golf R prices and spec on website now!!

[gossa]

only problem jelly is that it's an 'outgoing model', you'd be gutted six months later to see the 'all new A3 platform'. Agree though, that'll be a hell of a car! Imagine that remapped to nearly 400bhp!!!

I took my neighbor to collect her TT yesterday, The customer service from Audi locally makes VW look horrendous. They had an S3 sportback in there and it did look awesome.....still prefer my GTI though....

[p3eps]

The dealer yesterday told me that the new A3 is due at the end of 2010.
When I said - I guess the S3 will follow a few months later, he said no - and that the A4 and S4 were released at the same time, and the new A5 / S5 were released at the same time too.

£32k - NO DANGER... it'll be £35-38k basic... as the TTS -> TTRS jump was massive!!

[Steve_PD]

oh hello

[JellyCat]

I wonder if the RS3 spotted was actually a test mule using the current shape, and that the RS3 will come out after the new style A3 is launched end of 2010? Front photo on renders seem to be like of the Golf R.

Regarding a release date, I doublt that the VW Audi Group would launch the RS3 so soon after the Golf R (as if you're happy to spend £30k-35k on a hatch back, and you can get a 0-62 in 4.5 second then for a couple of k more then its a no brainer as that's serious performance and would sound fantastic and I guess reminiscent of the R32 (which would be an excellent thing). Mind you wonder if that would that mean prices drop on the Golf R and demand drops off as the money shifts to the RS3?

Got to say I was offered a mad discounted price on a new S3 for slightly more than my spec'd up GTI which is on order, but the interior on the S3 seemd to me like a cheap after market look!!! but each to their own! (also sorry Halfords!)

If they do release a sports back version in early 2011 (as sounds like 5 doors come a few months later), hmmmm might eat my own words about spending 35k-38k on a hatch back!

[andykram]

I always thought the money i spent on my GTi was the absolute limit I'd spend on a VW so £28k plus is really daft money no matter how nice the car is.
I lived in Germany for a year and to the Germans a VW is an everyday runabout - it has no status whatsoever as opposed to the way they view Mercedes, BMWs and Jags. It's only in this class obsessed country that we seem to view VW as a "prestige" marque so VW seem to think they can charge whatever they like and the badge snobs will buy them. Unfortunately in this country they will so people like us on here end up paying through the nose for a car we're buying cos it's the best car to drive rather than the snob value.
Someone will no doubt mention the fact that the R is just as expensive in Germany as it is here. Yes, but the Germans won't buy it either at that price.
Interestingly I was in Berlin this week in the rather posh Western part of Charlottenburg. VWs were very thin on the ground. Saw loads of prestigious marques - Merc, BMW, Jag, Porsche, Bentley etc. In fact I only saw one Mk 6 GTi all week.
Personally for £30k or so I'd be looking at a powerful BMW or similar - at least something that said "I've spent £30k"!!!! Sorry if that's shallow but there you go.
I do, however, wish those who do choose to buy an R all the very best - I don't begrudge your choice for a minute as I'm sure it's an awesome car.

[p3eps]

Personally for £30k or so I'd be looking at a powerful BMW or similar - at least something that said "I've spent £30k"!!!! Sorry if that's shallow but there you go.
I do, however, wish those who do choose to buy an R all the very best - I don't begrudge your choice for a minute as I'm sure it's an awesome car.

I'm the opposite!  I want something that blends into the background with subtle styling - but looks like every other Golf!  The R fits this perfectly.
I wouldn't feel anxious about leaving a Golf R in a car park as it doesn't scream 'steal me'!
I'm sure 95% of the people at my work will just think its another Golf... and thats the way I like it.

[carl1]

I always thought the money i spent on my GTi was the absolute limit I'd spend on a VW so £28k plus is really daft money no matter how nice the car is.
I lived in Germany for a year and to the Germans a VW is an everyday runabout - it has no status whatsoever as opposed to the way they view Mercedes, BMWs and Jags. It's only in this class obsessed country that we seem to view VW as a "prestige" marque so VW seem to think they can charge whatever they like and the badge snobs will buy them. Unfortunately in this country they will so people like us on here end up paying through the nose for a car we're buying cos it's the best car to drive rather than the snob value.
Someone will no doubt mention the fact that the R is just as expensive in Germany as it is here. Yes, but the Germans won't buy it either at that price.
Interestingly I was in Berlin this week in the rather posh Western part of Charlottenburg. VWs were very thin on the ground. Saw loads of prestigious marques - Merc, BMW, Jag, Porsche, Bentley etc. In fact I only saw one Mk 6 GTi all week.
Personally for £30k or so I'd be looking at a powerful BMW or similar - at least something that said "I've spent £30k"!!!! Sorry if that's shallow but there you go.
I do, however, wish those who do choose to buy an R all the very best - I don't begrudge your choice for a minute as I'm sure it's an awesome car.

Go to Spain, Greece etc and Mercs are used as taxis  That would pi$$ me off if i had a Merc

[keelaw]

I always thought the money i spent on my GTi was the absolute limit I'd spend on a VW so £28k plus is really daft money no matter how nice the car is.
I lived in Germany for a year and to the Germans a VW is an everyday runabout - it has no status whatsoever as opposed to the way they view Mercedes, BMWs and Jags. It's only in this class obsessed country that we seem to view VW as a "prestige" marque so VW seem to think they can charge whatever they like and the badge snobs will buy them. Unfortunately in this country they will so people like us on here end up paying through the nose for a car we're buying cos it's the best car to drive rather than the snob value.
Someone will no doubt mention the fact that the R is just as expensive in Germany as it is here. Yes, but the Germans won't buy it either at that price.
Interestingly I was in Berlin this week in the rather posh Western part of Charlottenburg. VWs were very thin on the ground. Saw loads of prestigious marques - Merc, BMW, Jag, Porsche, Bentley etc. In fact I only saw one Mk 6 GTi all week.
Personally for £30k or so I'd be looking at a powerful BMW or similar - at least something that said "I've spent £30k"!!!! Sorry if that's shallow but there you go.
I do, however, wish those who do choose to buy an R all the very best - I don't begrudge your choice for a minute as I'm sure it's an awesome car.

Interesting you don't mention Audi in your selection of "premium" marques...

Agree there is a lot of nice machinery out there for this kind of money, but I needed a car that was golf-sized so my wife was comfortable driving it.

An S3 Sportback with a few goodies was attainable after a decent discount for similar money as my GTI, and with 4WD and a sub 6 second 0-60 it was very tempting, but it would also cost more to run and ultimately was too dated a design. 

[andykram]

That also used to be the case in Germany when they were used cos they lasted for gazillions of miles. It didn't stop them being seen as prestigious cars by most Germans.
Interestingly nowadays however, German taxis are all sorts of makes so that suggests that Mercs no longer have that cast iron superbly engineered reputation they used to have.
I do also take your point p3 about the subtlety of the R. Although with 19 inch wheels I'm not convinced it's as subtle as you'd like. And, unfortunately, the c**ks who are likely to nick such cars will spot it a mile off, as indeed they will a GTi.

[andykram]

I hadn't forgotten about Audi. The Germans do see Audi as a posh VW so if they wanted prestige they would always buy them rather than VW.