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Hot hatch

 
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Peugeot 205 GTI

Hot hatch was originally an informal automotive industry term, shortened from hot hatchback, initially coined by the European motoring press, for a high-performance derivative of a car body style consisting of a three- or five-door hatchback automobile. However, 'hot hatch' is now commonly and widely accepted as a mainstream, if still informal term.

The term is more popular in Europe, due to the popularity of the hatchback configuration. Within the United States, they are commonly named sport compacts, however, this deviates from the original meaning of the 'hot hatch' terminology (because they do not adhere to the 'hatchback' body style).

Vehicles of this class are typically based on family-oriented automobiles, and are equipped with an uprated more powerful internal combustion engine, improved suspension, and may also include additional 'aerodynamic' body parts. Front-mounted petrol engines, together with front-wheel drive, is the most common powertrain layout, although diesel-powered hot hatches are also available.

Contents

Development of the hot hatch

The design most often considered to have started the 'hot hatch' genre is the 1977 Volkswagen Golf GTI, although some consider the first true hot hatch to be the Alfa Romeo Alfasud, with others having another point of view.[1] The Renault 5 Alpine also pre-dated the Golf GTI, being launched in 1976.

The original 1974 version of the Golf was in mass production at this point, and the addition of a higher performance 1.6 litre fuel injected engine, sharper handling, and sports-focussed marketing - found the birth a huge market for small, practical cars that still had excellent performance. The Golf GTI enjoyed a short run of unparalleled success, but by the early 1980s, car manufacturers worldwide were racing to market with their own alternatives. Notable big-sellers in the early days were the Peugeot 205 GTI, Ford Escort XR3i, (and Vauxhall Astra GTE in United Kingdom).

By the end of the 1980s, the hot hatch had taken its place across Europe, and was pushing into other worldwide markets. The brief heyday of Group B rallying pushed the hot hatch genre to its limits, and small numbers of ultra-high performance variants were manufactured to comply with the rally rules (often termed "homologation specials"). These enthusiasts vehicles represented a brief, extreme branch of the hot hatch, and included such notable vehicles as the Peugeot 205 T-16 and MG Metro 6R4.

The hot hatch in North America

Before the Volkswagen Rabbit (the North American version of the Golf) was introduced in GTI form in September 1982 as a 1983 model year, sports versions of family hatchbacks were little more than cosmetic upgrades of the basic models, typified by alloy wheels and body decals. The introduction of the GTI in the U.S. and Canada quickly led the American and Japanese manufacturers to produce models worthy of competing with Volkswagen. As in Europe, the GTI found several direct competitors in North America. Ford offered the Escort GT, and its Lincoln-Mercury division offered the identical Mercury Lynx XR3. Chrysler offered the turbocharged Dodge Omni GLH in 1985 to 1986 (which the Dodge division said stood for "Goes Like Hell"[citation needed]), and in 1986 to 1987 the intercooled GLHS (Goes Like Hell Somemore[citation needed]). Both were prepared and named by Carroll Shelby. General Motors offered a few sports version of its J-car hatchbacks, including the Chevrolet Cavalier Z24. After 1995, however, the J-chassis Pontiac Sunfire GT and Chevrolet Z24 were offered only as two-door coupés. Toyota offered the Corolla FX-16, and Honda introduced the Civic S (later called the Si when that model gained fuel injection). Hot hatches maintained some popularity in North America throughout the 1990s, even as most small cars were designed with trunks. The Honda Civic was the benchmark for Japanese hot hatches in America, but when the Civic line was redesigned for 2006, the Si came in coupé form only; the Civic hatchback was no longer available in the U.S. in any form. Volkswagen remained committed to the market segment in North America, though, releasing a turbocharged, redesigned Golf Mk5 GTI in early 2006 with a notably successful advertising campaign. Mazda introduced its Mazdaspeed 3 in October 2006, a turbocharged version of their popular 3, with 260 horsepower (190 kW; 260 PS).

Hot hatches and compacts before 1980

Until 1980, the Volkswagen Golf dominated the hot hatch market segment. Competition was limited to non-hatchbacks, the Mini, and race-inspired enthusiasts' vehicles such as the Vauxhall Chevette HS. However, sub-compacts and superminis had adopted a two-box design ever since the Mini, and, in spite of their small engines, had been adopted by young racing enthusiasts with little money because of their low weight. Thus, even though the Golf was one of the few cars with engines larger than 1.4 litres and with more than 100 horsepower (75 kW; 101 PS) (75 kW), other hatches were on their way to becoming "hot". Also, cars such as the Hillman Imp or the Simca Rallye, while having saloon bodies, were small enough to be considered direct ancestors of the hot hatch.

European-market pre-1980 hot hatches

Example of a hot hatch before 1980, the Golf GTI

The examples listed below originate from the European motor manufacturers, and were primarily destined for European markets, although some examples were exported to further regions:

North American-market pre-1980 hot hatches and sport compacts

Chevrolet Cosworth Vega Twin-Cam

Australian-market pre-1980 hot hatches


1980–1990 — the first generation

The first generation of hot hatches included the following notable models:

European-market 1980–1990 hot hatches

Renault 5 Turbo

As above, these examples primarily originate from the European motor manufacturers, although the Japanese manufacturers were starting to make inroads into this sector. These were primarily destined for European markets, although some examples were exported to further regions:

North American-market 1980s hot hatches and sport compacts

American hot hatch Dodge Omni

Rest of the world-market 1980s hot hatches

1990–2000 — the second generation

With the Golf getting slower, heavier and more expensive to match its target market, space opened for a new breed of hot hatches in the 1990s:

European-market 1990–2000 hot hatches

1990s hot hatch, Ford Escort RS2000

Once again, these examples primarily originate from the European motor manufacturers, again with the Japanese makers making an impact too, and were primarily destined for European markets, although some examples were exported to further regions:

North American-market 1990s hot hatches & sport compacts

Rest of the world-market 1990s hot hatches

Recent generations — hot hatches since 2000

The late 1990s saw a gradual shift away from lightweight, economical small cars - and the introduction of new market category-blurring vehicles. In the 2000s, new hot hatch "class" was born, engine outputs grew up to 265 metric horsepower (195 kW; 261 bhp).

Post-2000 European-market hot hatches

A hot hatch of 2000s, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
Ford Focus RS Mk II on show at the British Motor Show in July 2008

Like the remainder of this article, these are primarily destined for the European markets, though some examples are exported to further markets. Again, primarily from European and Japanese manufacturers.

Post-2000 North American-market hot hatches and sport compacts

Post-2000 rest of the world-market hot hatches

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hot Hatch debate". PistonHeads.com. 2007-05-16. http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=52&i=16353. Retrieved 2008-03-19. 

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