By Samuel Ee

AMONG the assorted environmentally friendly electric vehicles and explosive supercars at the Frankfurt motor show, there was a segment that offered a better balance between green and mean - the hot hatch.

One of those which promised to combine driving fun with frugal performance was the Volkswagen Golf R. This top-of-the-line sports model only has a two-litre turbocharged engine, but it is still the most powerful Golf available.

The Golf R replaces the Golf R32 and despite its 270 horses and all-wheel-drive, it can still cover 100 km on just 8.5 litres of fuel. And with 22 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions, even Greenpeace would approve.

But despite the smaller engine, Golf R is faster, accomplishing the zero to 100 kmh sprint in 5.7 seconds - down from the 3.2-litre V6 R32's 6.5 seconds. It helps that the R has beefy torque - 350 Nm from just 2,500 rpm.

Outwardly, the Golf R will be distinctive, because it will be the first sixth-generation Golf to sport new LED running lights and tail lights. It also has new wheels and brakes, as well as a new front and rear bumper design.

The car is expected in the Volkswagen Centre Singapore showroom in the first quarter of next year and could be priced at around S$145,000 (at current COE levels).

Also shown at Frankfurt was the new Opel Astra. The new Astra is bigger than the car it replaces and has a more spacious interior. But its most striking aspect is its design. The traditional Opel styling has been ditched for a fresh and modern look.

It has running lights, a six-speed automatic transmission and the generic centre console is gone, replaced by a driver-focused dashboard that feels more like something you would find in a large sedan, not a compact hatchback.

Even the steering wheel is distinctive. The Astra is likely to be here in the first quarter of 2010 with 1.4 and 1.6-litre engines.

Another stylish hatch was the new Citroen C3. Larger but lighter than the previous C3, it has a deep panoramic windscreen, which extends upwards into the roofline to end above the heads of the front occupants.

By allowing more natural light into the cabin, the new C3's interior feels more airy. The car will come with a 1.6-litre engine and is scheduled to be launched in mid-2010 here.

But a funkier Citroen is set to arrive at the same time. The DS3 may have revived Citroen's famous DS badge, but its design could not be more different.

About the same size as the C3, but with only two doors, this lifestyle model will do battle in the same premium hatch segment as the Mini. We can't wait.

samuelee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Business Times.