Clubsport Reviews

[fredgroves]

The other thing of course is that at the end of the crash diet, its still a golf - which is not as good as a designed from the ground up racing car like a Lotus Elise.

Normal car buyers demand comfort plus the EU demand safety (heavy body panels, safety systems, electronics)

Which I guess is why they just ramp the power up and not reduce the other things.

I still think if you wanted to add a lot of fun back, the wheels, tyres and brakes would go a long way towards it. Insurance companies hate it though and who wants to ditch their nice pretty 19's (that weight a metric sh1t tonne)

[fredgroves]

BTW there is little difference in power to weight in a Yari GR circuit pack and a GTI Mk8... 257bhp, 1645kg...

[jv]

257 and 1645 versus
245 and 1950

Looks a bit like it's 305 kg heavier and 12 horses down

[jv]

But really it should be
257 and 1280 versus
245 and 1463

[Yusee]

I think low weight is important in itself, not just power to weight.

Just came across this Andrew Frankel gem-

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/anything-goes/how-create-ideal-driver’s-car

[fredgroves]

Thing is, 1 second a lap faster on a 3 mile circuit is a significant speed increase... taking 30 seconds off of your best time to the office? Who cares!

Which comes back to what I keep saying about car reviews, they don't deliver the things that people care about.... namely some sort of value for money scale.

[Yusee]

Not sure if you’re referring to jv’s post, fred. My point is about driving enjoyment, which is a big part of hot hatch ownership. I agree speed itself isn’t that important.

[jv]

Divide price by power? Weight by power? Would almost certainly mean you should have a Ford... but then you'll complain about the interior - who cares if the dash plastic is less scratchy, do you run your hands on it on the way to the office?

[fredgroves]

I watched Three Men Four Wheels the other day - a few episodes in fact.

I couldn't help but desire to want another (proper) Mini after watching the episode about the Cooper S.

Driving along, feeling like John Cooper himself and then realising you are doing only 45mph - that is totally the original Mini experience.

On the other hand, I had two of them (neither was a Cooper unfortunately) and don't need dodgy electrics and mysteriously twisted subframes in my life any more!

[Snoopy]

I do think the Mk8 CS is what a GTI should be like. Decent power, decent-sounding and looking exhaust, beefy brakes, larger but not stupid spoiler. And with prices already from £32k, IMO I'm not sure why you would opt for a normal GTI. Just a shame about the 18" wheels but guess that's an easy fix. I'd like to see a Reflex Silver CS on 19" Prets...

Agree the CS should be the GTI. Also should have a manual option.
The standard GTI should just be renamed  GT or bring back the Driver badge.