People often ask me ”:“ What is the fastest car you've ever driven? ”.
There are also many lists of the fastest cars on planet Earth, complete with documentaries and thematic programs dedicated to them. But today I would like to move I look at it on the other side of the scale: what are the slowest cars in the world?
Certainly if we went back in time we would find bread for our teeth: without even going outside the Bel Paese, the first version of FIAT 500 up to 1973 did not reach 100 km / h even downhill ...
So I asked myself this question, a bit unusual: what are the slowest cars of the last 10 years?
The cars sold on the Italian market from 2009 to today will be examined, and we will only consider the data declared by the manufacturer, focusing above all on acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h.
Get ready to race, because in my opinion on 100m many of you are faster than these cars… with great character, so to speak. Who will go home with the first Tech Princess Tartuca Cup?
READ ALSO: Best low cost sports cars: which one to buy if you love to drive
10ª: Land Rover Defender 90 TD4
The first with which we approach the slowest cars of the decade is a sacred monster of world motoring, the legendary Land Rover Defender.
The new version will arrive this year, and will have interior… existing, chassis for cars and not for off-road vehicles and engines with power up to 380 hp.
But today we obviously talk about the version sold from 2006 to 2016 of the legendary off-road vehicle born in 1948.
The Defender 90 TD4 is equipped with an engine four-cylinder 2.4-liter turbodiesel capable of 122 hp, coupled to all-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual gearbox. It's the most powerful car on our list, but it's also one of the heaviest, stopping the scale beyond i 1600 kg.
The result is in fact one sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in a very respectable 15,8 seconds, which makes her the Ariel Atom on our list.
Even if there were slower cars on the list both 10 years ago and now, I chose it because even if it is the fastest from 0 to 100, as a top speed… it is the slowest, with its top speed of only 132 km / h.
Among the cars sold in Europe, she is the record holder of the slowest cars of the decade considering only the top speed.
On the road, in fact, the Defender has never felt too comfortable. The driving position is incredibly uncomfortable, the steering is imprecise and the road holding is there, but it doesn't instill too much safety.
He has always given his best off-road, where the excellent all-wheel drive and the relatively low weight make it one of the most popular off-road vehicles ever.
9ª: Hyundai i10 1.0 Ecopack
Here we return to the purest actuality, speaking of brand new Hyundai i10, just renovated.
The small Korean rival of the Panda is a really good Segment A, capable of offering excellent comfort, superior assembly and equipment and an easy and relaxing drive.
For now the only engine available for the i10 is the now classic 1.0 three-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with 67 HP. This engine, despite the non-sensational numbers, manages to give the i10 a good panache, thanks also to its weight of only 921 kg.
Hyundai, however, also offers a version called "Ecopack“, Which offers a series of tricks to consume as little as possible.
Among these, we find the approval for only four people, smaller and narrower rims of only 14 inches and, above all, a different gear ratio.
What does this mean? Its 5-speed manual gearbox receives significantly longer ratios, in order to lower the engine revs at constant speeds and thus minimize emissions and consumption.
This, however, logically goes to the detriment of the performances, which stand at 16,8 seconds in the classic 0-100 km / h and 147 km / h of top speed. These “screaming” performances earned it the not exactly enviable first place among the slowest cars released in this decade that has just begun.
Of course, the efficiency gains, but if you want a minimum of panache, perhaps it is worth looking at the normal version, or the 1.0 turbo 100 hp that will arrive soon.
8ª: Renault Clio 1.0 sCe
We remain in 2020 for our eighth place, which by pure chance came second in the much less important “Car of the Year” competition. Bah, let's go ahead with our Tartuca Cup.
We are talking about Renault Clio which now in its fifth generation is achieving truly impressive sales numbers.
In fact, in February 2020 it was the best-selling car in all of Europe, ousting the legendary Volkswagen Golf for the first time in the last 3 years.
The Clio is convincing many customers for its always impressive line, for the refined and well cared for interiors and for excellent driveability, capable of combining comfort and driving pleasure.
In this excellent picture there are also excellent engines, such as the 1.0 and the 1.3 TCe turbobenzina or the immortal 1.5 dCi.
In the Clio range, however, there is also an engine that is certainly low in consumption, but not very lively.
I speak in fact of the three-cylinder 1.0 sCe naturally aspirated 65 bhp, placed at the base of the Clio range.
This engine, which we find in the 70 HP version on the Dacia Sandero and the Renault Twingo, to name two, has good silence, few vibrations but, alas subdued performance.
The count of the time from 0 to 100 km / h stops only after 17,1 seconds, and using all the 5 gears of the engine it can reach 160 km/h. It's the fastest on the forehand of the competition, let's say it's ours Bugatti Veyron!
However, considering the phlegm with which it reaches 100 km / h, I think it really takes a lot of patience to reach certain speeds.
7th: FIAT Qubo 1.4 Natural Power
We arrive in Italy for, I must admit, one of my favorite compact cars: FIAT Qubo.
Sure, it's derived from the Fiorino van. He will certainly never win the Villa D'Este competition for elegance. Of course, it doesn't drive like a Lotus.
The Qubo, however, has a really strong sympathy on its side, a driving that is anything but "like a van" and an incredible amount of space on board. In less than 4 meters it offers 5 really comfortable seats, space for lots of luggage, a profusion of storage compartments and very comfortable sliding rear doors.
The soundproofing is not terrible at all, on the contrary: trips with the Qubo are possible and very comfortable, given the square meters of space and the great brightness it offers.
The perfect engine for him is the 1.3 HP 95 MultiJet turbodiesel, which are certainly not many but make him lively and very sparing in consumption. Maybe in the Trekking version, with M + S tires and “off-road” protections.
If, however, running costs are everything for you, FIAT offers the Qubo Natural Power, with the engine 1.4 Fire with only 69 HP fueled by petrol and methane.
Here, if you had to choose it you will often find yourself at the tablet: lo 0-100 in fact is covered in a good 17,5 seconds. With only one passenger on board. This result makes it the record holder of the slowest cars in today's list. Were it not for older cars, she would be the winner!
If you want to take long motorway journeys with 5 occupants and their luggage, you may not see the 149 km/h maximum speed. Perhaps.
6: Opel Corsa 1.0
Let's go back in time slightly, returning to the fourth series of Opel Corsa.
This generation, produced from 2006 to 2014, shared the floor with our FIAT Grande Punto.
For this reason, in fact, it drove well, and also offered well-performing versions such as the top of the OPC range, equipped with a 1.6 with 192 HP.
At the base of the range, however, there was the engine 1.0 three-cylinder aspirated by “well” 60 HP, which rose to 65 in 2010.
Despite this incredible increase in power, the basic version of the Opel Corsa has maintained its incredible performance over time.
The time needed to go from 0 to 100 km / h was in fact timed in 18,2 seconds, with a "top speed" of 150 km/h.
Like all slower cars featured on this list, in town he did his good job of reliable, park and docile engine.
What is certain is, however, that as soon as you leave the 50 km / h limit areas, the small three-cylinder is really in trouble.
If you wanted to save even more, this engine was also available at LPG Opel, however, never declared the 0-100 of the gas-powered version. Maybe, better this way ...
5th: FIAT Panda / Punto Classic 1.2 Natural Power
Let's go back in 2010 to talk about two beloved cars in our country, or the bestsellers FIAT Panda and Punto Classic Natural Power, i.e. powered by Methane.
On the one hand, the Gingo ... sorry, the Panda second series, one of the most popular and loved cars in Italy, with its squared and nice line and features that we don't even find on today's Panda, such as touchscreen navigator, double sunroof and cruise control.
Its high driving position, space on board and the ingenious raised gear lever are among the most popular details of the Panda 169, which surely each of you have driven or at least enjoyed as a passenger.
On the other, the immortal Punto Classic 188, produced from 1999 to 2010. Reliable, spacious and also quite pleasant to drive, the Italian subcompact is still one of the easiest cars to meet in our cities.
It was so appreciated for the quality / price ratio that in the 5 years of cohabitation with the more modern Grande Punto it gnawed many customers on its younger sister.
Of course, it is not the most beautiful, nor the most robust, nor the most equipped. The Punto focuses on sincerity, and on a fairly large dose of character, which make it nice and loved by all its owners.
These two pieces of Italian history are united by the methane-powered version of the legendary 1.2 Fire, in this case capable of 52 hp.
The four-cylinder 1.2 Fire is probably the most popular engine in Italy, arrived to date on the Panda, 500 and Ypsilon. A real pillar of Italian motoring, which each of us has driven at least once in their life.
I chose to mention these sacred monsters together because they share, as well as the engine, the amazing 0-100 km / h: 19 seconds round. I like it! Vote?
The two very Italian cars differed in maximum speed, of 140 km / h for the Panda and 145 km / h for the Punto Classic.
In truth, even in the petrol-only version it is not a lightning bolt of war, but its incredible reliability and the ability to withstand even the harshest negligence on the part of the owners make it suitable for a battle car for the city like the Panda, or to a handyman capable of satisfying the needs of a family like the Punto.
With the methane that gives you a hand, then, the operating costs are lowered with every kilometer traveled. Of course, without haste.
4ª: Lada Niva 1.7
For some of you, its actual commercialization over the past 10 years will come as a surprise.
In the areas where I live, or in the Province of Turin at the foot of the Alps, this car has always been incredibly popular, almost like it wanted to go home. And I'll tell you more: although it is a bit more difficult to import it, the legendary Niva is still sold today, Euro 6 approved, as Lada 4 × 4. 44 years after its release.
Yes why Lada Niva, although built in the Russian factory in Togliatti, since 1976 it has been built on the basis of our beloved FIAT 124.
Even the engine, a 4-cylinder 1.7 80 hp, is derived directly from the FIAT engines of the 60s and 70s.
The build quality is very basic, the interiors are spartan, the space is little and the performances are nothing short of lethargic. The 0-100 is covered in Soviet 19,1 seconds, and reaches the astonishing speed of 137 km/h.
But then, why does this almost 50-year-old off-road vehicle continue to be so loved in Italy and in other areas of Italy?
Because if on the road it is a total blast from the past, off-road the Niva comes to life.
In fact, it weighs only 1210 kg, has high and narrow tires and is very compact, only 3 meters long and 70 meters wide and less than 1,70 m. But above all, the Niva has permanent all-wheel drive with lockable center differential, and this makes it a real ibex, very agile off-road and especially on snow.
It will also be ranked fourth among our slowest cars, but it is also one of the most capable and simple off-roaders around.
READ ALSO: FIAT, the cars that made history: the less known “Turin”
3ª: Renault Kangoo 1.5 dCi 68 CV
Another multi-space climbs on the third step of the podium, which however surpasses our own FIAT Qubo due to its decidedly more generous dimensions.
Renault Kangoo in fact it is one of the most popular vans in its segment.
Comfortable, spacious, very easy to drive and low in consumption, since the early 2000s Renault Kangoo has been one of the first choices for large families, freelancers and to indulge our hobbies.
Among the many very valid engines to choose from, however, there was an engine totally geared towards economy and low consumption.
I'm talking about the famous 1.5 dCi, one of the pivotal engines of the Renault Group today too, but in a solo version 68 CV.
On Twingo and Clio this small 4-cylinder diesel is fine. On a vehicle dedicated to the load and weighing almost 1400 kg, however, such an engine is definitely underpowered.
The performance proves it all right: in fact, it takes 19,6 seconds to reach 100 km / h from a standstill, and our multispace is capable of reaching 147 km/h after a long, long cast.
Ok the maximum savings, but in my opinion this is a little too much ...
2ª: Smart Fortwo Cdi
Here we come to one of the big bits on my list, the car that I was convinced would win this list.
Smart Fortwo (both Coupè and Cabrio) it has never been a lightning bolt of war, not even in the most extreme versions signed by Brabus.
In the Fortwo second series range, produced from 2007 to 2015, there was however a car that was a undoubted engineering masterpiece, Smart Fortwo Cdi.
This version of Fortwo is indeed equipped with a remarkable 800 three-cylinder turbodiesel with 45 HP and 130 Nm of torque, equipped with a very high technological level.
This little gem was not only the most reliable engine in the Smart range, but it is one of the most fuel-efficient cars of the last 20 years, capable of traveling up to 30 km with a liter.
The exhaust sound, however, is really terrible and on the road it is not exactly a purebred sports car, despite the presence of the rear-wheel drive cone rear suspension with Ponte De Dion.
The downside given by such low consumption is the performances, which deserve the Silver Cup of the Tartuca Cup. The 0-100 is covered in 19,8 seconds, for a maximum speed electronically limited to 135 km/h.
He fails to win the Cup for a short time (indeed, not so much ...) he will have to settle for an honorable second place.
Being a purely city car we can forgive it for this marked "sloth", in the end it does not have to go on the track.
Of course, if we start thinking about robotic gearboxes that are anything but lightning fast, we don't want to look for a used one on the web ...
Honorable mentions… from India
Before arriving at the winner of this first edition of the Tartuca Cup, I could not fail to mention two excellent exclusions, champions who were unable to participate for the closing of our tournament to cars not sold in Italy.
These champions are two cars that come from a country with a constantly growing automotive industry: India.
Given the population of over a billion people, and the presence of huge megacities of over 10 million people, those who are slowly managing to afford a car are not very demanding.
Anything that is comfortable in the city, manageable, inexpensive to maintain, spacious and safer than a motorcycle is welcome. Even the slowest ones are loved here.
To satisfy this hunger for economical and manageable cars, the Indian giant Tata (owner, among others, of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands) has launched Tata Nano.
Born in 2008, the Nano is famous in Europe for having become in all respects the cheapest car in the world.
Equipped with four doors, four seats, radio and a very powerful air conditioning system (indispensable in India), the Nano only cost the equivalent of 2000 euros. New!
With this amount, you took home a real car, equipped with a 2-cylinder petrol engine with 624 cm³ and 38 HP.
The engine is mounted at the rear, under the load compartment which, however, can only be accessed from inside the car by folding down the rear seats.
All small sacrifices that bring the price to unprecedented levels.
Yes but, the performance? Here, paraphrasing Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo "Being the base model, the engine is a bit lacking ..."
Despite weighing only 600 kg, Tata Nano "Sprints" from 0 to 100 in 29,4 seconds, and reaches 105 km / h, running for the throne of the slowest cars on the world market.
Perhaps in Bangalore she will feel at ease, on the Turin-Milan I see her not very comfortable ...
His career ended in 2018, and sales were very low compared to expectations.
The Indian public in fact considered the Nano too spartan and unsafe, decreeing its premature end.
From a half flop to a beloved car in the Asian country, the slowest car in all of India, however, is the Hindustan Ambassador. This car was built from 1958 to 2014 with practically no modifications, and is a licensed version of the Morris Oxford, a British car born in 1956.This car is famous for being THE Indian taxi, and in its very long history it has come until the last decade.
And how did it get there? Very, very slowly.
La Ambassador 1.5 DSL, equipped with a well aspirated diesel Isuzu engine 34 CV, in fact it reaches 104 km / h and “accelerates” from 0 to 100 km / h in… .. 68 seconds. Sixty-eight !!
On the good side, the Ambassador has total indestructibility, excellent habitability and an aesthetic so nice that we can forgive it for its slowness. More or less.
1st: Chevrolet Matiz 800 Automatiz
And the first winner of the Tartuca Cup is…. Chevrolet Matiz !! * APPLAUSE AND FIREWORKS *
The small American-Korean (already from this unlikely assonance she was the favorite) is the queen of the slowest cars of the last 10 years.
Not everyone knows that little Matiz is born from a futuristic project by Giugaro rejected by FIAT.
In fact, the Turin-based manufacturer conceived the Lucciola, a small three-door with bodywork and interior in recycled materials and hybrid powertrain. In 1993 Giugiaro proposed his Lucciola to the FIAT Group as a replacement for the Cinquecento. FIAT however declined due to the very high costs of the project.
The Korean company Daewoo, which had been collaborating with Giugiaro for years, became interested and bought the Lucciola project. This was simplified, three doors were added and voila, in 1998 the world saw the Daewoo Matiz.
The little Korean had a resounding success in its first years of production, thanks to its low price, excellent habitability and a strange but saucy aesthetic.
Since 2005 Daewoo, already in the General Motors orbit, closed its doors in Europe, replaced by the more famous Chevrolet brand. With the American brand Matiz continued its success until 2010, the year in which it abandoned the price lists, replaced by Spark.
The winning Matiz of our 10 slowest cars is a little bit special, and has a really winning combination in this… sport?
It is in fact equipped with an engine 800 three-cylinder aspirated with 52 HP, coupled with a automatic exchange to 4 marce.
This decidedly old-fashioned change gives this version of Matiz the coolest name I've ever heard: AUTOMATIZ. Pure poetry.
Well, the Automatiz thanks to its powerful 4 gears and the torque of 68 Nm manages to reach 135 km/h, Ea reach 100 per hour from standstill in “only” 21,9 seconds.
It can only be there Chevrolet Matiz Automatiz the slowest car of the last 10 years, and the winner of the Tartuca Cup !! Congratulations! Jubilation throughout the kingdom!
Here are the slowest cars of the decade? What will the next Cup be?
And so ends an exciting journey into the weakest meanders of price lists and car history.
We thank all the competitors who made it to the final today, it was not easy to get here ... in time for the award ceremony!
Let's give another applause to the components of the podium of the slowest cars of the last 10 years: Renault Kangoo, Smart Fortwo Cdi and the winner, Chevrolet Automatiz.
What will be the next super challenge we will see together?
The heaviest cars? The fastest? The least powerful? Or the most expensive?
I'm going to see a Formula 1 race, I have to detoxify myself from this lack of phlegm!
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