CITROËN SAXO

You can buy a Saxo for just a few hundred quid, so why not spend a bit more on key upgrades?

When it comes to hot hatches, the same models always get all the attention. Cars like the Peugeot 205 GTI and VW Golf GTI have soared in value, but there are still some very desirable hot hatches available for peanuts. One of the best is the Citroën Saxo, along with the Peugeot 106, a badge-engineered version of the same car.

Each was launched as an economy car, but were soon developed into hot editions. In the case of the Saxo, there was a 90bhp eight-valve VTR and a 120bhp 16-valve VTS, both with a 1.6-litre engine. With a kerbweight of just 935kg, the VTS can hit 60mph in 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 127mph.

The raw figures are enticing enough but it’s the way in which the Saxo does it that impresses; that light weight lends it an agility that’s missing from newer, heavier small hatches.

There’s no shortage of Saxos that have been crashed or tastelessly modified and while the VTS is the pick of the bunch, it’s a lot easier to find a good VTR, which is why one of these lesser models is likely to be your starting point.

Because the Saxo weighs so little, even modest power gains tend to have a noticeable effect on performance. That low kerbweight also means that the brakes don’t wilt too readily when the car is driven hard, though it’s worth investing in stronger anchors if you’re planning on taking part in track days.

For the purposes of this piece, we’re assuming that if you’ve got a Saxo that you want to modify it’s either for track day or fast road use. Remember that pretty much everything that applies to the Saxo also applies to the 106, as most parts are interchangeable.