Autocar - 50 Greatest Road Test

[Toddy 7]

Best quote 'those early cars were merciless. In fact, so long as you knew it would instantly want to show you where you'd just come from if you lifted mid-curve, and were as ready with the throttle as the steering to correct it, the car could be made to corner blindling fast. However, it was emphatically not for amateurs. Peugeot soon calmed it down and improved its uncompromising ride'.

 

Does anyone know what they changed to reduce the LOO?

 

The seats look like ones from a 205 XS, were these used in the GTI's first, or has Autocar inserted the wrong picture?

[KRISKARRERA 2 1 Cars]

Is this the complete road test or just an abridged version like the one they did a few years back in their 100 Greatest road test mag?

[Baz 421]

Apparently very early GTi's had base model style suspension setup with much softer front end etc, which would tie in with that, but i've never seen or heard of any proof though!

[Baz 421]

Tweed seats? What year is the car, early ones had thin cloth black seats with very thin red/grey stripes, then the tweed grey ones like XS's have iirc, then the quartet design we're all familiar with!

[Toddy 7]

Is this the complete road test or just an abridged version like the one they did a few years back in their 100 Greatest road test mag?

 

Abridged, not full detail.

[jackherer 543]

Apparently very early GTi's had base model style suspension setup with much softer front end etc, which would tie in with that, but i've never seen or heard of any proof though!

 

I always thought the very early ones had firmer suspension and the later ones were softened.

 

http://www.205gtidrivers.com/info/history.html

 

1985 February Suspension softened to improve ride

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

I always thought the very early ones had firmer suspension and the later ones were softened.

 

http://www.205gtidrivers.com/info/history.html

 

Me too, in fact it was a common complaint that they were too firm.

[Baz 421]

I got it the wrong way around then!

 

If the front was softer it'd be a little more tail-happy, so was thinking along the same lines i guess!

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

I don't think anything changed (not to affect LOOS much), I think it was just a bit of journalism to make it sound more exciting and it just gets repeated.

 

The 1.9 always read "tricky in the wet" in the back of Autocar's car guide. I always thought it was very easy to drive fast in the wet.

[Anthony 1,003]

The 1.9 always read "tricky in the wet" in the back of Autocar's car guide. I always thought it was very easy to drive fast in the wet.

I do wonder if atleast part of that is down to improvements in tyre technology over the past 15-20 years or so?

 

After all, a 205 GTi shod with Chinese ditchfinder specials is nothing short of a liability in the wet and would be very easy to spin if you didn't know what to do when it started to slide.

[Toddy 7]

I do wonder if atleast part of that is down to improvements in tyre technology over the past 15-20 years or so?

 

After all, a 205 GTi shod with Chinese ditchfinder specials is nothing short of a liability in the wet and would be very easy to spin if you didn't know what to do when it started to slide.

 

IIRC John Simster who is a journo & registered on here has alluded to your point regarding the advancement in tyre technology.