1.13 and 1.05, is that good enough, Mr. Supercar?
Even if it’s Haruna, having twice as much power as I do would still make your car faster down the hill, given those kind of numbers.
1.14 and 1.10 with 160hp
.99 and .96 for the NV-X
1.07 and 1.03 for the Strava. damn you guys have high cornering speed cars…
but then again. the even lower powered NV-X did 0-100 in 7.4s 
1 Like
1.08 and 1.01. ant that’s without aero.
The reviews are relative to the rest of the field so compared to most of the rest your car was a bit heavier plus a bit less powerful…
Yup, this is the objective phase, from this list three cars will be selected and the final car will come from those three… And it’s all subjective so no-one will be likely to guess the final result!
The GS-E is a great car, just not as great when compared to a field full of hot hatches!
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Balthazar Quark GT: @Leonardo9613: 5:10.79
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Taking 30th position on our leaderboard today is the Quark GT. What can I say? Safe but sporty handling? Check. Decent, no-nonsense interior? Check. Willing yet relatively frugal engine? Check. Really cheap to buy? Check, check and check!
At $12,350 the Quark GT represents incredible value for money considering your getting one of the better known brands out there, the car looks stylish and it’s also very practical. Sure, some go faster and some are more avante-garde but the Quark GT is a car that will last you a lifetime (plus the aftermarket can fix the speed issue, hahaha).
Verdict: A quality warm hatch trying to keep up with road rockets!
Megacorp CSC2 S4N: @thecarlover: 5:07.38
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Megacorp, hmmm, sounds like an evil corporation who conducts research into reanimating the dead… By painting their cars really loud shades of orange! Jokes aside, this is a great warm hatch that uses it’s paint to stand out of the crowd.
Specs wise, the CSC2 is firmly a pack runner and its price of $14,300 isn’t particularly special either. The styling of the CSC2 isn’t breaking new ground and the wing is a bit too chav for our tastes. The CSC2’s claim to fame lies in it’s exceptional usage of fuel at the rate of 6.9L per 100Km! That’s amazing! So if you want to save money while having fun, don’t be afraid of going to the dark side…
Verdict: Loud paint and wing, bland styling, brilliant fuel economy. The automotive equivalent of a drunk accountant at the company Christmas party!!!
Saminda C3 Es-R: @Starfish94: 5:06.22
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Now here’s a brand we don’t get to review very often here at Mountain Pass, Saminda doesn’t make a lot of high performance cars and the one’s they do make, they’re too busy selling them to bother having them reviewed…
So, how can I sum up this experience? In a word: Smooth… This car just flows along the road, never ruffled or gearing out of place, with a sense of decorum which defies how fast it’s actually travelling! This has one major drawback and that is that the car dislikes to be hustled which results in relatively slow recorded times. I’d blame the tyres (too hard) and the excessive safety (too heavy) but for the Saminda customer, this car is perfect as it is.
Cost: $14,950
Verdict: If you’re a Saminda customer, look no further. If you aren’t there are more exciting cars on this list!
Maesima NV-X: @Rk38: 5:05.09
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Representing the first half of a joint venture between Maesima and Komodo, the NV-X is the latest attempt to one up their fierce rivals at Saminda. Packing similar power to the Es-R and with better tyres, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the Maesima out-ranks their rival, but it comes with one major caveat, it’s only a two seater!!!
This, in my mind represents a pyrrhic victory for Maesima; sure you can say that you’re faster than Saminda but hot hatches NEED rear seats to remain, by definition, a hot hatch! So, even as the Maesima fans rejoice in their victory, canny observers will note that Saminda is still ahead on points…
Cost: $13,760
Verdict: If you’re a Maesima customer, look no further. If you aren’t then there are more exciting cars on this list!
Lightning: @TheUltimateD00M: 5:04.17
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Imported by the same guy who brings in the bottom 3 cars on the list, the Lightning represents a car which doesn’t add up to the sum of it’s parts. The engine is turbocharged so it has torque-steer troubles, it uses expensive 95RON fuel and the car only has two seats! Given that this car has 150Kw, the Lighning fails to live up to it’s name on the downhill, being soundly beaten by less powerful, more useable competitors.
The Lightning’s one saving grace is it’s low purchase price of $12,480 which means you get a lot of bang for your bucks and it also looks cute. But there are better cars out there and for not much extra dollars either… Only buy if you can afford the unreliability that goes hand-in-hand with being different.
Verdict: Too cute for goths, the Lightning makes a great emo ride!
Centauri Neutrino XiR: @nialloftara: 5:04.02
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And, as a convenient counterpoint to the Lightning, along comes the Neutrino XiR to show why it helps to buy from a well established brand when you’re looking for a B road weapon. Despite being only a 1.3L four and having under 100Kw, the Neutrino performs better than the Lightning while providing a back seat and running on 91RON fuel!
That alone makes the XiR a quality pick but it gets sweeter; 6.8L per 100Km’s of driving plus a $13,910 sales-tag means that as far as warm hatches go, the Neutrino is one red hot deal! I have to warn you though, the XiR suffers no fools so, although the limits are high, go over the limit and you’ll be in the bushes before you know it! Oh yeah, it looks great too; maybe not in 10 years time, but by then you’ll have written it off and gotten a new one!
Verdict: Top pick for badasses on a budget.
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huh. We’re still above the 5 minute mark.
Just how fast did I tune my car!?!? Did I make it warm or hot!?
Kimura Hana KRS: @titleguy1 : 5:03.51
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Presenting the Kimura Hana KRS, a boxy softroader with a 1.3 turbo four and exceptional road manners. Yes there is some torque-steer but the chassis is really neutral so you can adapt and use the torque-steer to your advantage. Another bonus is the fuel economy; 6.6L/100Km! Yep, this thing is so frugal, the fuel in the tank will go stale. It’s also cheap to buy at $13,780 so it’s easy on the wallet too.
Downsides? I’d not inflict Lavender on my worst enemy and there is little storage space behind the rear seats so it’s either a very roomy two seater shooting-brake or a very cramped five seater hatch. I’d also say that the design needs more va-va-voom but maybe Kimura is holding out on us and there’s a Type R in the KRS’s near future!
Definitely worth a look if you’re looking for a soft-roader with actual handling abilities…
Verdict: Don’t buy it in Lavender and your golden!
Whirlwind: @lordvader1: 5:02.00
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My first impression of the Whirlwind is “80’s” closely followed by “Mercedes”. This thing is fully stacked with a sweet interior, fiddly but crisp stereo and a design that Darth Vader would be proud of. That Mercedes vibe gets stronger when I check under the bonnet; no four banger here, just a sweet V6. Powerful too, at 157Kw, and doesn’t abuse the fueltank either, at 9.2L per 100Km…
So far, so good, so what’s it like to drive? Unfortunately it drives like a Mercedes as well, at 8/10ths it’s a rocket but suffers from too much push through the front end; it’s either tyres or wheel size (or both!) but it isn’t sporty. Combined with the extra weight of the luxury additions this results in slow cornering and quickly overheated tyres giving up the ghost, as well as grip! So, considering you have to pay $18,070 for the privilege of ownership, you’d be better off buying something else…
Verdict: The perfect car for recalcitrant 80’s Europhiles.
Monsoon L160: @CamKerman: 5:01.74
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Coming in at No. 22 is the Monsoon L160, a conservatively styled wagon with pretensions of sportiness. The biggest drawback in using a wagon is weight, extra storage room and practicality, granted, but lots of extra steel to haul about. The L160 does a good job of dragging its lardy butt about but you can feel its effects everywhere you turn. The chassis is razor sharp to control the extra rear weight, the engine uses 95RON and a lot of it (9L/100Km) and the car isn’t overly comfy inside…
But, and the Monsoon has a big butt, this wagon is a fun drive and if you need the extra space then you could do a lot worse than the Monsoon. The L160 also represents a lot of tin for yer dollar at $14,950 so it’s not like you’re being short-shifted, plus you could keep this car beyond the “just married” stage to the “Eww you spawned a baby!” stage if you so desired. But as a hot hatch the Monsoon makes for a great Sportswagon and you’re better off looking elsewhere…
Verdict: A perfect repmobile for the driving enthusiast.
Target GTiE: @TR8R: 5:01.54
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Another quality entry, the Target GTiE uses a 1.6L four to propel itself faster than its competition so far. The suspension is tuned to be neutral rather than razor sharp and boasts one of the few sports interior of the bunch, making the GTiE a really cool interior to be in. This is topped off by 7L/100Km fuel economy and a full suite of safety gear…
And that is where the downfall of the GTiE is found. It costs $17,030, which in this market is suicide, and there are faster cars available at this price point, making the GTiE a poor value proposition. I’m also not a fan of it’s design language so for me the GTiE falls short of the, wait for it… Target!
Verdict: Too slow to be a hot hatch and too expensive to be good value; a niche product.
Brivio Condurre Finale: @CadillacDave: 5:01.44
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Hailing from somewhere in Europe, the Brivio Condurre Finale is a nice alternative to some of the more established brands, without having to visit “Honest Joe’s 20 Marque Emporium”. A sweet 1.5L four is powered up by a turbo which provides, along with the torque-steer, 120Kw and nicely compliments the predictable chassis. The car is styled somewhat conservatively but it’s proportions are handsome and the blue the test car came in, divine!
The biggest downside for the Finale is price; $19,760 and there is nothing in the interior to justify the expense. So if you want a competent, mediterranean flavoured, warm hatch with boost then this is the car for you. If you want value for money, though, keep reading this article!
Verdict: Place the dealerships smartly and a Brivio dealer can become very wealthy…
Velox: @thegermanbeamer: 5:00.6
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Another of Honest Joe’s micro-brands, the Velox is the product of an Austrian fellow who builds retro-bodied concepts and sells 'em in limited numbers world-wide. It seems Honest Joe ain’t so honest after all as this car is fitted with a 5 spd auto, NOT the self-shifter we asked for and so we record the downhill time for shits and giggles… Which promptly regretted when we tried to run this thing! Turned the key, nothing. Pumped the accelerator, nothing. Wound on the key, it splutters then starts… DCOE carbs! I like retro when it works but in a new car? Not. Happy. Jan. The visibility over the scoop is awful and there are only two seats inside.
I’d love to report that it was a bucket of fun but I’d buy the Storm Knight before I’d buy this over-designed turd. The slushbox didn’t help but $13,600 buys you so many cars that are better than this car it isn’t funny. DO NOT BUY!!!
Verdict: Buy one only if you want to seem like you’re metal but you’re secretly Brittany’s bitch!
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These one-liners 
I should hire you to write sick burns on demand
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Quite a surprising round, this one. The cars are being ranked on lap time, but does it mean that the fastest car on the downhill route will win?
Edit: at least the vehicle I submitted is not in the bottom half of the lap time leaderboard. I’m still anxious about where it will end up, though…
HOL answered this above.
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I’m actually “high” up. What the hell is wrong.
I would find it weird if HOL only looking for power , than all those hot hatch would be over 500hp
Anyway , power is not everything in a car so if anyone make a challenge base on power is plain stupid.
Fortunately this was already clarified.
Just in case anybody missed it: HOL is currently reading an issue of Mountain Pass, and it so happens the cars there are ranked on time. But the comments and what he will pick are based on his impressions and needs as stated in the brief, after all.
Also even these reviews don’t purely rate the car on power, but how usable it is, what kind of package the car is, and how much value for money it is. I saw reviews of cars with 120bhp lavish with praise and one with 165hp that got slammed even though the 165hp car was much faster.
That said I was initially quite pessimistic about my performance on the pass, but turns out my car’s probably going to be pretty fast after all, so I’ll take it!
Hey
So like
You labeled my entry “KRS: Kimura Hana”
It should be Kimura Hana KRS: titleguy1
Sorry about that
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Fable: @DracoAutomations: 5:00.35
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Coming in at No. 18 is another micro-brand (nope, it isn’t a Bogliq, we checked!) and I was rather impressed. Despite being AWD the chassis was set up to be neutral which helped mask the push from all the wheels driven. A four seater, the Fable makes 147Kw from a 2.3 four and it’s packing a lovely premium grade interior to boot. It’s a little thirsty at 10.2L per 100Km but it’s not bad, considering the amount of friction this thing generates!
However, this car is destined to be a fable on our streets, which is kinda a shame, as it costs $18,200 and for that money there are a lot better cars for the money.
Verdict: A worthy car let down by high purchase costs. Worth the risk if you’re rich and daring!
JHW Picosport: @JohnWaldock: 5:00.34
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Man, I love Haruna for throwing me curveballs and the JHW Picosport is just such an example. It beats the Fable by one hundredth of a second despite having almost half the power and half the driven wheels and it’s NA to boot!
The Picosport is small, seats 4 (just barely), and is slightly expensive for it’s size at $14,950. But man is it a hoot to drive! The chassis is wieldy without being snappy and the light-weight interior has what you need, where you need it. Although, somewhat bizarrely, the stereo has an equaliser, making it a fiddly, heavy, extravagence in a street-racer! Never before has 81Kw ever felt like so much fun!
Downsides are no room for passengers and if you do take any, your performance will suffer. But, other than it’s bland design language, that’s about all that’s wrong with this l’il number.
Verdict: Lots of fun for the introverts among us.
Renolt 5: @ramthecowy: 5:00.21
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Looking like a refugee from the golden era of hot hatches, the Renolt 5 is another micro brand from Honest Joe. Considering the amount of misses he’s provided me lately I wasn’t too sure what to think about this diminutive hatch.
Well the 5 is quick, as any car at this point in the list can claim, but this car does what it does totally differently to everything else here! Mid engined, AWD, 3 cylinder, sub 800cc engine; this car was an enigma. But, when the 5 hit the road, it all came together in one glorious symphony of sound, fury and bravado and blew everyone away who drove it!
There are downsides though. The M-AWD configuration makes for a razor sharp handling profile and there isn’t much room for four adults either. The stereo looks like it was the cheapest one at the parts store and the tyres will cost a bit to replace. The single largest surprise is the sales price of $13,000; definitely good value, but not a well supported brand…
Verdict: An exotic in a plain paper package.
Loe Mathas Rallye: @Fayeding_Spray: 4:57.18
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Another contender for “Most 80’s looking” is the Loe Mathas Rallye. Packing some serious voodoo to get to this point, the Rallye packs a 2L V six which produces 117Kw. How does this wedge go so fast? Grip. Grip and a finely honed chassis combine to use all of the available power and thus the first sub five minute run of the day.
There are downsides, unfortunately, as the price is high for what you get at $16,380 and the V6 loves a drink at 12L per 100Km. So, all in all, the Rallye goes a bit faster but uses more resources to do it. I’m not a fan of the looks but there’s plenty of interior space and you’ll find it easy to remember where you parked!
Verdict: A good car; drive one and if you like it, buy it - we won’t argue with you.
Znopresk Zap Super S: @NormanVauxhall: 4:54.56
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Next we have a quality entry from the Znopresk stable. The Zap has been about for a while and has been begging for a go fast variant since it’s inception. Well the folks over at Znopresk have finally delivered and here is the product of their labours… The Zap Super S.
Priced at $14,560 means that the Super S is good value and the driving dynamics back that up. The Zap has a wieldy chassis egging the driver on, a willing engine supplying oodles of power and a decent interior which is good for both driver and any passengers. Fuel economy isn’t bad at 9.1L per 100Km and the Super S also looks the part…
There are no significant downsides to report other than the Zap is an ageing platform, the engine lacks sparkle and the next generation may knock this one into a cocked hat!
Verdict: Be smart, buy a Super S and revel in the quality for years to come.
Erin Merna X: @DeusExMackia: 4:53.41
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Another strong brand with an excellent product line-up is Erin, with the Merna being no exception. Taut, crisp styling clothes a neutral, balanced, chassis packing a 131Kw weapon of an engine, although it’s a shame it drinks 95RON. The X is a quintessential hot hatch with room for four, scalding performance and brilliant dynamics.
At $15,990 the Merna X represents good value in the city, less so if you’re regional/rural and has no major flaws so it comes down to making sure your local Erin dealer has one in stock in your colour!
Verdict: Buying a Merna X is not a mistake, buying a Prototype X most definitely is!
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So… We’re getting to the pointy end and finally seeing cars capable of sub-5-minute runs on the downhill course. I am, quite frankly, proud of having built such a car, but I don’t think it will be the absolute fastest of the bunch…
Btw HOL fantastic job pumping these out, keep em coming!
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My minivan wasn’t dead last, I have that to be grateful for.
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