So, normally when you order a new car, or actually have it, you'll see 10x as many of them on the roads as you did before the order.
It happened with my TT, A3's and such previously... Its almost like bionic vision... you spot them from 2 miles away....

But with the GTI ( ed30), this just hasnt happened...
I've seen many more new shape TT's ( all with the golf GTI engine

... nobody is driving the 3.2 V6 near me) , than I have GTI's of the same age or R32's.
SO far, since I ordered the car, and received it... I've seen one... and that was on the m4 near heathrow, when I was down that way on business.
To this point of the original post...
My dealer had the Ed30 in the showroom... I saw it... sat in it.... and said to the missus,... " I WANT THIS ONE". It was a magical feeling... which I havent had for a car, in a very long time... then I test drove one... (unless the drive had been utterly shocking... I would have bought the Ed30 regardless).
I've been in lots of cars, and driven nearly as many of them... And nothing I've driven has given me that spine tingling feeling that the GTI did.
And... from what I can see... its a pretty damn exclusive car.
Thats why I bought a mere 'golf'!