Has to be a hatchback on sale today. My vote is the Mini. German engineering, nice torquey engine, funky memorable looks, small size. Cheers, Drew. Edited by: drew
I always think the mini looks quite big... I havent driven any of them but the lupo gets my vote based on seeing Nickys zip around the M25 the other week
For size and looks it would have to be the Lupo. But for the chuckability and grin factor, it would be a mini. but my heart says Lupo...
Lupo is 16v though, hasn't got that surge in the mid range like the supercharged mini. Got to have torque to be a replacement mk1 in my book! Cheers, Drew.
Has to be the Clio Cup I'm afraid. If I had to pick from the list it'd be the 106 or the Lupo. There's no way you can compare something like a CTR or an RS to a mk1.
Agree with the torque factor, but the lupo I would have thought is lighter and therefore is more like the MK1 - light weight with decent power. The mini on the other hand I would imagine is heavier but has more power to conteract it's over-weighted body . The mini is a modern take on a classic car, the lupo however is a modern super-mini (no pun intended), and therefore is not a classic exmaple revamped for modern driving standards. It has nothing to live up to unlike the mini....... which is why it's the winner when comparing to the MK1 (in my book anyway)..
Having owned a MINI Cooper, I have to say that the handling and performnace of the Cooper S has got this licked. As soon as I drove it, it reminded me of my MK1.
I went for the ibiza cupra, even though the real answer to "what is the nearest thing to a mk1 golf" is: a mk1 golf! They are still available today, after all. Just look on autotrader!
Sorry Drew, it is without doubt the one car you didn't put in. Clio 17/82. Get rid of 90% of that list, leave MG, Lupo & Mini and add the clio and it's a proper poll. In terms of engineering, i.e people staying late to turn a normal hatch into a decent drive then it's the MG I'm afraid. It's only the success of the hot hatch market driving up the standard that makes the MG look poor next to the opposition. I wonder which car to blame for that?????
Clio cup The others just don't come near IMO though they may be good cars. Cheap, light weight, not filled full of creature comforts, good handling.. A true little sporty hatchback thats not pretending to be anything else stef
Are youy having a laugh?? The clio is like a boat to take into corners compared to the Mini. Now i am whole heartedly against the new mini's but i would rather have one of them than a clio. The clio has balls out speed but no cornering ability at all. I'm sorry but the new Cooper S takes it against all of them in my opinion. (and yes i have driven both so i can compare.)
i wouldn't say the clio can't corner...they corner very, very well (much better than any vw), but aren't as good as the mini.
No i'm not having a laugh thankyou very much! For all round package i would have the Clio. Cost + fun factor, it wins in my books. Its a modern day mk1 Gti IMO and is cheap to make into a true little gem of a track car Stef
