pukes last post for 1978
Releasing the research Pt. 4 - Fuel injection Pt. 3 - Getting lost in a naming scheme by myself Pt. 2 - Despacito Pt. 7: The return of sport trims.
Now, the adoption of fuel injection meant better emission controls. Better emission controls meant the possibility to extract more out of existing engines and still comply.
It’s time to paint some cars in Ginster Yellow again. Starting with the Plebia:
The lil’ bro: '78 Plebia S Injection
The recipe was pretty much the same. Karting like suspension and peppy engine.
Except… way more serious this time.
While the 1965-1972 Plebia 102S only felt fast for a Plebia, the 1978 Plebia S injection felt decently fast for a small car.
It felt fast. But at 23 years old, the body was starting to show its age. Top speed was only 142km/h, the 0-60 took 10.7 seconds. Quarter mile though, at 17.7s, was just on par with the contemporary N/A FAAL Coupe. Whether this is good news for the Plebia S or bad news for the N/A Coupe, you decide.
The engine was a 133S block, bored out to 1.3L and fitted with single point EFI. Just like the USDM base model Mesaia. Except this one had tubular exhaust headers and made 73hp: The 133S13Spi.
So how did it feel fast? Well, the car weighed exactly 666kg. Also, a really really good suspension tuning that made it feel like it had no grip limit. So little understeer it might as well be AWD.
Sure, people who tuned Plebias know there’s a grip limit but that’s only past 160kmh. Which the car didn’t reach stock. And even then, just a little camber tweaking if you get above that and boom. Back on the rocks, baby.
But that’s not the best stuff. Guess who’s also back.
The big sister: '78 Mesaia GTI
The 1965-1972 Mesaia 164S had a 101hp 1.6 184S16DCU engine with a smooth torque curve. This has a 104 hp 1.6 184S16ME engine with less torque, and a torque curve that should have a warning label on it. With the name, the target of this car was quite clear: the Golf GTI, which was the first car to resuscitate hot hatches. Though it couldn’t match it in numbers (9.7s 0-60, 17.23s quarter mile and 175km/h top speed), it did match it in looks.
And the chassis was about as good as the Plebia S. Grip for days with 910kgs and 185/60R14 tyres, and a time extension for funsies with brake discs all around. Brake fade, what is that?
If the Plebia’s days were numbered, the Mesaia’s career was still fresh… and the upcoming hot hatch war will keep it fresh as years go by.
Next up: The 80s - What doesn’t kill you makes you build great cars