Trust me I am not actually trying to split hairs. I just think your being very harsh on the 7.5R by saying the FL GTI is so much better but actually it's not as good looking as the original R. My opinion for what it's worth is that the MK7 GTI in Fl and pre FL guise is/was better looking than any of the MK7 R's. The R to me is not aggressive looking enough when it's pushing out 300bhp. It should be more sinister without being over the top. A few flared arches wouldn't go amiss. In terms of the MK7 R v MK7.5 R, well I prefer the new headlights and tail lights. What I don't like is that the R now shares these nice new headlights with other models. I prefer the new front end but I'm not liking the rear end, the original was better. The digital dash is subjective, but I'm afraid that's the way all cars are going so we will just have to accept it. The MK8 will only have a digital display with no option for analogue. I prefer the darker cloth seats to the original but I hate the cost cutting on the new car with some covers missing.
Finally I also like the fact that there won't be that many on the road just now and hopefully VW don't incentivise it by offering cheap lease deals as that killed the image of the original MK7 R, common as muck because of lease gate
Craig, I know you are not trying to split hairs and trust me it all just good debate. But again, don't get hung up on the word "so", lol. I'm actually relieved and pleased to hear that you prefer the FL R, because that's what you are getting and, though I don't know you, I'd hazard a guess that you are going to be blown away by it, I hope you are. I completely understand your comments about the original R lacking aggression (especially at the front), and when I was deciding on the R I had the same concern, but I actually think in the flesh it is pretty aggressive, more so than photos convey, and aggressive enough for my tastes. I can understand and see the logic and thinking behind the changes VW have made, but whilst they have succeeded in creating a more aggressive front end (and arguably rear end) - not disputing that at all - the squatness, squareness of the shape has been subtracted , leading to changes that don't float my boat wholly, as that characteristic Golf squatness is something I particularly liked through mk5, mk6 and mk7.
The loss of the double U headlights is a major blow for me, but though you might find this hard to understand (and I can see why), the new raked lights work better with the GTI imo because VW have finally found a style and shape that works really well with the red stripe, in a way that the original U design did not (again only imo). However, take away the red stripe and replace it with a silver stripe and its not quite working on the same level for me (the opposite of the situation with the original for me), crosses the line into looking too generic. As I say, it's all subjective and personal taste. I prefer the perforated leather seats in the FL R to the original leather which is dullness itself, so swings and roundabouts. Digital dash is a given for future car but not in a hurry to get there.
If I didn't have an R already would I buy a FL R over another car or the GTI? Yes I would. Do I want at this moment in time to chop my existing R in for a FL R? No I don't. Mk8 will likely be next car on horizon fro me because I'm boring like that and a bit of a Golf fangirl. The only other car I would be genuinely interested in is the Audi RS3 as in it's current form that's the aggressive front end styling done right.
The R common as muck thing has never much bothered me. It would have been preferable if lease-gate had not occurred, but it did as the R was a victim of that resulting in a loss of exclusivity - a shame, but so be it, it still a great car, in low or higher numbers. It may surprise you to know that the R appears to be much less prevalent in the south of the country in my experience. Since it was released I have seen no more that a handful (5) R's round my way at any one time, and even less MK7 GTI's (lots of GTD's though and a few GTE's). Daily driver cars where I am tend to be much more bog standard type models and small city cars, and yet when I travel north back to my home county of Yorkshire, I see many more GTI/R's on the road. I once had a discussion on this with Monkeyhanger on here and made a serious point that due to high property prices in certain parts of the south, you find that the majority of cars driven were of a cheaper variety as nobody has any money left after paying the mortgage, lol. Not wishing to sound arrogant but I think there's some truth to that and he agreed.
But I digress massively. You like (or I hope you will very very soon) the FL R and I like the original R, and since that's what we've both got, we both should be happy.
