Five Hot Hatches We’d Like to See in Forza 4

The Forza Motorsport series has an impressive array of licensed cars to drive, with vehicles from across the world numbering in the hundreds. Even better, the production cars are fully upgradeable with many real life parts. Hot Hatches play a big role in Forza. They’re the entry point, gradually building up to the supercars. The young male audience commonly playing Forza is also the demographic most likely driving Hot Hatches in real life: It’s fun customizing an in-game version of your real life car and taking on a Ferrari.

With Forza 4 on the horizon, there will inevitably be new cars added to the roster. Here are some new Hot Hatches for consideration, plus a few that have been conspicuously absent from previous iterations.

1996 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v

0-62: 8.5 seconds
150bhp
4 cylinder
16v
Top Speed: 134mph

Currently, three of the six models of Golf GTI are available in Forza 3. For fans of the car, though, it would be great to see all of them included, not just for completion’s sake, but to show the car’s evolution over the last 30+ years. Of the three missing models, I’ve chosen the MkIII for one simple reason. The MkIV is generally best forgotten, and while the MkI may be more fondly remembered, I own a MkIII. I love the way it drives, the way it sounds, and would love the opportunity to tune and upgrade the car in-game with parts I can’t afford in real life.

GTIs have long been an accessible mid-point between boring family cars and sports cars, which are far more expensive to run. Most older Forza players are probably GTI fans, and many younger ones will be familiar with them, too.

2011 Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400

0-62: 3.7 seconds
400bhp
4 cylinder
16v
Top Speed: 155mph (electronically limited)

The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX Sti is available in Forza 3, along with the entire back catalog of the venerable model. Cosworth’s upgraded model, however, is a phenomenal step up. Just from tuning and using a few higher quality parts, Cosworth have wrung an additional 170bhp from the Impreza. Imagine the joy of readying your hatchback against a friend’s sports car, and then leaving him in the dust.

2011 Audi RS3 Sportback

0-62: 4.6 seconds
340bhp
5 cylinder
20v
Top Speed: 155mph

Several Audi S and RS models are already available in Forza 3, though the “3” class is astonishingly absent. The car that Forza’s demographic will most likely want to use isn’t there. While the S3 is more than impressive itself, the RS3 is in another league. Just the briefest glance at the stats above tell you all you need to know.

1995 Ford Escort RS Cosworth

0-62: 5.7 seconds
Power: 227bhp
4 cylinder
16v
Top Speed: 143mph

The Escort RS Cosworth is the classic hot hatch. Despite its age, insurance quotes for young drivers are staggering. The car is infamously known for encouraging reckless driving, and with that much power, the amount of self-control it takes not to put your foot down is unreal. The Escort (and Sierra) Cosworth’s exclusion from the Forza series to date is questionable, as it seems a perfect fit for the series: the car is even legendarily tunable.

2011 Skoda Fabia vRS

0-62: 7.3 seconds
180 bhp
4 cylinder
16v
Top Speed: 139mph

The new Fabia vRS represents an evolution of the Hot Hatch. Previous models were unique in that they offered reasonable performance yet were based on a diesel engine. The new Fabia goes back to petrol, wringing 180bhps from a comparatively tiny 1.4 litre engine (supercharged and turbocharged). Fuel economy is down on the last model, but performance is way up, offering an ideal balance for those who like some fun while they drive but keep an eye on their wallet or the environment (or both). It would also be the first Skoda seen in Forza–not a bad inclusion now that Skoda has sorted out their image. Perhaps Turn 10 could include the Octavia vRS, as well? The Fabia vRS, at least, would provide an ideal starting car for career mode, and it could even be clustered with other “baby” Hot Hatches, such as the Clio Renaultsport or VW Polo GTI.

Forza 4 will be released for Xbox 360 in October. Will any of these Hot Hatches find their way into the line-up? Which cars would you like to see?