Clarkson being a feature/columnist writer would get offered whatever models are being promoted and doing the press promo rounds. It must be a quiet time of year.
I guess the point of the comparison is the fact as standard the A35 looks like a base model Diesel and the Golf R doesn’t exactly grab ones attention visually unless you’re a Golf enthusiast.
So a comparison of a winged A35 loaded with extras and a TCR also with optional packages isn’t an unlikely one from a prospective buyers perspective and they’re head to head in BHP & ££££. Maybe it’s assumed that as the R and GTI have been around a good while owners are looking for something newer and very slightly different, but not too different.
4WD isn’t everything and can still bog down on launch if not in full traffic light race mode. The VAQ diff claws a lot of traction back.
This is quite a good head to head from the point of view of a buyer that doesn’t want Uber stealth looks but still wants a classy German hatch that packs a punch. A slightly less Q car than an R or standard A35.
Goes to show once again that after six or seven years the MQB Golfs still cut the mustard against much newer opposition and that now it’s seemingly likely the next gen GTI/R *won’t* have that extra 48v electric thrust now that unless you’re a touchscreen junkie the game hasn’t really moved on.
Yep, get all you say, and as packages with their own little variances he could not split them which is more a win for the GTI than the new on the road AMG - I liked the A35 AMG could see myself in one, it was down to the fine differences in the end where on other cars you dismiss readily and early.
Feel VW have missed a trick on not going straight into 48 v with the MK 8 as that is revolution and sure they could have told a good story to the performance benefits in terms of the GTI and R.
Be really interesting to see if putting all eggs into the basket of sweeping interior tech and more semi and autonomous driving excites folk as they are hoping? though maybe my malaise is because I am in the IT industry that its just another set of screens, operating systems and graphics to look at.
Maybe they think the underlying car is so good they can get away with dumping the 48 v for now and saving it for a later wow moment, or maybe it just did not work as well as hoped? (though doubt that is case)
The 48 v addition interests me, but the MK 8 is seemingly more and more a MK 7.75 and if purchasing soon I would have my money on hold for the MK 8 release and waiting to secure a MK 7.5 at a forecourt clearing discount.
