GTI Review and links.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Would really like to know what the heck he is saying lol. Damn I shoulda taken gcse german!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZGr89PbT_g

I translated the first minute of the video using the German captions and taking only some small liberties...

The Golf is doing the talking itself.  It is unclear to me if this talking feature is available on UK GTIs or only on German ones, though my research continues:

Already my ancestors all talk about the myth created over the last three decades.  I am the seventh and strongest of all time in my family.  After 37 years of my family history you would expect that I, the latest and greatest GTI of all time would be only pure pure pure.  My father is the first of the GTIs and he led the way by being affordable for people who like a light sport car but have only a narrow wallet, and now of course I can also do this.  I was proving their -unclear- with all I have from the (shelves?) of the Wolfsburg -unclear- and I have progressive sport steering and my front axle has -unclear- multi-linking -unclear- and I even brake harder than the first Golf -unclear- including Google Streetview.

Want more?

That -unclear- cousin of mine, the A3 for over a year has surely not a single -unclear- technology or comfort in the traditional sense ahead of me.  (Then there is something about the 207SW?  From this point on things get a bit weird)
With well over 200 bhp and weighing 810kg at the 10,000 marks (eh? deuschemark?) I tasted his heavy heritage.  Now 1,351kg and almost 30k Euros now I am firmly shaped just waiting for some beers to make me mad so I can compete with the -unclear-.  Today I want to be in the top ten and beat the self-righteous -unclear-.

I have to actually prove myself which not everyone seems to be asked to do.  I do not buck (?) but I found time for Prince Phillip to try my handling on the mushroom corner of the Autobild (really?) but I always handle well and he complained that people are surprised because I am so normal.  Yet this is not hard for me even when managing 25mpu (eh?) and wearing expensive pants.

Then I go even further, I am packaged in top form with a simplistic front axes and coarse vented discs and rear.  Yes, I take the GTI myth more than my fair share and if that is all then -unclear- in me there is still the question fo why there is a performance package?  But for that question it is far to late to discuss now, lets just celebrate this evening.  My sales will be high despite the high exaggeration of the sympathetic (?) consumption as much as I can from sex.com (Woah! hold on a minute!) at 400lires.

It definitely says that bit about sex at the end, I swear.  Not sure I want one of these things now if all it is going to do is talk about beer and sex and reminisce about its time with Prince Phillip and when they shared some 'mushrooms'. 

[Bill_the_Bear]

There must be something wrong with the subtitles because I swear my translation is perfect.

[master_hayabusa]

lol, thanks bear

[Bill_the_Bear]

lol, thanks bear

No problem.

It has subsequently occurred to me that the "mushroom" referred to might actually be what German cars call "hairpins" as opposed to an illicit substance the car was sharing with the Duke of Edinburgh, though I am not 100% certain.  In any case, the sex and beer still worry me.  Unless sex is the German word for seconds?  Is he boasting about his 0-60 performance?

[Gung-Ho]

I just used the BMW configure tool to spec an M135i to the same sort of level as the GTI I ordered.  Comes to £38k though clearly this is without discounts (and its better performance).  GTI is around £30k.  That is a fair gap, but I am surprised the 1 Series didn't end up at £40k which is sort of what I expected it to be at.

It looks like a really nice car, although personally I don't like BMW dash styling.  £8k extra means its not really competing in the same way.  You could swap your high spec GTI for a stock M135i but I'm unsure how many people willing to splash out on all the GTI options would then be willing to forgo them just to grab the better performance.

Mine came out a little cheaper...

BMW M135i
5 door (Auto) £32,500
Alpine White £0
Adaptive Suspension £515
M-17" Sports Brakes (standard)
Total £33,015

Mk7 Golf GTi
5 door (DSG) £27,915
Pure White £200
Dynamic Chassis Control £795
Performance Pack £980
Total £29,890

Difference £3,125

OK £3k is still "a lot" of money, but not such a "huge" difference considering (admittedly the M-lite wont have a LSD).  Thus if I was looking for a performance hatch in this price bracket you would have to look at both as a real possibility.

[Gung-Ho]

Love the translation by the way

[Gryzor]

The 135i could be £5k cheaper with all the same kit and options, but I still wouldn't consider it.

[CraigW]

I just used the BMW configure tool to spec an M135i to the same sort of level as the GTI I ordered.  Comes to £38k though clearly this is without discounts (and its better performance).  GTI is around £30k.  That is a fair gap, but I am surprised the 1 Series didn't end up at £40k which is sort of what I expected it to be at.

It looks like a really nice car, although personally I don't like BMW dash styling.  £8k extra means its not really competing in the same way.  You could swap your high spec GTI for a stock M135i but I'm unsure how many people willing to splash out on all the GTI options would then be willing to forgo them just to grab the better performance.

Mine came out a little cheaper...

BMW M135i
5 door (Auto) £32,500
Alpine White £0
Adaptive Suspension £515
M-17" Sports Brakes (standard)
Total £33,015

Mk7 Golf GTi
5 door (DSG) £27,915
Pure White £200
Dynamic Chassis Control £795
Performance Pack £980
Total £29,890

Difference £3,125

OK £3k is still "a lot" of money, but not such a "huge" difference considering (admittedly the M-lite wont have a LSD).  Thus if I was looking for a performance hatch in this price bracket you would have to look at both as a real possibility.

I've not specced an M135 but as someone mentioned on a previous thread the standard items you get on the golf are incredible

Dual zone climate control, cruise control, folding mirrors, dab radio etc

Possibly all options on the BMW. By the time you add all them in your way more than £3k. Seems a bit unfair that every hot hatch is getting compared to the M135 just now. A better comparison would be the new R32 or S3

[Gung-Ho]

Unfortunately the "standard" M-lite is pretty well spec'd anyway. Xenons, DAB, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control, extended light pack, anthracite headlining, headlight wash all come as 'Standard'. To make matters even worse, leather seats are thrown in for free as well (which is a £1600 option on the VW - not leather anyway but that's not the point).

I'm not trying to say the M-lite is better than a GTi... All I'm getting at is that it represents exceptional value for money when pitted against the likes of the new Golf GTi.

[Jimble]

Just specced up a 135i to the same ish spec as the GTI i've ordered and it comes to £36820, that includes the standard leather in the BMW but i'd rather have the cloth that used to be an option, my GTI is £33175 and although i quite like the BMW in M sport guise, i don't think it's worth that much.