Gurney
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Drivers Republic pocket rocket testInteresting comparison test in Drivers Republic.
500 Abarth v Twingo 133 v Colt Ralliart v Swift Sport
All get a good write up for reasons you would probably expect but it’s the Ralliart that gets the nod at the end. Now this is a warmed over version of the CZT that I suffered for 3 years and my god they must have worked magic on the chassis if it can beat the likes of a Twingo 133.
In a straight line I would have bet my house on the Colt seeing the other 3 off, it was genuinely quick – relatively speaking. However, round the bends it felt akin to cornering a garden shed whilst sat in a deckchair on the roof. I remember a dice with a smart roadster over the Woodhead. I reduced him to an insignificant speck in the mirror on the straights only to find him taking up residence up my exhaust pipe on the twisties. You sat too high and it rolled – nay lurched onto the loaded wheel without any hint of precision.
Must have some talented chassis people at Ralliart that’s for sure.
Then again the tester said the quality of plastics was high in the Colt and low in the Abarth. The novelties out of a dozen Christmas crackers from Poundland exceeded the plastic quality of my CZT – and it’s the same interior on the Ralliart. The Abarth (which I have also sat in at length) by comparison was in a different league, maybe more evidence of a road tester disappearing up his own arsehole when confronted with an Italian car.
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Eff One
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Good article - I love real-world tests like these, with affordable cars that are fun on real roads.
I'm all for choosing talent over looks, but I don't think even I could live with the Ralliart's styling, inside or out. The Suzuki for all its abilities just seems a bit dull. The Abarth looks great - I've seen one on the road now and they really do catch the eye - and were I in the market I'd definitely try one.
But on paper, especially given its price advantage over the 500, the Twingo would be top of my list.
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Gurney
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I would have to do my own back to back, Twingo v Abarth. The Ess Ess kit complicates things, apparently it's very good, but the price!
It was a good test in DR, though I was a little shocked at how well the Colt did. The CZT wasn't exactly an oil painting but this new one takes the biscuit. Ugly is to kind a word for it.
Nice alloys though.
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gonnabuildabuggy
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Been re-reading my 1990's Car magazines which were full of real world cars in those days, I wonder if the economic climate will mean more real world stuff?
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DarthBalls
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Do you know if it was the Cup or standard version of the Twingo 133?
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Eff One
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| DarthBalls wrote: | | Do you know if it was the Cup or standard version of the Twingo 133? |
Cup, definitely.
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Blarno
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I'll be posting something similar soon:
172 Cup vs 206 GTi 180 vs Corolla T-Sport vs Civic Type R.
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simonp
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I wished I lived further north so I could join you on your hot hatch day, Iain. I'd love a ride in a 172/182 to see the difference between new and old models. I is officially jealous!
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Blarno
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There'll be plenty more!
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Eff One
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| Blarno wrote: | I'll be posting something similar soon:
172 Cup vs 206 GTi 180 vs Corolla T-Sport vs Civic Type R. |
Surely the result of that one's a foregone conclusion? Only the Type R would get anywhere near the 172 Cup.
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Humphrey The Pug
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| simonp wrote: | | I wished I lived further north so I could join you on your hot hatch day, Iain. I'd love a ride in a 172/182 to see the difference between new and old models. I is officially jealous! |
The 172 and 182 are both far better cars than the 197, sorry!!
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Matt
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Whilst it's only subjective, they're far far better looking than the ghastly 200 facelift. Eurgh!
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"him"
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| simonp wrote: | | I wished I lived further north so I could join you on your hot hatch day, Iain. I'd love a ride in a 172/182 to see the difference between new and old models. I is officially jealous! |
I agree (except for the bit about wanting live "oop norf"), have you worked out your route yet Blarno? (or is a secret...)
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Blarno
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Route is planned. We're doing the EVO triangle and Llanberis pass. About 4 hours supposedly, plus an hour back home.
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simonp
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| "him" wrote: | | simonp wrote: | | I wished I lived further north so I could join you on your hot hatch day, Iain. I'd love a ride in a 172/182 to see the difference between new and old models. I is officially jealous! |
I agree (except for the bit about wanting live "oop norf"), have you worked out your route yet Blarno? (or is a secret...) |
A good point well made. What I should've said was I wish I happened to be oop north at the time this meet were going on! 
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.
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My mate has just bought a 206 180GTi. I was quite impressed with it actually - engine pulls strongly from anywhere in the rev band into the redline, appeared to corner well and was mullering the ST170 my other mate was driving.
Was a little surprised at the body roll of the ST actually. Gives me half an idea of what mine looks like on the same roads when im pressing on.
Then an older gentleman in his CL500 decided to show the 'boy racers' how it was done properly i.e with leather driving gloves on no less, performed a rather tidy bit of oversteering through a roundabout before blatting us into the weeds.
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"him"
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| Torque Junkie wrote: | | My mate has just bought a 206 180GTi. I was quite impressed with it actually - engine pulls strongly from anywhere in the rev band into the redline, appeared to corner well and was mullering the ST170 my other mate was driving. |
Careful, you will be buying a petrol engined car soon...
Have you driven the '180' yet?
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.
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No but he has said I can have a drive in it soon.
I've driven the ST170. Its a nice car, but not a 'Hot Hatch'. The engine of the Ford is more refined than the Pugs' (The Ford being more refined in all areas really), but the Pugs was noticably more torquey and just generally had that edge of Hot hatchness that the Ford doesn't.
In some ways it reminds me of your Saxo. The Pug, not the Ford.
And buy a petrol....pffft....
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