That's always been a quandary I've never quite got:

Evos & Scoobs & Integrales were 'nutter' cars.

Then there were the S3s and X-Types which are somehow a bit, blergh. Good cars intrinsically, but somehow a bit phoney. Too much brand-engineering and not enough genuine appeal, for some reason.

The middle ground is where I see a new Honda/Acura Integra(le). A Legend SH-AWD without the absurd 2,000kg kerb mass & without the bulk and a bit more Japanese banzai fun dialled in.

 

If Honda had made a RWD saloon based on a Type R principal, it would have been amazing...

They probably didn't want to touch the AWD scene as they don't do turbo's and don't have the rally heritage.

Mazda tried it and flopped.

 

honda had a turbo motorbike back in the early 80's.

i think it was a cx500 or something.

looks like they gave up after that.

perhaps it was rubbish.

 

Exactly.

But IIRC, the 6 MPS was a really good car. I think it suffered the same buyer apathy as the Renault 21 Turbo Quadra.

The what...?

Precisely.

In Honda's case, they HAVE the CR-V derived RDX with SH-AWD and a puffer on a K23. It's exactly as pointless and as unpopular as an X3.

It's the sort of thing a backyard tuner could build in a few days with a spare FL bodyshell.

And then spend the next year trying to re-program the SH-AWD. Probably.

 

i had forgoten about the 6 mps.

wasnt that only part time 4wd?

 

So'd everyone. But it was well-liked in road tests. Mazdas do drive nicely.

Haldex clutch like the S3, IIRC.

So similarly, it would shift the drive front or backwards.

 

NOT THE 6 MPS!!

Okay, so it's got a semi decent engine, handles well but it looks duff (Safestyle sales managers car??) and is far to heavy at 1665kg.

The Haldex system is better than most give it credit. Standard setup is max 100% torque to the front and max 50% to the rear. I never really felt like I was driving a FWD car when I had my old generation S3, but it was so numb and completely void of steering feel.

IIRC the only car that bucks the trend is the upcoming TT RS which is set to have a rear bias Haldex system. (RS4, S5 etc all use a Quattro Torsen setup).

A WRX with a PPP is a far better choice IMO (and probably cheaper).

 

That seems to be the issue with these cars.

What ought to be a better 3 series invariably comes out an overweight and somewhat puffed-up Salesmanager Special with a negative image.

I thought the Saabaru might be the answer, but that turned into a laughably bad piece of badge-engineering. It did at least make a nicer Subaru interior!

I think the conclusion is; simply buy the brilliant Imprevos as they are and forget about poncy, upmarket pretensions!

 

12k will buy a really nice Evo 8.

I really can't see a better all round package for that money. It will destroy most things, can be used for track days, will happily take 5 people and a lot of shopping...

Even better is that you can buy an Evo 8 260 for peanuts. It has a small spoiler and 5 speed box - but can be mapped to 380 bhp with only a few tweaks

 

Just saw one of the scooby WR1, very nice indeed! Agree with the S3, I would lump for the sti for sensible reasons, but deep down, I know I would always want an evo!

The X is huuuuuge! sat in one at MPH. Well put together though, usual hammering of the plastics when checking out new cars!