Who’s swapping their Mk7/7.5 then...

[Torch]

I have gone and done it
It’s beautiful
5 door performance Golf GTI
Deep black
7 speed gear box
Reversing camera
245 bhp petrol engine
LCD instrumentation
LED headlights
19” wheels
Progressive indicators
Cloth seats
Lane assist
Apple CarPlay

[fredgroves]

I have gone and done it
It’s beautiful
5 door performance Golf GTI
Deep black
7 speed gear box
Reversing camera
245 bhp petrol engine
LCD instrumentation
LED headlights
19” wheels
Progressive indicators
Cloth seats
Lane assist
Apple CarPlay

Eh? What do you mean?

[Jim_mk7.5]

I have gone and done it
It’s beautiful
5 door performance Golf GTI
Deep black
7 speed gear box
Reversing camera
245 bhp petrol engine
LCD instrumentation
LED headlights
19” wheels
Progressive indicators
Cloth seats
Lane assist
Apple CarPlay

Eh? What do you mean?

Assume means this is a new car. Of which all of that stuff is standard equipment a 2019 model bar the 19s. ! 

[fredgroves]

Assume means this is a new car. Of which all of that stuff is standard equipment a 2019 model bar the 19s. ! 

Well I'd assume a Mk8 GTI, but you can't order them yet...

[kmpowell]

What makes it obvious? The Mk8 R Line is about £600 more than the outgoing model in R Line Edition trim.

I’m going based on what a 7.5 listed at close, which was circa £33-34k basic. + New model, inflation, WLTP excesses, it’s all going to add up to circa £35k min IMO. 

If VW offer a manual then yes it’ll be a slightly cheaper asking price, but I think if people are expecting a £30k price they are going to be disappointed, that is unless VW make lots of standard 7.5 kit, optional on the 8. 

[ar899]

Id be surprised if the base spec Mk8 GTI is more than £32k. I don't think it will have as much kit as the outgoing 7.5.

[mcmaddy]

It won't have the same kit and it will cost more.

[fredgroves]

Well, some things almost certainly will come bundled. If you look at the mk8 base spec stuff like Lane assist is standard. Wouldn't be surprised to see the gti have all of the kit the run out mk7.5 had. Suspect navpro could well be included too. My bet, 35k manual and 37k dsg.

[mike roberts]

Is it something to do with having to get WLTP regs for every possible iteration of spec? BMW seem to have moved more to packs with no option to spec the individual bits outside it.

[Ian_C]

I saw my first Mk8 in the dealership this morning when i dropped my car off for a service.

It was a bottom of the range one.

My thoughts:

1) Externally I'd argue its hard to tell the difference between a Mk7 and a Mk8 - seriously its hardly radical in real life. Its not even Mk5 vs Mk6 different.
2) Internally its super sparse, but again if you look at the BMW 1 series now, its also very very sparse.
3) The shiny piano black plastic surround of the inovision and AID make it look very plasticy. Seriously, very cheap. A little bit more low cost class there would have a dramatic effect on the feel of the interior. Or even just using matte plastic and not bloody piano black. Shame.

The dealer told me that it drives much nicer than the Mk7 did - not quite sure how much of that is a placebo effect.

There is not even speculation when the UK price on the GTI will be available - according to him, but he's quite frankly less informed than we are on here.

He told me that lead times are currently about 3 months for a factory order.

None of it probably would be enough for me to not want a Mk8...

Interesting how we’ll all have different views. I thought the interior looked very well integrated and build quality was good. Agree on the exterior - felt largely unchanged.