Nah the R32 was way different than the GTI IMO. It was a sweet soudning V6, and looked more sutble in some ways yet striking in that lovely metalic blue.
When I orignally ordered our current mk5 GTI, and then the Mkr5 R32 came out a few months later I thought bugger, dam and blast!. But when they dropped the V6 (hoped for the R36) for the Golf R and saw the price... this time round pref the GTI mrk6.
But that RS3 (and I hope in a more slinky body than the current one), seems very attractive and will burn a hole in me when the dam thing comes out.