Ford’s Fiesta ST200 is good, then, but is it capable and engaging enough to see off the superb 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport? Or should you save yourself £4000 and go for the SEAT Ibiza Cupra instead?
SMALL, QUICK HATCHBACKS are one of the enduring joys of driving. Good ones never fail to entertain, great ones stand tall amongst the best driving experiences you can have. That they’re attainable – or at least a realistic aspiration – when new, and genuinely affordable second-hand, only adds to their appeal.
The big news in recent months has been the impending arrival of the Fiesta ST200. coming hot on the heels of the Focus rS and building on a class-leading reputation forged by its closest sibling, the ever-excellent Fiesta ST, the 200 is one of those cars that takes an already honed machine and adds that final bit of polish. it’s typical of a car approaching the end of its lifecycle, yet far from feeling long in the tooth. Our first taste of the ST200 (starting on page 116) suggested it is still a car at the top of its game. That’s a theory we’ve decided to put to the test with a face-off between the Ford, Peugeot Sport’s 208 GTi and SeaT’s ibiza cupra.
Peugeot lost its grip on the hot hatch crown many years ago, but recent efforts have shown great promise. The 208GTi by peugeot Sport is its best effort yet. it looks the part, thanks to both a raft of styling changes (mirrors, wheels, wheel arch extensions, exhaust tips, grille and brake calipers, to list but a few of the changes) and the stance-enhancing effects of a 6mm track increase front and rear and a 10mm drop in ride height. coupled with revised Peugeot Sport springs, dampers and geometry settings and a Torsen limited-slip differential taken from the rcZr, this 208 GTi is serious.
Denne historien er fra September 2016-utgaven av Evo.
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Denne historien er fra September 2016-utgaven av Evo.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop
HONDA ACCORD TYPE R
A liberal sprinkling of Honda Type R fairy dust on the late-'90s Accord produced an unlikely evo icon and a genuine performance bargain
TOY STORY
Where best to store some of Toyota’s most prized and valuable racing superstars? Under the wind tunnel at its Cologne HO, of course...
POWER PLAY
It develops 819bhp. It has no turbochargers, no hybrid assistance. Ferrari describes it as the most complete GT it's ever made. And it’s so proud of its mighty V12 engine it’s named the whole car after it. This is the 12 Cilindri
THE FIRST SAMURAIS
Japan has been responsible for many of our favourite driver's cars of recent decades, but their ancestors are often much less well known. We take a look at where the big manufacturers began their performance car journeys
DEFINITELY. NO MAYBE
Three Japanese performance icons - Lexus LFA, Subaru Impreza 22B and Nissan GT-R. Over three days on some of our favourite roads we explore what makes each uniquely thrilling, but also the car culture that unites them
1V3.0
F1, P1... and now W1. The next chapter in McLaren's Ultimate Series is the British firm's challenger to the forthcoming new Ferrari hypercar and a £2million, 1257bhp, hybrid-powered, technical tour de force
Thornley Kelham European RS
One man’s dream to build the perfect Porsche 911 has resulted inthis aaticMously restored and enhanced classic. We delve into the details and take it for a drive
Bentley Continental GT Speed
The new Continental GT is the most powerful Bentley ever, and the beginning of anew plug-in hybrid era for Crewe. But is it still a benchmark grand tourer?
