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webuycarsformore.com worships hot hatches

Hot hatches have come an awfully long way. They were once seen as slightly cheap and cheerful – peppy engines thrown into family cars, resulting in hugely fun driving machines beloved by boy racers up and down the country.

But those boy racers have grown up. They have more disposable income, and want more – much more – bang for their buck. In many cases, they also have families to transport and respectable jobs to attend, so the hot hatch has had to grow up with them.

Take the VW Golf, for example – one of the original and most desirable hot hatches in history. It left the factory with not much more than 100bhp, which you’ll find as standard in most basic family hatchbacks now. Of course, that power came in a much lighter shell, so it was still good for 110mph and a 0-60 time of nine seconds, which was rapid for the time but today will be matched, and beaten, by most bog-standard diesels.

(Of course, that’s not to say that the original Golf GTi was a bad car – the acceleration and handling will still set your pulse racing because of the bodyweight. The MKI GTi is an appreciating classic and, if you get the chance to buy one, you won’t be disappointed – and they are collectors’ items.)

However, hot hatches have now moved onto another level altogether. Nowadays, they leave the factory with so much power and performance that they would trouble most supercars from 15-20 years ago.

According to the Top 100 Nurburgring Lap Times, there is a production Renaultsport Megane that does the lap of the famous German track just two seconds slower than a Lamborghini Gallardo. The legendary Honda NSX, as driven by Ayrton Senna, did the Nurburgring in a shade over 7mins 56seconds. The latest hot Honda Civic Type R? Six seconds faster. Six seconds faster than an NSX.

Family hatchbacks, with enough room for the kids and the shopping, can frequently get you to 60mph from standing in less than six seconds. Some will do it in less than five. We are looking at incredible levels of performance

The incredible Golf R is one such example. It swept the board in group tests – it’s the standard by which all other hatchbacks are measured now. It delivers its power via a sturdy, planted four-wheel-drive system that means it feels perfectly safe at tremendous speed. It offers huge grip around most corners, in most conditions. Yet it does the day-to-day stuff brilliantly as well, and manages a combined 40mpg.

It may not have the headline-grabbing Nurburgring record, but by all other measures – ie, the ones in the real world, that actually count for something – it’s the clear hot hatch market leader.

And we have a fantastic example in stock at the moment…

Golf R

**AS NEW**, 5.8in Colour Touch – Screen, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Air Conditioning – 2Zone Electronic Climate Control with Automatic Air Recirculation, DAB Digital Radio Receiver, Front Assist, Radar Sensor Controlled Distance Monitoring System, City Emergency Braking System, Cruise Control and Speed Limiter, Parking Sensors, Front and Rear – Ultrasonic Audible with Audio Volume Reduction when Activated and Optical Parking Display Via Vehicles Audio System, Alarm with Interior Protection, Alloy Wheels, Four 7.5J x 18in Cadiz with 225/40 R18 Tyres and Anti – Theft Wheel Bolts, Electric Windows, Front, Glovebox – Mounted Single CD Player, MDI (Multi Device Interface), SD Card Reader, Music Playback from MP3, WMA and AAC Files, Heat Insulating Rear Tinted Glass 65 Perc. Light Absorbing from B Pillar Backwards, Multifunction Computer, Rain Sensor, Tyre Pressure Loss Indicator, Upholstery – Race Cloth Seat Centre Sections and Grey Alcantara Side Bolsters. 5 seats, WHITE, WEBUYCARSFORMORE.com are here to Buy, Sell and Source your perfect car., £29,990