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Golf R32, BMW 130i and Megane RS Battle for Your Classic Hot Hatch Money

We've said it many times before: if you ignore the exotic stuff, Europe doesn't make or buy that many sports cars. But that's because the hot hatch offers better value, with fun being wrapped in a very practical shape. And old-timers like the Golf R32 deserve the status of a modern classic.
Golf R32, BMW 130i and Megane RS Battle for Your Classic Hot Hatch Money 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot/Fifth Gear
Today, Fifth Gear looked at three cars to find out which of them is the best used one to pick up in 2020. The search starts with probably the coolest modern Golf, the R32.

If other hot hatches are bought because of their handling, this is fascinating because of its engine. Everything's the same nowadays, but back in the days of the Mk5, Volkswagen stuck a 3.2-liter V6 under the hood.

You just don't do that! While it's the cheapest hot hatch being suggested by Fifth Gear, we think it's mainly due to the way the UK market works. It's quite expensive and collectible everywhere else in the world. Reliability issues exist, so do your homework.

Next on the list is the BMW 130i. This is the first generation of the 1 Series hatchback, and 30i packs a 265 horsepower, 315 Nm engine. Yes, that's a naturally aspirated 3-liter, and we dare you to mention another hatchback that has one.

The final choice is a Megane RS. The one they've got is a facelift model that costs GBP 17,000, so it's about as expensive as a new car. But honestly, you don't need a Trophy 275 like this, as a 2010 model is about as good for half the price.

The Megane is the one we'd buy out of the three, since it's easy on the eye, newer and has a simpler layout. However, you could just as easily make the case for the AWD Golf with a unique engine setup or the RWD BMW 1 Series which is like a pint-sized E46 M3.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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