GTE MK8 due

[monkeyhanger]

The radiator looks incredibly exposed

Great minds think alike. I made a similar comment back in June on the GTI’s lower honeycomb grille - also with the same very large holes;

I don’t think the very large honeycomb shaped holes in the lower grille help the GTI’s styling. Why on earth did the honeycomb holes need to be that large? Leaves the radiator and a/c condenser very exposed to damage from flying stones and other road debris. A grill with a smaller, more subtle honeycomb pattern would have looked better IMO, and provided more protection.

Hopefully VW will have a large stock of radiators and condensers available for when owners need replacements.

Unfortunately stone chip impact damage to the condenser unit isn't covered by warranty - there's an£800 bill for a VW design flaw. If I was looking to buy something with a grille that open (A1 and A3 are the same), i'd be wanting some fine (3-5mm diameter holes) mesh glued or screwed to the back of it.

[ar899]

On the 7/7.5 I believe that the GTI/GTD/GTE all had the same suspension set up. Seems the Mk 8 GTI has gone a bit more hard core on the suspension - do the GTD/GTE follow suit or are they softer?

[Guzzle]

GTE does not sit on lowered suspension like the GTi and GTD. It is stiffened but sits on taller springs.

In the Autogefuhl video Thomas describes it as being not as stiff as the GTi, somewhere between that and the normal Golf.

The Mk7 GTE did not have lowered suspension either.

[fredgroves]

On the Mk7 I saw with my own eyes a GTE, my GTD and an R parked next to each other in a carpark.

The GTE roof was higher than my GTD and the R lower than the GTD.

I don't suppose that has changed on the MK8.

For all of the raw numbers, the GTE is not in the same league as the GTD/GTI/R. Its very much more a normal golf.

[Guzzle]

In raw numbers the GTE is about half a second quicker to 60 mph than the GTD, but most of that advantage will be off the line.

Odd thing about the GTE, it comes on 17 inch wheels, you have to pay extra for 18's and 19's can't be specced at all. Yet Octavia vRS iV with the same running gear comes with 19's as standard.

[CarbonGTD]

I'm running a Mk 8 Golf GTE demonstrator for a wk at the moment.  Thankfully this is wearing the factory option 18" wheels (as they look 100 times better and fill the arches much more convincingly).  In terms of ride I would say it was just about perfectly judged (the car does not have DCC) on the 18s - it is firm, definitely, but not crashy, and the damping is excellent.

[Jim_mk7.5]

On the 7/7.5 I believe that the GTI/GTD/GTE all had the same suspension set up. Seems the Mk 8 GTI has gone a bit more hard core on the suspension - do the GTD/GTE follow suit or are they softer?

GTD and GTI sit on the same suspension, just the GTE is different.

Same on my 330e - despite it being M Sport, it doesn't have the lower M suspension. Must be just a hybrid thing.

[ar899]

On the 7/7.5 I believe that the GTI/GTD/GTE all had the same suspension set up. Seems the Mk 8 GTI has gone a bit more hard core on the suspension - do the GTD/GTE follow suit or are they softer?

GTD and GTI sit on the same suspension, just the GTE is different.

Same on my 330e - despite it being M Sport, it doesn't have the lower M suspension. Must be just a hybrid thing.

Interesting on the configurator that you can only spec DCC on the GTD for 19" wheels whereas on the GTI you can spec DCC on both 18" and 19".

[Guzzle]

I think that's a case of UK configurator foibles strike again.

There's nothing in the brochure to state you can only have DCC with 19's, and you can add it on the German configurator no problem 🤷‍♂️

[fredgroves]

Same on my 330e - despite it being M Sport, it doesn't have the lower M suspension. Must be just a hybrid thing.

Its all the junk in the trunk