Hmm, clearly daily mail journalists don't get paid enough if they can't afford to buy a 30k car with a few options...
As for the comment about whats under the bonnet well I'd say it's true, the engines aren't particularly powerful in the general scheme of things. The average hot hatch manages more than 250bhp these days.
What makes them special is precisely the fact that they don't need outrageous power outputs because they are light on the scales.
As such they are relatively affordable fun, combining reliability low fuel consumption and servicing costs.
God knows what they would have said if JR had been in a Bentley...
