The 1980s had already seen some car makers turn to turbocharging to make their hot hatchbacks even hotter, but as the decade progressed another route to more performance was becoming more and more commonplace. Sixteen-valve cylinder heads might not have seemed quite as exciting as the fire and fury promised by a turbo, but it was a very effective way to boost power without all the complications that went with forced induction. Indeed, the late ’80s and early ’90s saw something of a multi-valve revolution, resulting in some very entertaining models with no shortage of desirability among them. Join as we take a look back at some of the most notable.
VW GOLF GTI
The Golf GTI wasn’t the first hot hatchback but it is the car many associate with the genre, and replacing the original was no easy task. But VW pulled it off with some aplomb, the Mk2 feeling more grown up and robust but still more than capable of entertaining when you were in the mood. However, it was clear that more power was needed if it was to stay competitive, and that would come in 1986 with the launch of the 16-valve.
Power output was up to 139bhp, which was 24 per cent more than the 8-valve engine. And while the overall performance gains were modest, with 0-60mph arriving in just under 8 seconds, this was an
