They were the enthusiast cars of the 1980s. Does the old magic still work?
A THIMBLEFUL OF EXTRA POWER, a dusting of chassis upgrades. Otherwise, the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen Golf GTI are nearly in distinguishable from humble, volume-selling transportation devices, the sort most people think of the way you do your living-room couch. That they’re objects of affection, even lust, is a tribute to the powerful alchemy that makes some cars more than just cars.
Powerful, but also fickle. Slight changes to the potion can break the spell. (See: Dodge Caliber SRT4.) Which is why the new Si is, on paper, worrisome. It’s no longer top dog, as it now sits between the Civic EX-T and the Civic Type R, while borrowing from both. And it’s turbocharged for the first time.
To test the new formula, we compared it to proven stuff, a 2017 Volkswagen GTI.
First, the obvious: The Si needs a new wardrobe. The coupe and sedan on which Si variants are based (no Si hatch, sorry) already sport the busiest, most aggressive styling ever applied to a Civic. A flimsy wing, expanses of mostly nonfunctional black mesh on the bumpers, and an exhaust tip that looks like a mail slot muck it up. Imagine an alternate universe, where the original 1985 CRX Si had been allowed to mature gracefully, and you have the GTI, which is still faithful to Giorgetto Giugiaro’s original lines. But here’s the key: Flourishes that make a GTI distinguishable from a standard Golf—larger wheels, dual exhaust, roof spoiler, plaid-pattern seats—look as well thought-out as the rest of the design.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2017-Ausgabe von Road & Track.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2017-Ausgabe von Road & Track.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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MR. CALIFORNIA
MEET THE MAN WHO PUT THE STATE ON THE MAP AS THE LEADER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VEHICLE EMISSIONS.
RESIDENT ALIEN
THE CZINGER 21C LOOKS LIKE IT ARRIVED FROM A DISTANT PLANET. INSTEAD, IT COMES FROM CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS KIND OF THE SAME THING.
FUNNY FACE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF CALIFORNIA-DIAL WATCHES.
THE PROBLEM WITH ROBERT WILLIAMS
TOWARD THE END of our third interview, Robert Williams gives me some advice about overcoming creative blocks. “Phrase it as a problem,” he says. “
Quiet Riot
In the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai makes the case that an EV can tamp down racetrack noise without sacrificing capability.
The Sound and the Fury
A legal feud over booming decibels put California's most historic roadracing circuit in jeopardy.
HOLLYWOOD'S GREATEST STUNT DRIVER
CAREY LOFTIN WAS THE KING OF THE SCIENTIFIC WILD-ASS GUESS
OFFLINE
THIS BURBANK BOOKSTORE IS A REPOSITORY FOR THE WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE INFORMATION NOT ON YOUR PHONE.
THE COURSE OF HISTORY
The West Coast tracks where modern racing was born.
TANK WARFARE
WHAT IF THE WHOLE CAR WERE A GAS TANK?