Ora Funky Cat First Edition - long term review

The Top Gear Garage is cursed. Seriously, someone must have put a hex on the cars that we’re running at the moment. There’s no other explanation for it. Did someone at Car Magazine get a voucher for an Open University course in witchcraft for Christmas? 

You see, just weeks after Ollie Kew’s Audi S3 was stolen (and eventually recovered, thankfully) and Sam Philip’s Vauxhall Astra was hit twice by fellow motorists, the Funky Cat has also been in the wars through no fault of its own.  

While the car was parked on a London side street, someone who cannot be named clearly decided that they didn’t like the styling of the Ora, and that it would look much better with a hefty dent in a couple of the rear panels. And the only reason they can’t be named is because they didn’t leave a name, number or even a note to say sorry for harming your Cat. People are terrible.  

The Funky Cat actually seemed to take the hit rather well, and we’re hoping that the damage is merely superficial, but it’s heading to the vets (i.e. the Funky Cat’s importers International Motors) for a check-up and some cosmetic work. How long this will all take is another question.  

It’s a shame, because before the hit and run we were getting on rather well with the little thing, despite the rather stern tone that it takes when it butts in to conversations to remind you to concentrate while driving. 

Here’s a thought though, wouldn’t it be nice if our poorly Funky Cat came back in rejuvenated Funky Cat GT form? Available in China (where it’s known as the Good Cat remember) the GT is a styling pack that adds fresh alloy wheels, new bumpers, an ambitious diffuser with red accents and even a rear wing that makes the whole thing look a little like someone tried to describe a Mini GP over the phone.   

There’s no word on whether the GT will make it over to Europe as an option just yet, but imagine if it did with a twin motor setup and over 300bhp? That could be a fantastic little electric hot hatch. Just make sure to keep it away from all other road users in the UK. They can’t be trusted.