Golf GTD and R manual models to be discontinued

[itavaltalainen]

VW don’t just sell cars in UK, tax and company car tax in a lot of other markets don’t depend on CO2 emissions.
E.g. German company car tax is worked out at 1% of list price as BIK per month, i.e. you need to pay income tax on 12% of list price a year (includes all personal mileage).

[fredgroves]

Surprised the Germans don't care about pollution... ours is a calculation based on CO2 pollution (with an extra uplift for oil burners) and list price (list price, not purchase price or lease cost)... and now if that figure is lower than the income tax you'd have paid for the car lease/purchase as cash, you pay the higher of the two figures!

It was that final addition that was basically the nail in the coffin for company cars as a tax efficiency...

[itavaltalainen]

They do but in a different way - low emission zones in cities that lock out older cars based on particulate and in future NoX.
The German government wouldn’t want to hurt their car industry too much I suppose, hence the 1% list price a month rule (which is less BIK, but you generally pay higher percentage in income tax).

My GTD works out at just shy of 9k£ in BIK in the UK, in Germany it would only be around 5k€ (or 4.5k£), at the end of the day though it would cost me the same if not a smudge more.... but private mileage is included over in Germany where I have to pay per mile in the UK (to avoid fuel BIK tax hike).

[clidds]

There's a new pricelist on the VW website dated 26.04.18 which I assume covers MY19 changes, both GTD & R models are still available as manual transmissions.

[MarkHowells]

I found out about this last week. I have currently owned a mk7R for 4 years and it is due to be changed. I went to my dealer to order my new mk7.5R manual and was advised that the R manual model will be discontinued because they will not be changed over to WLTP type approval – this also applies to the Estate models.

So I have ordered a mk7 Gti Performance. I am a bit nervous about changing from an R to a GTi. I hope that I won't be disappointed.

[Watts]

I found out about this last week. I have currently owned a mk7R for 4 years and it is due to be changed. I went to my dealer to order my new mk7.5R manual and was advised that the R manual model will be discontinued because they will not be changed over to WLTP type approval – this also applies to the Estate models.

So I have ordered a mk7 Gti Performance. I am a bit nervous about changing from an R to a GTi. I hope that I won't be disappointed.

Sounds like in a few weeks you'll find out! Did you not take a test drive then? There are a few on here that have changed from an R to a GTI and I can't say I recall anyone being disappointed but it is a very personal thing. You must have thought very highly of your R to have one for 4 years and still want another. I hope it goes well for you

[MarkHowells]

I love my R. It is the best car I have ever owned (including a 420BHP 4 litre V8 M3). I have taken a leap of faith and not even been inside a GTi. But I am very confident that I will enjoy it, hopefully as much as the R. I am told that the GTi may not be as powerful as the R, but it is more fun to drive. Unless I fall in love with the GTi, I will probably get the Mk8R when it is available, but you never know, once owning a GTi I may never go back to the R.

[Watts]

I love my R. It is the best car I have ever owned (including a 420BHP 4 litre V8 M3). I have taken a leap of faith and not even been inside a GTi. But I am very confident that I will enjoy it, hopefully as much as the R. I am told that the GTi may not be as powerful as the R, but it is more fun to drive. Unless I fall in love with the GTi, I will probably get the Mk8R when it is available, but you never know, once owning a GTi I may never go back to the R.

If you do a bit of searching on here you'll find reviews of each by the same people which will give you some idea. Have a read of this thread, there's a great write up half way down on page 5 you may find of interest: http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=282780.40

[GolfTi]

Mine will be 5 years old in July, I’ve had it from new.
Perfect car for me but if VW ever do this to the GTI I couldn’t have another.

I’ve driven plenty of autos/DSG and it’s just not for me.

I really hope the mk8 is offered in manual form.

[mcmaddy]

I love my R. It is the best car I have ever owned (including a 420BHP 4 litre V8 M3). I have taken a leap of faith and not even been inside a GTi. But I am very confident that I will enjoy it, hopefully as much as the R. I am told that the GTi may not be as powerful as the R, but it is more fun to drive. Unless I fall in love with the GTi, I will probably get the Mk8R when it is available, but you never know, once owning a GTi I may never go back to the R.

Before I bought my gti pp I test drove an R and a GTi back to back. I loved the R but still ordered the pp gti. It's a great car and my only regret is I didn't buy one back in 2013 instead of the Gtd. Pp is worth the money too and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as your R.