Hot Hatch Display

New for 2017, we’re launching a hot-hatch display to celebrate the cars that we love in the UK. It’s not secret that hot-hatches sell in their droves in the UK, the mix of performance, practicality and ultimately, value, makes it a hit with us Brits.

The hot-hatch market has changed dramatically over the years, from the original 205 GTIs and Renault 5 Turbos to the iconic Golf GTI, the concept of a hot-hatch isn’t new. But in recent years, power/performance and usability has sky-rocketed, with manufacturers battling it out at circuits like the Nurburgring and a top-trumps style battle with power figures and 0-62mph times featuring highly.

The idea that a hot-hatch can haggle a supercar on the right stretch of road is appealing to a lot of enthusiasts. As a result, the manufactures have employed various mediums to be top of the tree, with the premium brands taking a strong interest in occupying the tip of the hierarchy. The likes of the Audi RS3 and Mercedes A45 AMG both use an AWD system and dual-clutch system to launch the cars of the lines with incredible velocity. Where power figures once hovered no higher than the 200bhp bracket and weight as close as possible to 1000kg; modern variants like the two mentioned are upwards of 350bhp and close to 1500kg. This makes for a less nimble car, but a much quicker one and with the practicality of four/five seats and a big boot.

Other cars in the market are BMW’s M140i, a RWD, no nonsense straight-six turbocharged 3.0-litre engine, with similar performance to the RS3 and A45 AMG. Ford, notorious for supercar-performance cars within the working man’s budget, has elected for a clever AWD system in its latest Focus RS. The system can send the majority of its power to the rear wheel to conquer understeer and also has a Drift Mode button to, well you know, drift!

We’re hoping to have as many of these modern hatches on show highlighting the top end of the spectrum, the premium brands, right through the Nurburgring FWD king, the Civic Type R and other FWD warriors!.