Mick talking about the Calibra's acceleration got me thinking. I suffer the same thing - after using the 360 and then going back to the BX or MR2 it feels like I'm in a supercar!

Why did Volvo never push the power output on the 360s? I mean fitting the 2.3 lump wouldn't have exactly been difficult, and the car could easily handle the extra poke. The turbo may have been going over the top, but again could have been easily possible. Either option could have probably been done using parts they already had access to from the larger models, along with some brake and suspension upgrades to compliment the engine outputs.

The mk3 was being sold in the hot hatch era - were they never tempted to try and enter into this market with something having the benefit of RWD? Or was that just not the right image for Volvo at the time?

IMHO Volvo left a lot of unexplored potential with the 360 (and 340 I guess), that people are now discovering.

Anyone have any opinions?

i think it was marketing to the wrong people. the glt is definately a tourers car - much like the modern day golf gti - its a quickish car, but not as quick as a focust or ashtray, but mainly designed for long distnace motoring - all about the lowdown torque. i don't think a hothatch 360 would work much for the same reason that they sold fookall 480 turbos (which, lets face it, is a better handling car, and much more 'modern' than a 360).

Totally agree that Volvo didn't atall exploit the potential of the 300 series, which is a shame since it sold very well over here.

The GLT is still comparable to a similar aged Golf Gti 8v (I've managed to take two on now ) in terms of performance. But compared to more modern standards its pretty average.

I think with some mild tweaks to the suspension, brakes and engine would completely transform a 360 into something moderately quick to something that would be alot of fun.

Another thing is, as Hugh said - it really wasn't marketed as a hot hatch atall - a tourer, a job which it can still do pretty well - I've just driven back from Nottingham and it's still nice and comfy

Exactly! It copes with leisurely cruising perfectly, but to really make it shift you do have to give it some welly. It has been compared to the hot hatches, but was never designed to and never could compete. Even when they were new, my dad and his Volvo mechanic mate wanted to put the 2.3 in, but never got round to it. Lots of potential, which as Carl said, is now being realised.
Pete

That was my point - it's a leisurely tourer, but could have been much more without any significant R&D!

Put a decent driver in both an 80s hot hatch and a 360 and I'm pretty confident in saying the hot hatch will always be the quickest. Saying that I could stay on the tail of the 205 GTi 1.6s in road rallies with a bit of committment, but there's no way I could have gone quicker.

I suppose one good thing is it's left us lot with cars that plenty can be done to to improve it - just look at some of the examples on here!! There's not much you can do with your average hot hatch from the same era!

Its the same with most cars though, its finding compatible parts thats the hard part. Just shows that with the 300 most people found out years ago. But the more people play with the 300 the more we find out!!!!
Adam