There are some popular (and exhausted) metaphors that employ the opening or building of new doors in an attempt to hearten the dismayed. But for many hot hatch devotees, being told such a thing would have quite the opposite effect.
Back at the dawn of the hot hatch proper, the class contained cars such as the Renault 5 Alpine, Ford Fiesta XR2 and Volkswagen Golf GTI, all three-doors. In fact, most of the regular small hatchbacks on which these hooligans were based were also sold predominantly with awkward access for the rear passengers.
Nowadays, the larger hot hatches – Honda Civic Type R, Renault Mégane RS and so on – are mostly available only in five-door format. Even the smaller models, such as the Suzuki Swift Sport and Volkswagen Polo GTI – have gone or are going the same way. The Ford Fiesta ST is among the lasts bastions of hot hatch traditionalism.
In the time between, most allowed you to choose, starting with the Citroën AX GT5, named so because, of course, it had cinque portes, which Autocar described on 8 November 1989 as “offering extra versatility in a fun though uncomfortable package”.
“Combine the AX GT’s drivetrain (an inline four-cylinder, naturally aspirated 1.4-litre motor driving the front wheels) with relatively high equipment levels and improved rear seat access and you have the £7913 AX GT5,” we began.
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AX GT
A point that should be taken
A point that should be taken from this article is that you had the choice of 3 or 5 doors, something which is being taken away from you nowadays. Manufacturers keep saying that no-one is buying 3 door hatches.. really? I see loads of 3 door Fiestas and particularly Corsas on the roads, the latter particularly favoured by young males. There's no doubt hot hatches look far better in 3 door form, no matter how often makers and journalists tell you that hiding the rear door handles makes all the difference.
My mum had one when I was in
My mum had one when I was in my early years - I do remember it. She said it's one of the best, if not the best car she's had - if we get on the topic of cars it often gets mentioned! Must have been as good as the article reads!