Auto Express – August 20, 2019

66 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

Theultimateguide to

modern classiccars

ITmightbesurprisingtohearthatmyveryownHonda
IntegraTypeRisamongthebestcarsI’veeverdriven.
Iwouldchoosetogoforadriveinitoveranymodern
supercarI’vetried,becauseitcombinesallthemost
importantaspectsofwhatIloveaboutdriving.
Theengineisanall-timegreat,withits9,000rpmred
lineandinstantthrottleresponse,themanualgearbox
isthesweetestI’veeverused,andthedrivingpositionis
perfect,too.Finally,thechassisissublime,outshining
manymodernfront-wheel-driveperformancecars,
becauseit’sadjustableandexciting,evenontheroad.

VOLKSWAGENinventedthehothatchwiththeoriginal

GolfGTI,butIwouldarguethatRenaultbecamethe

mastersofthegenreinthedecadesthatfollowed.

InthetwoyearsI’veownedmyClio197it’sgonefrom

bonestocktoheavilymodified.Butthat’snottosayit

isn’tafantasticcaroutofthebox.It’snosecretthat

Renaultnailedthe197’schassis;youcanhaveyobbish

oversteerormassesofgripdependingonyourmood.

Thegearshiftisdirect,andthe2.0-litreenginesings

beyond5,000rpm.But,sadly,it’sthekindofenginethat

isdyingoutthankstoturbocharging.TheClio197felt

likeitmarkedtheendofanera,soIjusthadtohaveone.

I’VEalwaysbeenabigfanofthelittleAudiA2–asmuch

foritsminimalistdesignasthecleverengineeringthatlay

behindit.SowhenIwasfinallyallowedtotreatmyself

tosomethingspecial,theA2wastopofthelist.

AsIwouldalwaysrecommendsomeonebuyingamodern

classicdoes,Ienlistedthehelpofanowners’club.TheA2

Owners’ClubissuperbandIboughtmyloaded(panoramic

roof,leather,BOSEaudioandparkingsensors)A2froma

lovelychapinManchester.Itreallyistheepitomeoflittle

luxury–yetit’sstillhugelyefficientandbeautiful.Theonly

troubleis,my19-year-oldsonhasrecentlytakenalikingtoit.

THEMazdaMX-5turns30thisyear,havingpassed

amillionsalesin2016.Iadoremy2.0-litreMk3;the

latestversionis100kglighterandabitmorepowerful,

butIreckonminecanmatchitforsenseofoccasion.

Thegearleveronmyfive-speed’boxisajoytouse

andthere’ssubstancetothesteering,too.Mazda’s

philosophyis‘JinbaIttai’:harmonybetweencar

anddriver.Thisthird-generationMX-5nailsit.

Honda IntegraType R

Year: 2000 Owned:18 months

Sam Naylor

Senior reviewer, Auto Express

Renault Clio RS 197

Year: 2007Owned: Twoyears

AlastairCrooks

Content editor,AutoExpress

Audi A2

Year: 2001 Owned:18 months

SteveFowler

Editor-in-chief, Auto Express

Mazda MX-5 Mk3

Year: 2008 Owned:Three years

Joe Holding

Senior staffwriter,DrivingElectric

MISSEDtheboatonspirallingPeugeot205GTIvalues?

Nottoworry–havingownedbotha1.9GTIanditsbaby

brother,theXS,I’mnotashamedtoadmitthatIthink

thelesser-knownmodelisamuchmoreaffordable

alternativethatdoesn’tsacrificefun.

Weighingjust820kg,theXSfeelssharpandcompact

ontheroad,themanualgearboxisoneofthesweetest

inafront-wheel-drivecar,andit’sattachedtoa1.4-litre

enginethatlovestobethrashed.It’shugefunatsafeand

legalspeeds;thatit’sreliable(really!)andcheaptorun

meansthatitperfectlyfitsthemodernclassicbill.

Peugeot 205 XS

Year: 1989 Owned:18 months

AlexIngram

Staffwriter,AutoExpress

As Ialways recommend

someone buying amodern

classic does,Ienlisted the

help of the owners’ club

Mazda’s philosophy is ‘Jinba Ittai’:

harmony between car and driver.