Hot Hatch

Could you imagine the world without the Volkswagen Golf GTI? While it's one of many options for those seeking practicality with a splash of fun, it truly was the nameplate that birthed an entire segment, which many of us like to call the "hot hatch." Volkswagen wasn't too hip on building the...

There are many things to love about the Volkswagen Golf R32. It's an all-wheel drive hatchback with premium feel and a potent, mellifluous VR6 engine. But soon, the VR6 may get a hopped up, 496-horsepower, twin-turbo variant. Put that in your R32 and smoke it. Literally. The new VR6, according to...

We've driven the CLA45 AMG, the only version of the A-Class platform we're scheduled to get in America. But in Europe, the hot compact car market is a bit more diverse. In fact, Mercedes and BMW both offer luxury hatches: the A-Class and 1 Series. The epitome of the A-Class is the A45 AMG, which...

Can the punchy little Ford hot hatch match the challenge of the Nordschleife?

The 2014 Ford Fiesta ST offers an impressive combination of performance and price, outdoing the Fiat 500 Abarth, Chevy Sonic RS, and Mini Cooper S on the numbers, and, based on our first driving impressions, possibly on the road as well. Ford this morning confirmed several choice statistics about...

A few years ago, Ford’s Focus came in two different flavors: the lame duck version we received here in the U.S., and the more refined and much more powerful version (in certain trims) sold everywhere else. Thankfully, with the Blue Oval’s ‘One Ford’ policy firmly in place...

Buy a BMW, and you can sign up to attend the BMW Performance Driving School. Buy a Mercedes-Benz AMG, and you can register for the AMG Driving Academy. Choose a Porsche, and you can hit the Porsche Sport Driving School. These are hardly your only factory-backed options, as nearly every manufacturer...

The Mk VII Volkswagen Golf was launched to the world at the Paris Auto Show last September, and has been on sale in Europe since late 2012. The new GTI will join it in May. But we Americans won't get the newest version of the Golf until the first half of 2014 as a 2015 model. Why? Because the Golf...

As head of Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE), tuning legend John Hennessey has some impressive cars to choose from as his daily driver. While the world-record-setting Venom GT may be a bit extreme for commuting, we can certainly see the attraction of a 1,000 horsepower Cadillac CTS-V as a...

The 2014 Volkswagen

Audi’s A1 hatchback is a genuine hit for the brand in Europe, though those of us on this side of the Atlantic are deprived of its diminutive goodness. Shortly after the car’s 2010 launch, rumors of a faster S1 (or even RS1) version started flying, supported by the occasional spy shot...

Following the reveal of the 2014 Audi S3 Hatchback last September, the brand with the four rings has now taken the wraps off the car’s five-door ‘Sportback’ variant. Audi’s latest A3 Sportback, on which the new S3 Sportback is based, is not yet confirmed for sale in the...

A new Volkswagen GTI is expected to debut in 2014, but that doesn’t mean that the German automaker has forgotten about the current Mark VI GTI. Announced today are two limited-edition four-door GTI models designed to appeal to buyers looking to add a bit of exclusivity to their driving...

Tuner fifteen52 knows a thing or two about making cars go faster. While its early business centered on products from VW and Audi, more recent projects have included collaborations with Ford and shoe-mogul-turned-gymkhana-and-rally-star Ken Block. That makes fifteen52 an ideal choice for Project ST...

Getting a straight answer out of Ford on the next Focus RS is likely getting a concise and clearly-worded response from a politician: no matter how you phrase the question, the reply will be in the form of a non-answer. While that may frustrate potential customers and Focus RS fans, we understand...

Audi’s A1 hatchback is still no closer to a U.S. launch, though that may change with the arrival of the second generation of the car. But at least we can still dream, and, thanks to Audi, we don’t even have to use our imaginations. The latest video from the brand with the four rings...

Volkswagen will reportedly show its upcoming Golf R Cabriolet at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, which kicks off with press days on March 5. You won’t have to wait that long to see what’s encased in this giant block of ice, as VW promises an “ausbruch” (break-out) in...

Kia’s European branch is set to launch a new Golf GTI-rivaling hot hatch based on its stylish Pro Cee’d hatch, a three-door version of the regular five-door Cee’d hatch sold in Europe but sharing more in common with the sporty Hyundai Veloster sold in the U.S. The new hot hatch...

Volkswagen recently revealed its long-awaited Polo R, the sportiest version of the Polo subcompact sold overseas. The new car, whose official title is Polo R WRC, just like the World Rally Championship Polo race car it’s inspired by, is set to make its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in...

After years of waiting, Volkswagen has finally added a high-performance ‘R’ variant to its Polo subcompact range, but instead of launching it as a standalone model the new hot hatch’s arrival coincides with the automaker’s 2013 entry into the World Rally Championship (WRC)...