Now that the car’s chassis was back in shape, the normal question to ask is: What about power? From the get-go, Muhammad knew that he wanted the venerable 4A-GE to be the heart powering his Starlet. The end result was a transformation from a worn and faded little hatch to a stiff and clean little hatch.īut a hot hatch isn’t hot without a spicy engine. Afterwards, an Autopower roll bar was installed to improve structural rigidity and protect Muhammad from mishaps in gymkhana sessions. The interior has been stripped bare before the whole chassis was repainted in Honda’s distinctive Championship White. Once the car was in Muhammad’s possession work began. Yet miraculously, the car was able to limp to LA before Muhammad’s friend shipped it to Chicago. Still all those years had an effect on the Starlet in the form of a blown head gasket. Unlike cars in the Midwest, the California climate doesn’t turn cars into rust buckets. Muhammad rescued this particular Starlet about 3 years ago from San Diego. But after seeing the N2 widebody Starlets racing in Japan, he knew he had to have one. Muhammad was always a fan of old-school JDM. Luckily, owner Muhammad is an old-school JDM man who knows a thing or two about transforming these old commuters into something a bit quicker. It’ll take a bit of work to transform it into a hot hatch. The Starlet is a small reliable and efficient commuter car. All these make the Starlet sound like an amazingly efficient little hatch indeed. The less stingy consumers will notice the fact that the Starlet came with standard features such as an AM/FM radio and reclining bucket seats – normally found in cars costing much more than the Starlet. For the penny-pinchers, the EPA estimate of 38 miles to the gallon within the city was impressive. The Starlet came with a gas-sipping 1.3L engine but was surprisingly nimble thanks to its 1700lb curb weight and short wheelbase. It was designed to be a highly efficient and reliable commuter. The car was only imported stateside from 1980 to 1984. For those that aren’t well acquainted with the Starlet, it was a small hatch Toyota manufactured from 1973 to 1999. Muhammad Akbar’s most likely response would be his beloved Toyota Starlet. But say it was the 1980s and you were asked the same question. Cars such as the Mazdaspeed 3 and the Volkswagen GTI define what modern hot hatches are. If you were asked to name a modern hot hatch, it shouldn’t be difficult. Discuss this car on the forums by clicking here!
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