On paper at least, the hot hatch seems like the perfect car, with the speed of a sports coupe and the practicality of a family vehicle. So, did you ever wonder why so few people buy a Suzuki Swift Sport? It's because in order to get the best lap times, you need a stiff set of springs, not ideal for an everyday car. Which is why the most practical hot hatches are actually the ones that sell.
When Renault designed the all-new Clio RS 200 EDC, it did so while closely looking at the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Even though the German car lacked bonkers performance and the dynamic edge of its French rival, customers preferred the comfort of the DSG gearbox and the practicality of a 5-door body.
But Opel has chosen to stick with tradition and is one of the few European companies that offers its supermini track tool exclusively as a 3-door "coupe". It looks better and probably has slightly more structural rigidity, but we're just taking a stab in the dark here.
X-Tomi Design has just rendered the 2015 Corsa E OPC as a 5-door. Of course, it's not as beautiful as the real thing because the shape of the tailgate is less rounded. But getting a child seat in the back or being able to take your in-laws to the airport may be the deciding factor in getting wife-approval to buy a hot hatch.
The new Corsa OPC is likely going to be a competent but expensive little car. Prices are going to start at around €25,000 and to that you'll be able to add a track pack that brings the limited slip differential and better tires. Thanks to a 1.6-liter turbo engine pushing 207 hp, this little rocket will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, so at least it's fast.
The other company that doesn't offer a 5-door supermini hot hatch is Peugeot, as its 208 GTi is a 3-door only. Ford also varies its Fiesta ST offering, but that depends on the market you're in.
But Opel has chosen to stick with tradition and is one of the few European companies that offers its supermini track tool exclusively as a 3-door "coupe". It looks better and probably has slightly more structural rigidity, but we're just taking a stab in the dark here.
X-Tomi Design has just rendered the 2015 Corsa E OPC as a 5-door. Of course, it's not as beautiful as the real thing because the shape of the tailgate is less rounded. But getting a child seat in the back or being able to take your in-laws to the airport may be the deciding factor in getting wife-approval to buy a hot hatch.
The new Corsa OPC is likely going to be a competent but expensive little car. Prices are going to start at around €25,000 and to that you'll be able to add a track pack that brings the limited slip differential and better tires. Thanks to a 1.6-liter turbo engine pushing 207 hp, this little rocket will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, so at least it's fast.
The other company that doesn't offer a 5-door supermini hot hatch is Peugeot, as its 208 GTi is a 3-door only. Ford also varies its Fiesta ST offering, but that depends on the market you're in.