There was a classic hard rubber battery on my A7 when I bought it - see this thread. It was certainly sturdy but the starting performance wasn't great. The "Lucas" one in your top picture is only rated 57Ah. I assume they are intended for sporting applications, such as trials and hill climbs, where shock resistance is more important than cold starting.
The £90 "Ultra Plus" in your bottom picture is 77Ah and 550cca so will be much better on cold mornings. I went with the genuine Exide EU80-6, which is 80AH and 600cca. I notice Batteries and Solar currently lists it at £83 (although it's out of stock!)
The £90 "Ultra Plus" in your bottom picture is 77Ah and 550cca so will be much better on cold mornings. I went with the genuine Exide EU80-6, which is 80AH and 600cca. I notice Batteries and Solar currently lists it at £83 (although it's out of stock!)