old alfasud car review

hi all i was looking on the internet and came across this old car review that put a mk 1 golf gti against a mk 1 astra gte and a xr3i and alfasud greencloverleaf as i have had all theses cars in the past my choice would be sud 1st for the way it drives and looks,golf gti ,astra gte and then xr3i.
also do not agree with some of the testers comments about the sud .
Google Image Result for http://www.vw-one.co.uk/MTsud.jpg

I think it says something for the Sud that it got on a level footing with the Astra and the Golf, both of which were much newer designs at the time. I didn't mention the Ford, because I just never liked the MK3's... give me a MK1 anytime

At the end of the day I know which car I would have

Every mag gives different views, I have an early 1970s mag with a comparison of all those same cars and they put the Golf and Sud at the top of their list but chose the sud as the better and more fun car to drive.

Originally Posted by green cloverleaf pat

hi all i was looking on the internet and came across this old car review that put a mk 1 golf gti against a mk 1 astra gte and a xr3i and alfasud greencloverleaf as i have had all theses cars in the past my choice would be sud 1st for the way it drives and looks,golf gti ,astra gte and then xr3i.
also do not agree with some of the testers comments about the sud .
Google Image Result for http://www.vw-one.co.uk/MTsud.jpg

No doubt that as a classic car the Sud (or Sprint) is more involving and characterful to own but in the cold light of day as a new purchase, and were it my own money, I'm afraid a Mk1 Golf or Scirocco would walk it for me.

In their day VWs circa 1980 (as an overall package) were leagues better than most other small cars on sale.

Alfa just made the error and didnt produce the Sud with 1700cc engine to keep up with the "GTI" category as the others did . Of course at the same time there was Sprint but i think it was more expensive than the sud and therefore different seagment...

from what i remember the mk 1 astra gte i had was a good little car nice recaros and felt nice when driving and was quite quick but didnt handle too good ,xr3i handled well went well but everyone had one,golf gti i had went well and was built well and felt a very solid car and so did the mk 1 golf gti karmann convertible that i had also ,it had little to no body flex not like the mk 2 astra gte convertible i had also,that handled rubbish.
the x reg sud ti i had years ago just made me smile as soon as i drove it ,it was fun to drive ,looked nice and thats why i had to get one years later . .
p.s if i had the money i would have a golf gti mk also.

GC pat , 2 convertibles , you must have been the best perm er in the south

Originally Posted by Iain.Oglethorpe

GC pat , 2 convertibles , you must have been the best perm er in the south

i know but i liked the idea of a convertible but you dont get enough good weather.

p.s i also had a metallic grey veloce 33 1.7 like the one you have now and i loved that car and yours looks great.

Cheers Pat

I remember being on holiday when that test was due to come out and running through my mind what order the cars would come out best.

I had a black Sprint Veloce at the time with Janspeed heads and rejetted carbs.

I got up very early on the Wednesday morning to get it from the newsagents in Abersoch and started reading it walking back.

I still have 2 original copies of the mag. The one I bought in Abersoch and the one that was delivered home on subcription.

My Mum had a Mark 1 Golf GTi which was a very good car and built like a small tank. I had both a 1984 Escort XR3i and a 1982 RS1600i and both were very good cars also. The RS was quite twitchy and 'raw' like a 105 bhp Sud and the XR3i was rather more refined and really, a better package. Sad to say it but by 1982, the Sud was pretty much outdated - it was a ten year old car after all.
I had a Mark 2 Escort RS Mexico which was a vile thing, crude, noisy, oversteery and fun for about ten minutes after which it just became tedious.

I hate Vauxhalls with a passion so never even considered an Astra. Yuk.

Have to say that apart from the new Civic there isn't much at the moment that would tempt me the way any of these four hot hatches would..