Four cool "forgotten" old hot hatches

The old hot hatch. Quick pace wrapped in a mundane, everyday and practical package, inexpensive to buy and run (well, most of the times…) Maybe with some kit attached to it.
Many of us are very fond of these cars, mainly because of these reasons. Many hot hatchbacks became legendary, like some of those in the main picture. Who never heard of the Golf GTI, Peugeot 205, Civic Type R, Focus RS or Delta Integrale (one of my all-time favourites)? Exactly.
So, this is not about those well-known heroes. I’m going to talk about some nice old hatchbacks that became overshadowed. The almost great, the also-rans, that didn’t reach the legendary status, or that weren’t available in some markets. But still with some charm.

Toyota Corolla GTI-16 (AE92 )

This one had one though job. It’s daddy is the mighty AE86 after all. Toyota opted for the successor to make a more friendly and practical package. That meant switching for front wheel drive (I’m hearing booing), transverse engine, meaning more compact packaging and more interior space, along with more predictable handling and more comfort. That’s okay-ish, since many well-driven front-driven cars can still show a clean pair of heels to a RWD car.
But one of the first problems is, well, look at it. It’s so… dull! And handling, while good, wasn’t really class-leading.
Not all is grim though. It’s a Toyota, and that means reliability and durability. And at least they kept some AE86 DNA. Yes, under that unremarkable bonnet beats the heart of a lion: the 125hp, Twin Cam 1.6 litre, 4A-GE engine is carried from the AE86, so there’s power and a familiar soundtrack. If you wanted added practicality, there was also a 5 door, liftback version with a big boot (although slightly heavier).
Would rock one of these, and fly under the radar?

Suzuki Swift/Cultus Gti

This is somewhat familiar. Americans should recognise (and loathe) the basic versions as the Geo Metro. But that badge-engineered variant never got the one I’m talking: the GTi. Powered by a 1.3 naturally aspirated twin cam aluminium engine, with hollow camshafts and forged crankshaft, and a 7600rpm redline, the later versions produced an impressive 113hp. With a weight under 900kg, that made for a peppy little car.

Citroën Visa GTI

What’s this, you might be asking.
This is a GTI version of the Citroën Visa. Eccentric, like any old Citroën should be, this version was launched in 1985, nearly the end of its production life (1988), it was an attempt to breathe some life into an ageing car, which was sort of a replacement for the 2CV and the Ami, the base versions even featuring the flat twin, air-cooled engine descending from the 2CV…
So what’s so special about this? Well, the GTI had the same drivetrain as the successful Peugeot 205 GTI. That means a 1.6 115hp engine. In a car that initially had engines with 35hp, with a 0-100 km/h (or 62 mph) time of 29.3 seconds. That time drops to around 8.8 seconds in the GTI. Pretty impressive!
Yet, it will forever live in the shadow of its cousin 205. It’s a very rare vehicle, so if you happen to see one, take a good look. you might not see one again. It’s not exactly pretty, but it’s still worth some attention.

Daihatsu Charade GTti

Another one from Japan. Boy, they do have some gems!
The quirky Japanese manufacturer Daihatsu also joined the hot hatch party in the late eighties. Usually they focus in small cars (kei-cars, but bear in mind the Charade isn’t one of those) and so they took one of them and decided to make it fast. So what’s under the bonnet? A tiny engine, under one liter to be exact. It’s a 993cc 3 cylinder unit, with a turbo attached, of course, developing 101hp. In 1987. Take that, Ecoboost!
As you would expect, it’s a featherweight: 844kg, contributing to a 0-100 km/h time of 8,2 seconds and a top speed of 185 km/h (115mph). 185 km/h in the car the size of a shoe! Thankfully Daihatsu bothered to install discs on all four wheels. Even fuel economy wasn’t too shabby for a sporty model at the times, being around 7 liters per 100 km (33.6 mpg).

So there you are. Four hot hatches that aren’t often mentioned alongside the legends, but still interesting anyway.
Do you have any more examples? Talk about them in the comments. This is about knowledge and appreciating cars, so I’m all for it.
If I got some facts wrong, please correct me. But please be gentle, this is my first full-sized post in CT!
And English isn’t my native language, so I hope my grammar wasn’t too bad.
Hope you’ve enjoyed.