When it comes to performance cars on our side of the Atlantic, we like em’ big and loud. Whether that’s a reflection of cultural norms and values or a result of our wide roads (or a combination of both) is something for the social scientists to decide. It seems that the rest of the world likes to do things a little differently: if you’re looking for reasonably priced performance with plenty of every-day usability, the hot hatch is king. In that sense, they follow the same recipe as muscle cars: take the smallest, lightest vehicle in your lineup and stuff the engine bay with the most potent motor you can find.
If you were to examine that train of thought even further, you’d notice that the two supposedly fundamentally disparate performance car philosophies converge on yet another point: within the confines of their respective target markets, muscle cars and hot hatches share a thriving aftermarket scene. The urge to go fast, after all, isn’t tied to a single country. These 20 examples take that go-fast mantra and run faster with it than most: some of these are race-prepped track rats shod in slick tires that would get pulled over by police in under 10 seconds, while others are road-legal sleepers that’ll embarrass any Oakley-wearing frat-bro that’s looking for trouble in daddy’s Ferrari. One thing they all share however, is their ability to punch way above of their relatively plebeian weight class.
20 KC Technica Suzuki Alto
The Suzuki Alto is a cutesy entry into Japan’s crowded kei car segment, a regional market oddity that enforces strict rules on physical dimensions and engine displacement. That doesn’t mean that tuners can’t have fun with them.
This example was built by KC Technica for time attack duties at the Rev Speed Super Battle event hosted at Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit.
On the outside, it sports the company’s overfender kit and a set of 15-inch RAYS Volk Racing TE37 Sonic wheels. In order to up the output of the Alto’s inline-three engine, KC technical fitted a larger turbocharger, intercooler and freer-breathing intake, which brings total output to somewhere near double the original figure of just 64 hp.
19 VFR800 Interceptor-Powered Honda N600
The N600 was a subcompact hatchback that also happened to be the first car that Honda ever sold on our shores. Though it was quicker than its 45 hp power output would have you believe, thanks to a curb weight of 1100 lbs, a 0-60 MPH time of 19 seconds was never going to light your hair aflame.
If you’re in love with the N600’s adorable styling but find yourself wanting a bit more pep, step right this way: along with a 0.8 liter V4 engine from a 1997 Honda VFR800 motorcycle, which pumps out 104 hp and revs to 12,000 RPM, this example has been converted to RWD and features an all-around independent suspension setup along with a sequential gearbox.
18 Ford Focus RS500
Unlike the third-generation Focus RS, only European consumers were privy to the Mk2 Ford Focus RS. Powered by a 300 hp 2.5 liter inline-five engine, the RS was renowned for its handling prowess in spite of its compromised FWD layout.
The limited-edition RS500 model was a quasi-aftermarket effort, developed in part with long-time engineering partner Revolve Technologies.
Only five hundred models were produced, all finished with the same satin black 3M wrap. Total output was 345 hp, enough to bring the RS500 to 60 MPH from rest in a manufacturer-quoted 5.6 seconds, though most independent testers recorded times a couple of tenths quicker.
17 Subaru Impreza CS400
Built by legendary English engineering firm Cosworth, this limited-edition (only 75 were made for the UK market alone) rally-bred special packs performance worthy of its stratospheric £49,995 price tag (that’s the equivalent of about $66,000, and about twice the cost of a regular STI).
As the name implies, the CS400 ups output by almost 100 hp (for a total of 395 hp) over stock, thanks to a suite of heavily upgraded internals for its 2.5 liter flat-four, including new pistons, bearings, conrods, head gaskets, oil pump, and turbo. The STI’s six-speed manual gearbox has also been strengthened in order to cope with the extra grunt. Keeping everything on the straight and narrow is a set of Eibach springs mated to Bilstein dampers along with AP Racing brakes and lightweight 18-inch wheels shod in Michelin SP3 rubber.
16 Volvo C30
When a vehicle’s performance credentials are denoted by the acronym "PCP," you know it’s going to be something crazy. Those three letters stand for ‘Performance Concept Prototype’, which seems like a somewhat clinical moniker for what is surely one of the fastest road-legal Volvos ever built. It was engineered by Gothenburg-based firm Polestar back in 2010, prior to its acquisition by Volvo itself.
The PCP features a heavily upgraded and fortified 2.5 liter turbocharged inline-five motor that cranks out 399 hp along with a bespoke suspension that includes Öhlins shock absorbers and springs.
Braking duties are handled via six-piston Brembo calipers clamping down on 380 mm front discs with a four-piston, 330 mm setup at the rear. With the driver rowing their own gears through a six-speed manual transmission, the PCP boots to 60 MPH in just 4.6 seconds.
15 Ford Focus RS Mountune M400
Mountune is well-known within the Euro aftermarket scene for fast Fords. They’re special among fellow power merchants thanks to their factory warranty-compliant upgrades, which means you can take your tricked-out Ford to a normal dealership without any hassle. The M400 is one of their most impressive creations, which is pretty much a given considering just how capable the Focus RS is in stock form.
As the name implies, the M400 cranks out 49 more horses and 29 extra lb-ft of torque over standard, for a total of 394 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. Keeping the extra power in check is a set of sport springs, higher-performance brakes and 19-inch OZ Leggera wheels.
14 Evasive Motorsports Honda Civic Type R FK8
The new Honda Civic Type R holds the lap record for production FWD cars at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, clocking a time of 7:43.8 around the 14.2 mile circuit. I’d love to know what this competition-ready example, modified by California-based high-end tuner Evasive Motorsports, would put down.
Along with a host of carbon fiber aerodynamic addenda, Evasive fitted Eibach Pro Kit springs, a rear camber kit, an adjustable rear sway bar, custom-machined front camber plates, and Maxxis VR-1 tires wrapped around 18-inch Advan GT wheels.
Instead of going for headline-grabbing power figures, the company opted to chase reliability with a GReddy exhaust, intercooler upgrade and an oil cooler kit. Evasive saved some weight and upped safety by junking the rear seats to make room for a 4-point roll cage, a suitable accompaniment for the Recaro Pole Position seats up front.
13 AC Schnitzer BMW 150d
In spite of being the fuel of choice for a couple of Le Mans winners (as well as being the source of a multi-billion dollar lawsuit), diesel still isn’t synonymous with performance for most consumers. Maybe they’ll reconsider after taking a look at this unassuming BMW 1-Series hatchback (never a body style option for 1-Series buyers on our shores, unfortunately). It’s been modified by the German power-adding wizards at AC Schnitzer. They managed to wedge a BMW-sourced tri-turbo (yes, three turbos) 3.0 liter inline-six into the engine bay. 395 hp seems healthy but hardly excessive in the company of the other entries on this list, but take a gander at that torque figure: 590 lb ft from just 2,000 RPM!
12 Volkswagen Golf R APR
APR is well-known within the aftermarket VW scene: based out of Opelika, Alabama, they’ve been upping the power outputs of German commuter cars to absurd levels for the better part of twenty years. This quasi-camo-liveried Golf R is meant to serve as a rolling showcase for the full extent of their capabilities.
It features what APR calls their "Stage 3+" suite of upgrades, which includes, among other-high dollar parts, a fortified crate version of the stock EA888 2.0 liter turbo inline-four, a bigger turbo, an ECU re-map, a carbon fiber intake, a Brembo brake setup, lowering springs, and a rear stabilizer bar. On regular old 91-octane pump gas, it cranks out 470 hp and 425 lb ft of torque. Find yourself a bit of high-test race fuel however, and those figures will jump up to 536 hp and 475 lb ft of torque.
11 Litchfield Audi RS3
In stock form, the Audi RS3 is already more than capable of deflating supercar egos: a sharp-witted Haldex AWD system, quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox, and 395 hp inline-five engine all combine to form a highly practical, easy-to-drive car that can also accelerate to 60 MPH in under 4 seconds.
For British tuner Litchfield Performance, well-known for their high-powered Nissan GT-R builds, that just wasn’t enough. For the low cost of £2,058 (that’s about $2,720), Litchfield will install a bigger intercooler, a freer flowing air filter, and re-map the ECU.
Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough to bring power output to 500 hp and 484 lb ft of torque (that’s up from 354 lb ft in the stock car).
10 Posaidon Mercedes-AMG A45
Like its erstwhile rival in the Audi RS3, the issue with modifying the Mercedes-AMG A45 is that it’s already such a capable machine right out of the box. Tuners will be tuners however, viewing any concerns about the structural integrity of the A45’s already highly stressed 2.0 liter inline-four as a mere challenge. Case and point, the German power-merchants over at Posaidon.
Somehow, they brought total output to 550 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque (that’s up from 381 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque). That headline-grabbing power figure was achieved with a veritable laundry list of upgrades, including a larger turbo, freer-flowing intake, motorsport-sourced spark plugs, a re-mapped ECU, and a water-methanol injection kit.
9 Volkswagen Scirocco HPA
The Scirocco is an unfortunate absentee from VW’s lineup on our side of the Atlantic, a shame considering I think that consumers would love to be able to get their hands on what is essentially a Golf in a tailored suit. Well, with the help of Canadian firm HPA Motorsports, based out of Surrey, British Columbia, you just might have the chance.
Aiming to sell about 10 per year, they first register the Scirocco as a kit car, which it might as well be considering how much its innards deviate from stock. Starting off with a rolling shell from Germany, HPA fits a turbocharged 3.2 liter narrow-angle VR6 engine under the hood, which sends its 565 hp (on race gas at least) to all four wheels via a Gen II Haldex AWD system and six-speed dual-clutch transmission. That package is potent enough to fling this sleek bruiser to 60 MPH in just 3.2 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds.
8 Oemmedi Meccanica Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 is Italy’s most adorable automotive icon, a cutesy microcar with enough charm to let it drive through even the most dangerous war zones on Earth with nary a scratch (disclaimer: don’t try that). How could you possibly make it scary?
Well, if you’re Italian restoration specialist Oemmedi Meccanica, it’s easy: shove a V12 behind the driver and make it look like the lovechild of an F-22 Raptor and a Lamborghini.
Incidentally, the Lamborghini visual influence isn’t accidental: that mid-mounted 6.2 liter twelve-cylinder powerplant (and associated AWD system) was plucked straight from a salvage-title Murcielago.
7 Rockstar Energy Drink/Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla Hatch
In terms of vehicular lunacy, many consider pro-level drifting to be the true successor to the bygone era of Group B rallying. Take a look around the paddock, and you’ll find all manner of stripped-out, turbocharged monsters with four-figure power outputs and flame-spitting exhausts, driven by wild-eyed pilots hell-bent on giving spectators the best show they can put on.
One entry into this vehicular madhouse is this highly modified 2019 Corolla Hatchback, built by race car engineering firm Papadakis Racing and helmed by Norwegian drifter Fredric Aasbø, which has been converted to spin the rear tires and features a nitrous-boosted, turbocharged Toyota 2AR inline-four pumping out somewhere in the region of 1,000 hp.
6 Matt Smith’s Ford Escort RS Cosworth
The Escort RS Cosworth was one of the best-known European performance cars to come out of the nineties. Its combination of turbocharged inline-four grunt, limpet-like AWD grip, and wild styling laid the groundwork of the rally-bred sports compact genre, which produced icons like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Subaru Impreza WRX STI.
English enthusiast Matt Smith opted to do something a little different than the ordinary circuit-oriented build with his own Escort Cosworth.
In order to compete Street Eliminator Championship, a drag-racing league that requires competitor cars to be street legal, Smith tripped his car to a bare shell before fitting a small block Chevrolet V8 with a Garrett GT4094 turbo, a combo good for somewhere between 1000 and 1200 hp. Hooked up to a two-speed automatic transmission, this Cosworth can sprint through the quarter-mile in just 8.4 seconds.
5 Aslan Honda Civic EG6
If you’re looking to go fast on a shoestring budget, it’s hard to go wrong with a Civic. Easy to find in the classifieds, a peppy, free-revving engine, an eager, sharp-handling chassis, and a gigantic aftermarket to rectify any issues you might find. Of course, there’s a limit to how fast you can go with such a pedestrian platform. Or is there?
Enter this wildly be-winged EG6-chassis Honda Civic, built by Osaka-based aftermarket garage Aslan Inc. Thanks to a homegrown aero kit, primarily carbon fiber body, and completely rebuilt K20 inline-four engine (which, unbelievably, remains naturally aspirated), this EG6 clocked a 58.105 lap at Japan’s Tsukuba circuit. That’s two seconds faster than a Nissan GT-R Nismo!
4 Russ Foust’s Mini 1275 GT
This RAF-liveried 1975 Mini 1275 GT is owned by British track day enthusiast Russ Foust. His car originally started off with a simple engine swap, replacing the tired old 1.3 liter with a Vauxhall-sourced 2.0 L C20XE inline-four.
However, Foust soon found himself wanting for more power. With an RWD conversion kit from the Mini specialist from Mini Tech, he fitted a Honda-sourced 3.2 L J32A2 V6 behind the front seats.
That engine pumps out 230 hp and 210 lb-ft, corralled by the driver with a six-speed manual transmission. In a car that weighs just 1500 pounds, that’s a recipe for ear-to-ear grins and sports car-shaming pace.
3 D Language Suzuki Swift
Judged purely in terms of the aggressiveness of its aero kit, this little Suzuki means serious business. Those bolt-on fender flares conceal absolutely massive 295-width Yokohama Advan tires, which is yet another indicator of just how capable this thing is. Take a peek under the scooped and slatted hood, and you’ll find a fully-built, turbocharged 1.6 liter inline-four engine, which jumps from its stock output of 120 horses to somewhere in the upper reaches of 350.
With a curb weight of juster under a ton, courtesy of the largely carbon-fiber body and gutted interior, the D Language Swift set a time of 57.3 around the infamously twisty Tsukuba circuit, nearly three seconds faster than a Radical SR4 1.2 track car.
2 TS-Racing Audi A3
Scandinavian car culture is an interesting thing: enthusiasts are few but deeply passionate and knowledgeable, as evidenced by the general quality of their builds. This wildly modified Audi A3 from Norwegian tuner TS-Racing is one such example.
It was built to do battle in the Extreme class of the time attack challenge at Gatebil Rudskogen, Northern Europe’s best-known automotive shindig.
In order to mount a worthy challenge against its wickedly fast competitors, TS Racing stripped down the once diesel-powered hatchback to a bare shell and then fitted a Quattro AWD system from an Audi RS2, a custom-built 1150 hp 2.5 liter inline-five engine, a bespoke KW Suspension setup, and plenty of carbon fiber.
1 Subaru Impreza Gobstopper II
This build is definitely the fastest car in this list, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise if you know its pedigree: built by UK-based firm Roger Clark Motorsport (founded by late, great rally driver, erm, Roger Clark), "Gobstopper II" is the sequel to one of the most impressive time attack builds to have ever come out of the country. In order to top it, RCM had to do something very special.
Gobstopper II started off with the bare shell of a WRC-prepped Impreza, which cloaks a custom-made tube-frame chassis. It’s 2.0 liter flat-four engine, hooked up to a race-spec six-speed sequential gearbox, cranks out over 910 hp. Combined with a set of sticky Pirelli slicks and aggressive, CFD-designed aero package, Gobstopper II set a time of 0:44.91 at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb, almost as fast as a Le Mans-winning 1988 Jaguar XJR8/9 Group C racer!
Sources: speedhunters.com, superstreetonline.com, evo.co.uk, roadandtrack.com, fastestlaps.com