (nee XCAR). Check it out:

Final standings at the NEC’s 2016 ‘Hot Hatch Nirvana’ public vote.

Peugeot 205 GTi
Lancia Delta HF Integrale
Ford Escort RS Cosworth
VW Golf GTi Mk1
Renault Clio Williams
Renault Clio 182 Trophy
VW Golf GTi Mk2
Renault 5 GT Turbo
Ford Focus RS Mk1
Talbot Lotus Sunbeam

David January 20, 2016

Obviously the Car Cliché Committee has never heard of the Vauxhall GTE/Nova GSI/GTE. I think they did some sort of rallying in the 80’s or something.

Rich Duisberg January 20, 2016

The Nova does seem to get overlooked, sadly. Not one of our personal favourites, but not a bad car, either. A bit understeery as standard if our joyriding memories are right?

Terry January 20, 2016

Nothing to rant about though……..

Dr.Octane January 22, 2016

Hi David, yeah the old Griffins did get a bit overlooked. The Chevette HSR was another of our favourites, and the Mk2 Astra GTE was a bit of an 80s icon too.