Generally pitched against the likes of the Fiesta XR2 and Alfasud TI, the Strada 105 TC performance could also hold its own against bigger cars like the Escort XR3 and 1.6 Golf GTI. Sold in the UK for just a year, the 105TC inherited the sophisticated twin-cam 1.6-litre engine from the bigger Mirafiori range. Its low gearing gave it blistering acceleration but the handling was a little nervous and could catch less experienced drivers out. The Strada was perhaps too uncompromising to attract many UK sales and even in its face-lifted 1983 form it never really had the ability to become the ultimate hot hatch, a near-impossible feat against such a wealth of talent. The 105 TC was withdrawn from sale in 1985, as the rest of the range soldiered on to 1987 but thanks to its superb engine credentials, you’re more likely to come across one today than the standard model.
