The Evolution of Hot Hatches: A Comparative Analysis of the Ford Escort RS Turbo and the Vauxhall Astra GTE

As we take a closer look at this 1988 Vauxhall Astra GTE, it's impossible not to be reminded of the brute force that defined the era. The first generation Astra GTE was a revelation when it appeared in 1988, boasting an impressive 148 horsepower from its 2L 16 valve engine. This lack of ride quality was more than made up for by its considerable muscle. On the other hand, the Ford Escort RS Turbo's 1.6L turbocharged engine falls short with just 12 horsepower less than the Astra's. When it comes to handling, however, these two hot hatches are worlds apart.

One thing that sets these old RS turbos apart from their competitors is their straightforward, no-frills approach. Unlike some other iconic models of the era, such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI or the Peugeot 205, which pretended to be more sophisticated than they actually were, the Ford Escort RS Turbo and Vauxhall Astra GTE are just solid, basic British machines that deliver on their promises without pretension.

A great big turbo is a key component of these cars' appeal, and it's not hard to see why. With its considerable boost, the turbo provides an instant surge of power that can propel these cars forward with remarkable acceleration. However, this isn't just about raw speed; it's also about the handling and responsiveness that makes these cars so enjoyable to drive. The Vauxhall Astra GTE is equipped with a normally aspirated 2L engine, which still produces a respectable 148 horsepower, although less than the Ford Escort RS Turbo's 160 horses.

Despite their similar power outputs, there are some notable differences between the two cars. The Vauxhall Astra GTE is about 50 kilos heavier than the Ford Escort RS Turbo, but its lighter weight and sportier setup make it feel noticeably more agile on the road. In contrast, the Ford Escort RS Turbo has a slightly more substantial build, which may give it an edge in terms of stability at high speeds.

When we put these two cars to the test, the results are clear: the Vauxhall Astra GTE is the quicker of the two. With its sleek design and impressive handling, this car can carve up even the most challenging corners with ease. The Ford Escort RS Turbo, on the other hand, may be more substantial, but it's also slower to get going and less agile in the twisties.

The final showdown takes place at the Finish Line, where both cars line up side by side in preparation for the ultimate test of speed and agility. As we set off, the Vauxhall Astra GTE is off to a flying start, its smooth acceleration propelling it forward with remarkable ease. Meanwhile, the Ford Escort RS Turbo sputters and coughs as it tries to get going, but once it finally finds its footing, it proves itself to be a formidable rival.

The first quarter-mile mark sees the Vauxhall Astra GTE pulling away from the Ford Escort RS Turbo, its superior acceleration and handling giving it a clear lead. As we approach the second mile marker, however, the Ford Escort RS Turbo starts to close the gap, its turbocharged engine roaring with renewed energy as it seeks to reclaim its advantage.

As we cross the line at the finish, the Vauxhall Astra GTE is still comfortably ahead of its rival, although the Ford Escort RS Turbo has managed to cut the margin significantly. Despite this, it's clear that the Vauxhall Astra GTE is the true winner here, its impressive handling and acceleration making it a joy to drive.

In conclusion, when it comes to hot hatches from the 1980s, there are few cars that can match the sheer appeal of the Vauxhall Astra GTE. Its combination of powerful engine, agile handling, and sporty design make it an absolute treat to drive, and its impressive performance in our test makes it clear that it's one of the best hot hatches from this era.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enjust by looking at this voxal Astra GTE you can smell brute and shell suits when it first appeared in 1988 the 148 horsepower from its 2 L 16 valve engine was a revelation what it lacked in ride quality it made up for in muscle but the opposite is true of the Ford Escort RS turbo whilst it 1.6 L turbocharged engine has 12 horsepower less than the Astra connoisseurs of hot hatches we'll talk at length about its Supple chassis so which 80s icon is quickest the thing I loved about these old RS turbos was they didn't pretend to be cheap like a Volks Golf GTI or the persan 205 they were just solid basic British not that sophisticated handling Department a great big turbo to blast you forward of course with a big turbo you get Turbo lag something's almost disappeared nowadays you forget this is 21 years ago but we didn't have power steering didn't have ABS brakes so it's all pretty basic oh little bit of lift off over steing hard on the power and let's head for the start Finish Line to set a mark for the boxa shrine Fe kick right kick left into the double Apex stay third hardly any power got strle open but now I feel the Boost coming boost boost boost it accelerates really well once the power it left and right to the high speed s keep it NE and tidy careful not to lock the brakes to no OBS 85 90 mph break as late as I D the last quarter EX line the Ford Escort RS crosses the line in 50.9 seconds time for the Astra GTE now our boxall Astra is a couple of years younger than the escort but it's only got 20,000 miles on a clock as this is vox's own perished version straight away it feels a lot tort I got some pass steering and I think I've even got ABS brakes I've got normally asped 2 L engine that rims beautifully around to what 6 and 12,000 RPM so this box will certainly feels a lot lighter than the escort but in fact it's actually about 50 kilos heavier but it's got about 15 more horsepower so on balance they're pretty evenly matched well so it's going to be more down to the handling than anything else and they're are very different feasts and I'm not sure which is going to win right calm down go for for LP right and left into the double Apex feing the power back one out perfect at the first checkpoint the Box will is just a tenth of a second behind high speed s changing direction bit of overseal one way and a bit of overse the other way down the straight the speedo not reading as much as the es only reading 85 at the second checkpoint the escort has stretched its lead to half a second now don't overdue the over steer that was okay straighten the wheels and across the line the voxal Astra GTE is 710 behind so that settles it the RS turbo is the quickest whoa the what the what the sh have probably kept on going to sort of Auto breaking mode wao whoo wojust by looking at this voxal Astra GTE you can smell brute and shell suits when it first appeared in 1988 the 148 horsepower from its 2 L 16 valve engine was a revelation what it lacked in ride quality it made up for in muscle but the opposite is true of the Ford Escort RS turbo whilst it 1.6 L turbocharged engine has 12 horsepower less than the Astra connoisseurs of hot hatches we'll talk at length about its Supple chassis so which 80s icon is quickest the thing I loved about these old RS turbos was they didn't pretend to be cheap like a Volks Golf GTI or the persan 205 they were just solid basic British not that sophisticated handling Department a great big turbo to blast you forward of course with a big turbo you get Turbo lag something's almost disappeared nowadays you forget this is 21 years ago but we didn't have power steering didn't have ABS brakes so it's all pretty basic oh little bit of lift off over steing hard on the power and let's head for the start Finish Line to set a mark for the boxa shrine Fe kick right kick left into the double Apex stay third hardly any power got strle open but now I feel the Boost coming boost boost boost it accelerates really well once the power it left and right to the high speed s keep it NE and tidy careful not to lock the brakes to no OBS 85 90 mph break as late as I D the last quarter EX line the Ford Escort RS crosses the line in 50.9 seconds time for the Astra GTE now our boxall Astra is a couple of years younger than the escort but it's only got 20,000 miles on a clock as this is vox's own perished version straight away it feels a lot tort I got some pass steering and I think I've even got ABS brakes I've got normally asped 2 L engine that rims beautifully around to what 6 and 12,000 RPM so this box will certainly feels a lot lighter than the escort but in fact it's actually about 50 kilos heavier but it's got about 15 more horsepower so on balance they're pretty evenly matched well so it's going to be more down to the handling than anything else and they're are very different feasts and I'm not sure which is going to win right calm down go for for LP right and left into the double Apex feing the power back one out perfect at the first checkpoint the Box will is just a tenth of a second behind high speed s changing direction bit of overseal one way and a bit of overse the other way down the straight the speedo not reading as much as the es only reading 85 at the second checkpoint the escort has stretched its lead to half a second now don't overdue the over steer that was okay straighten the wheels and across the line the voxal Astra GTE is 710 behind so that settles it the RS turbo is the quickest whoa the what the what the sh have probably kept on going to sort of Auto breaking mode wao whoo wo\n"