In the past, five second 0-60 times and top speeds of 200mph used to belong exclusively to supercars. Achieving that sort of performance was unheard of in a road car. Over time, clever mechanics and car enthusiasts realised something; they could take a standard road car and tune it to give it performance rivalling even the best supercars.
Not every car is built for tuning, though. Some are better than others. Today we will list three cars that were born to be tuned.
#1 – Volkswagen Golf GTI
The mark 1 Volkswagen Golf GTI, originally released in June, 1976, was a revelation. The front wheel drive car was quick off the mark and it glided through corners with ease. It was surprisingly affordable, too.
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Modders quickly took to the Golf GTI and started tweaking its parts to improve its performance. Performance tyres, engine modifications, streamlined body parts, and more were created for the car giving it unheard of performance at the time.
The Golf GTI, now in its seventh generation, has remained a favourite of tuners since. As standard, the MK7 Golf GTI comes with a turbo charged 2L engine capable of delivering 227BHP, giving it a 0-60 time of six seconds and a top speed of nearly 180mph. With mods and tuning, performance can be improved giving the MK7 Golf GTI 0-60 times of less than four and a half seconds and top speeds as high as 200mph.
It’s likely that the Golf GTI will be a favourite of tuners worldwide for many more years to come.
#2 – Honda Civic Si
Honda’s Civic Si quickly became a favourite of tuners everywhere on its release in 1984. The Civic Si, a sportier version of the Honda Civic, featured a more powerful engine, tweaked suspension, and more aerodynamic body panel than the standard Civic, giving it much better performance on the roads. With racing tyres, gearbox tweaks, weight reduction kits, and more, the Civic Si’s performance could be further improved.
Honda Civic Si
Now in its 9th generation, the Civic Si is still a favourite of tuners worldwide. Its engine, a 2.4L engine capable of delivering 201BHP, is a powerful beast capable of taking the Civic Si from a standstill to 60mph in less than six seconds while posting top speeds of nearly 170mph. With engine mods, performance tyres and weight reduction kits, performance can be increased further making the Civic Si one of the fastest cars on the road.
#3 – Subaru Impreza WRX
Subaru’s Impreza is an iconic car. No other car has achieved as much success on the rally circuit as the Impreza with the car winning hundreds of races over the years.
Subaru Impreza WRX
The Impreza WRX edition is an impressively powerful car. Based on the Impreza rally car, it features a four wheel drive drivetrain and a powerful turbo charged engine able to deliver over 265BHP and 0-60 times of less than six seconds.
Modders and tuners quickly fell in love with the Impreza WRX. Its four wheel drive system gave it an impressive amount of grip on the roads and its rally suspension meant that the car could be taken offroad. The most popular Impreza WRX mods include modified body kits, hardened suspension kits and aftermarket turbo able to improve the performance of the engine.
The three cars listed above are born to be tuned. They are all quick and powerful straight off the production line but, with some tuning and aftermarket mods, they’re all capable of delivering performance that can rival even the best supercars. As an added bonus, each one is practical enough to be used as a road car, too, with more than enough space for a family and a full days shopping in the boot.
For car enthusiasts looking to enter the world of tuning and high performance road cars, there are fewer better choices than the VW Golf GTI, the Honda Civic Si, and the Subara Impreza WRX.
