This episode started with a proper old skool hot hatch, the iconic Volkswagen Mk2 Golf GTI. I’ve been fortunate to see a great example of these up close and they really are bloody good cars. Take a well loved Mk2 GTI to a tight mountain pass and it will keep any current hot hatch very honest indeed. Jonny was out to see what sort of improvements he could make at his local tuning shop. After Tiff set a benchmark time, Jonny started the mods. They started with the easy stuff like new suspension and exhaust, but also undertook a complete engine rebuild that was hoped to give a very tidy 50hp increase. The first part of the clip is shown above, check the second part to see how well the mods work at the end of this article.
Read on to see what else was in store for this episode…
- Vicki tested a Fiat Panda and a Suzuki Splash over a rough cobblestone road.
- Tim, still wearing those dorky jeans, drove an old Volkswagen Polo into some fruit. He was telling us that tyres make a difference under wet braking. Seven episodes in and this guy still serves no purpose!
- Ford have just released a new Fiesta and Tom took it through its paces. It looks like a great city car option, with good economy and low emissions.
- Tim gave a quick demo of Audi’s new Parallel Park Assist, currently only available on the A3.
- Tiff and Vicki then farted about on some trail bikes for a bit. They were in some pretty testing conditions, looked like fun actually.
- Boxing champion Ricky Hatton came to Fifth Gear with a Reliant Regal Supervan restoration project. Probably more relevant to UK audiences, unless you’re a fan of Only fools and horses.
Enjoy the closing segement with the Mk2 GTI below.