Secret hot hatches of 2006 - Also on their way to UK showooms

What?: Mazda 3 MPS When?: End of 2006 How much? From £18,000 (est)
Mazda will take the 245bhp 2.3-litre engine and four-wheel-drive system from the forthcoming Mazda 6 MPS performance saloon and put it into the 3 hatchback next year. The results could be spectacular and, with an estimated price of £18,000, it would make the £24,000 VW Golf R32 look expensive by comparison.

What?: Vauxhall Meriva and Corsa VXRWhen?: Summer/end of 2006 How much? From £15,000 (est)
There is currently no high-performance VXR version of the Corsa supermini, but that will change in 2006. An all-new Corsa goes on sale in the summer, and Vauxhall promises it will be bigger and more entertaining to drive than the outgoing model – so the signs are good for the VXR version. This hot Corsa could share the forthcoming Meriva VXR’s 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.

What?: Mini Cooper S Works GP When?: Summer 2006 How much? From £18,500 (est)
The new lightweight Cooper S GP model from the legendary John Cooper Works department will be joined by a new Works version, which will use a turbocharger, rather than a supercharger, to get the best out of the 1.6-litre engine. Expect more power with a smoother delivery in an even more driver-focused package.


See the February 2006 issue of What Car? magazine for a free 100 Secret Cars of 2006 and Beyond supplement.