Exclusivity

[RobS23GTI]

Fair comment by am1w, the GTI has been a victim of the R's success. I can't see the lack of sales helping used values as it's not any more desirable.
The clubsport should fare better being a special (or limited) edition and ill more than likely be ordering one when they are released.
Be interesting to see how the MK8 GTI is priced as it's too close to the R in the current guise.

[monkeyhanger]

I was thinking the same only a couple of weeks ago.

GTD, then R's and finally the occasionally GTI.

See very few GTI's which is great i think being a GTI owner.

In Germany last month and didn't see a GTI at all, and I was near a popular car resort.

Funny you should mention Germany. I kept an eye out for the cars in Berlin and spotted only a single R, no S3/S4/S5/S6/GTI/GTDs in 4 days. Everyone seemed to be driving in bottom rung Polo/Golf/Passat/A1/A3/A4 or high end cars - I saw a fair few recent Porsche 911s, Ferraris and Lambos. Those that were driving those cars were revving the cars at the lights and racing off, seemingly to attract attention to themselves for driving such a good car.

Might be the deeply ingrained German mentality of frugality and value for money for the ordinary metal - perhaps to them a Golf is just a Golf, so why not buy the cheap one?

[Poached]

The GTI should be what the R is leaving Seat to do the fast FWD bit with the Leon.

[am1w]

Why amend your original post??  I was looking forward to the ensuing wails of protest, spoilsport.

Because with the release of the R400/420, the maths for the piggy in the middle analogy did not work.

[charv94]

The R benefits from 4wd traction from standstill, once rolling this is negated. I believe the R has delusions of grandeur, its definitely not leaps and bounds ahead of a GTI.

The GTD isn't that frugal anyway, many of the people on heres long term averages are 45 maybe, mine is 37 in the gti.

The R is more thirsty, Smaller booted, More to insure and higher tax cost oh and lets not get onto the waiting lists hey? 3 months my GTI took, id still be waiting for the R. I'd not say it was superior.

Then again i bought my GTI and not an R for many of these reasons
Plus the heritage of driving a descendant of the first ever hot hatch

[remlapeel]

The R benefits from 4wd traction from standstill, once rolling this is negated. I believe the R has delusions of grandeur, its definitely not leaps and bounds ahead of a GTI.

The GTD isn't that frugal anyway, many of the people on heres long term averages are 45 maybe, mine is 37 in the gti.

The R is more thirsty, Smaller booted, More to insure and higher tax cost oh and lets not get onto the waiting lists hey? 3 months my GTI took, id still be waiting for the R. I'd not say it was superior.

Then again i bought my GTI and not an R for many of these reasons
Plus the heritage of driving a descendant of the first ever hot hatch

It's clear you haven't driven the R.

I had my mk7 GTI for 14 months and did 32k miles in it.

The feel of the R compared to the GTI is completely different. The engine feels a lot more powerful, the general traction, and although not full time AWD it makes a massive difference in a lot more situation that just a launch...wet weather for instance. along with the fact it actually sounds good without the need for a sound actuator with a two stage exhaust.

The GTI is a great car, but there is a reason people go for the R over it. Generally MPG isn't a consideration for that sort of car.

[am1w]

The R benefits from 4wd traction from standstill, once rolling this is negated. I believe the R has delusions of grandeur, its definitely not leaps and bounds ahead of a GTI.

The GTD isn't that frugal anyway, many of the people on heres long term averages are 45 maybe, mine is 37 in the gti.

The R is more thirsty, Smaller booted, More to insure and higher tax cost oh and lets not get onto the waiting lists hey? 3 months my GTI took, id still be waiting for the R. I'd not say it was superior.

Then again i bought my GTI and not an R for many of these reasons
Plus the heritage of driving a descendant of the first ever hot hatch

It's clear you haven't driven the R.

I had my mk7 GTI for 14 months and did 32k miles in it.

The feel of the R compared to the GTI is completely different. The engine feels a lot more powerful, the general traction, and although not full time AWD it makes a massive difference in a lot more situation that just a launch...wet weather for instance. along with the fact it actually sounds good without the need for a sound actuator with a two stage exhaust.

The GTI is a great car, but there is a reason people go for the R over it. Generally MPG isn't a consideration for that sort of car.

This calls for flying the flag for the R and I will pull no punches.

The present GTI is a serious slow coach, suffers from wheelspin and is a poop pot in comparison to the R. The GTI is a has been and is outdated seriously with its lack of grunt. Hence the release of the GTI Clubsport.

When I compared the GTI to the R, I was shocked as to how miserably slow it felt and it was a sad experience driving it.

Poor charv94 is the delusional one as he wants so much for the GTI to be as good as an R and it is not. The GTI is a very good car, but the R is a great car.

The only thing in the GTI's favour is it has a slightly bigger boot! So what? I'd get a GTD for that.

[charv94]

This calls for flying the flag for the R and I will pull no punches.

The present GTI is a serious slow coach, suffers from wheelspin and is a poop pot in comparison to the R. The GTI is a has been and is outdated seriously with its lack of grunt. Hence the release of the GTI Clubsport.

When I compared the GTI to the R, I was shocked as to how miserably slow it felt and it was a sad experience driving it.

Poor charv94 is the delusional one as he wants so much for the GTI to be as good as an R and it is not. The GTI is a very good car, but the R is a great car.

The only thing in the GTI's favour is it has a slightly bigger boot! So what? I'd get a GTD for that.

I was never in the market for an R, insurance was a defining factor in my choice of car.

I am aware the R is a better car, why would you make a flagship worse? I am just outlining the point that the R is still flawed. Its not a bad car i never called it a bad car. If you were to drive an R then a GTI of course it would be slow, salesmen are clever people. Plus in the hot hatch market, its not actually that out gunned in the normal driving situation so i resent that statement of it being slow.

Delusional is a bit strong too. £30K makes the car for its performance capability and practicality a bargain. I absolutely agree its a great car, but i dislike the slamming of the GTI by the R lot.
Plus as the thread title aimed at, the R is as common as fiesta st's now thanks to the coupling of lease deals and press rave reviews.

Also in relation to you Clubsport comment about the GTI not being good enough, Explain to me the R400 then using your same logic?

[charv94]

The R benefits from 4wd traction from standstill, once rolling this is negated. I believe the R has delusions of grandeur, its definitely not leaps and bounds ahead of a GTI.

The GTD isn't that frugal anyway, many of the people on heres long term averages are 45 maybe, mine is 37 in the gti.

The R is more thirsty, Smaller booted, More to insure and higher tax cost oh and lets not get onto the waiting lists hey? 3 months my GTI took, id still be waiting for the R. I'd not say it was superior.

Then again i bought my GTI and not an R for many of these reasons
Plus the heritage of driving a descendant of the first ever hot hatch

It's clear you haven't driven the R.

I had my mk7 GTI for 14 months and did 32k miles in it.

The feel of the R compared to the GTI is completely different. The engine feels a lot more powerful, the general traction, and although not full time AWD it makes a massive difference in a lot more situation that just a launch...wet weather for instance. along with the fact it actually sounds good without the need for a sound actuator with a two stage exhaust.

The GTI is a great car, but there is a reason people go for the R over it. Generally MPG isn't a consideration for that sort of car.

Id love to have driven an R but insurance negated this, i can't afford double priced insurance when i already get stuck with £700.
MPG was a weak point in that rant i will concede, its not a car for MPG.
Exhaust too, yep not the best in the GTI and agree the sound actuator is probably needed.
In regards to traction, slingshotting out of bends etc would be good in an R but i haven't suffered from lack of grip or understeer yet

[remlapeel]

The R benefits from 4wd traction from standstill, once rolling this is negated. I believe the R has delusions of grandeur, its definitely not leaps and bounds ahead of a GTI.

The GTD isn't that frugal anyway, many of the people on heres long term averages are 45 maybe, mine is 37 in the gti.

The R is more thirsty, Smaller booted, More to insure and higher tax cost oh and lets not get onto the waiting lists hey? 3 months my GTI took, id still be waiting for the R. I'd not say it was superior.

Then again i bought my GTI and not an R for many of these reasons
Plus the heritage of driving a descendant of the first ever hot hatch

It's clear you haven't driven the R.

I had my mk7 GTI for 14 months and did 32k miles in it.

The feel of the R compared to the GTI is completely different. The engine feels a lot more powerful, the general traction, and although not full time AWD it makes a massive difference in a lot more situation that just a launch...wet weather for instance. along with the fact it actually sounds good without the need for a sound actuator with a two stage exhaust.

The GTI is a great car, but there is a reason people go for the R over it. Generally MPG isn't a consideration for that sort of car.

This calls for flying the flag for the R and I will pull no punches.

The present GTI is a serious slow coach, suffers from wheelspin and is a poop pot in comparison to the R. The GTI is a has been and is outdated seriously with its lack of grunt. Hence the release of the GTI Clubsport.

When I compared the GTI to the R, I was shocked as to how miserably slow it felt and it was a sad experience driving it.

Poor charv94 is the delusional one as he wants so much for the GTI to be as good as an R and it is not. The GTI is a very good car, but the R is a great car.

The only thing in the GTI's favour is it has a slightly bigger boot! So what? I'd get a GTD for that.

I must admit there really is no comparison in driving experience comparing the GTI and the R. I test drove an R when my GTI was in for a repair. 6 weeks later my GTI was gone.

I wouldn't slate an R until you drive it, you'll probably change your mind.

Also on the boot space. You only lose the lower floor. I never used it anyway.