10 legendary cars that taught Indians to go FAST; From Skoda Octavia vRS to Honda City VTEC

Even though Indian car market is much more inclined towards the fuel efficiency than performance, there are car manufacturers who ensured that the enthusiastic souls of the country get their dose. India has seen numerous performance-oriented cars. We bring you ten such vehicles that have taught India to go fast.

Ford Ikon

 

 

The ‘josh’ machine, at it was marketed, was an out and out driver’s car. The petrol 1.6 liter ROCAM engined model was the pick of the lot although Ford also offered a smaller 1.3 liter petrol, and 1.4 and 1.8 liter liter turbo diesels. The 1.6 liter Ikon had about 91 Bhp on tap, but the real fun lay in how it handled and used all that power. A typical Ford, the Ikon was big fun behind the wheel, whetting Indian driver appetites for more fun cars from the American automaker.

Fiat Palio S10

Fiat launched the special edition S10 variant of the car, which was known popular as Sachin Tendulkar edition. The bright coloured car had a signature of the Master Blaster and was promoted by him too.

The car was powered by a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that produced a maximum power of 100 Bhp and peak torque of 145 Nm. The Palio was loved by the enthusiasts, and many still have it in their garages.

Ford Fiesta 1.6 S

As a midsize sedan offering from Ford, the Fiesta had a lot going for it: good handling, decent space, and low costs of running. Ford decided to take it to the next level by offering a driver-oriented version with a better suspension, a body kit, and a new special-edition colour. Revered among enthusiasts and almost a collector’s item now, the Fiesta S came with the same engine as the regular version, which is a 1.6-litre NA engine developing 100 Bhp – 145 Nm.

Hyundai Getz CRDi

Putting a big engine in a hatchback is a formula that works well, and Hyundai did just that with the Getz diesel. With a torquey 1.5-liter diesel engine under the bonnet, the Getz CRDi was a pocket rocket. The handling was not very sharp, but with 110 PS and 237 Nm, the pocket rocket sadly left the market before it could get widespread appreciation.

Honda City Type Z

The Type Z City is no less than an iconic car. The popular car has a commanding presence in the market even after almost two decades of its arrival. The car was powered by a 1.5-litre V-TEC engine that produced a maximum of 106 Bhp – 134 Nm. It got a 5-speed manual gearbox. The enthusiastic engine could go up to 7,000 rpm, and it was seriously quick.

Skoda Octavia vRS 2001

Skoda launched the first vRS way back in 2001. The premium sedan was already a priority choice for the customers, but the vRS version really attracted a lot of people. The Octavia vRS 2001 was powered 1.8-litre turbocharged engine that generates a maximum of 150 Bhp and 210 Nm. The Octavia 2001 can still be found in many garages of the enthusiasts.

Maruti Baleno 1.6

The old generation of the Baleno was known for its performance. Even though it was powered by a 1.6-litre engine that generated a maximum of 94 Bhp, the short gearing of the vehicle helped it get a nerve wrecking acceleration.

Maruti Baleno RS

This is first ever car from Maruti to get a turbocharged engine. However, it is not the first enthusiastic car of the brand. Maruti launched the S-Cross 1.6 and the Kizashi in the past but the Baleno RS is much more affordable.

Maruti has tweaked the chassis and the suspension of the Baleno RS to add better handling characteristics to the vehicle. The Baleno RS is powered by a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that churns out a maximum of 101 Bhp and 150 Nm. Maruti has also added a new body kit to make it look more aggressive.

Volkswagen Polo GT

The Polo was one of the first hatchbacks in the sub 10 lakh segment to get a turbocharged petrol engine. The car is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged engine that generates a maximum of 103 Bhp – 175 Nm. The power is delivered to the front wheels through the 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission. The performance of the Polo GT is truly sought by many enthusiasts.

Abarth Punto

The Abarth Punto was one of the first true hot hatches in the Indian market and is the most affordable Abarth branded car too. The car uses a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces a maximum of 143 Bhp – 215 Nm. The Abarth Punto is the fastest accelerating vehicle in the sub-10 lakh rupees segment with 0-100 km/h time of 9.54 seconds.

Fiat vehicles are always known for their driving capabilities. The Abarth Punto gets stiffer suspension and gets disc brakes on all the four wheels. The car also gets lowered to minimize the body roll.