Classifieds' Car Of The Day: Lively VW Lupo GTi

Although we weren't hugely impressed with last Sunday's Top Gear, it was great to see Clarkson, Hammond and May hooning around in three dinky hatchbacks. It did a great job of demonstrating that you don't need an expensive car with loads of power, you can have just as much fun in a small car with a little revvy engine. Which brings us neatly on to the VW Lupo GTi.

With 125bhp from its 1.6-litre four-pot, it's more swift than fast, with a 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds and a top speed of 127mph. But, it'll be superb fun to drive, and you can use all that power without fear of the consequences.

It's also seen as a spiritual successor to the Mk1 Golf GTi, having comparable dimensions and performance - another example of how big cars have become. Because of that connection, and the mix of quality, drivability and usable performance, these things have become very sought after.

For example, despite being 11 years old and knocking on the door of 100,000 miles, this one is up for £3295. Sounds like a lot, but consider this: not only will it cost peanuts to run and be very reliable, you're unlikely to lose any of the purchase price when you come to sell it on. In fact, you might even make a little extra.

Has a car this fun ever been such a sensible purchase? We don't think so. Pick up the phone before we do!