Golf GTI Edition 35

[DoggieHowser]

I was just thinking, if you really wanted a 3 door Edition 35, isn't the Scirroco R the way to go?

Plus it looks way better than the 3 door GTI

(quickly dons the antiflame suit)

haha

Seriously, I do think the 3 door looks better by a smidgen. And yes, there is a difference in the rear leg room between of the 5 door vs the 3 door.

[Corey_R]

And yes, there is a difference in the rear leg room between of the 5 door vs the 3 door.

Sorry... I know I said I was going to drop things, but this is a factual error and needs to be corrected. There is no difference in rear leg room. Zero. The wheel base, as with the interior dimensions are identical... except hip room. The 3 door is slightly larger than the 5 door, as it doesn't have doors and therefore less bulk.

Again, this is one of those very common misconceptions where Australians assume the rear is smaller on the 3 door models compared to the 5 door models. The reality is, that models where the 3 door has a shorter wheelbase than the 5 door models are very rare (is there even a single model on the market at the moment where this is the case? I can't find one)

[bwen]

is there even a single model on the market at the moment where this is the case? I can't find one

I don't think so, they're not going to redesign a chassis for 3 door and 5 door models specifically just to have different leg room. The front seats in a 3 door car might slide back and forth with a greater sliding distance but there wouldn't be any difference besides for that (other than the width which Corey mentioned).

I'm not going to fuel the debate any further but hot hatch = 3 door 5 door has just been brought into the market to help sales and make things easier for the nuclear family (2.5 kids).

[Ideo]

Oh FFS

it's the number of doors.

Who the f**k cares?

[gavs]

I'll only briefly comment here and say my piece. Who HONESTLY, really cares how many doors the damn thing has? How many of you toss and turn at night, thinking how goddman catestrophic it is that the car has 4 doors?

Either way, the previous RenaultSport Megane Cup had 5 doors and would blow either mk5 or mk6 golf GTI away. The current RenaultSport Megane has 3 doors and good luck in having any non modified VW keep up with it.

VW might like to claim to have started the hot hatch phenomenon but if you dig into history it was Renault who started the whole big-engine-little-hatchback saga with the 5 Alpine and frankly, VW have been playing catch-up ever since.

[DoggieHowser]

Thanks for the info. Hadn't realised the 3 and 5 door share the same wheelbase. So if the dimensions are identical, then the 3 and 5 door shouldn't have different "aspect ratios", unlike say a 3 door and 5 door (Sportback) A3

[Corey_R]

Even with the A3 Hatchback vs Sportsback, the wheelbase (and therefore back seat space) is still the same. The extra 8 cm is added behind the rear wheels. So you have more luggage space, but no more seated space.

With the most cars, the 3 door model has longer front doors, moving the B Pillar back. So as well as the better looking exterior, some people like 3 door models better (such as myself) for the fact the B pillar is behind your perpherial vision. The 5 door Golf is particularly annoying to me on that front. In my family we've got both a 5 door Golf and Focus diesel and the Focus's back doors are smaller in comparison to the Golf's back doors, so the B pillar position isn't as annoying on the Focus as the Golf. But then, many people have always driven 5 door cars and so this just doesn't bother them.

On the current Polo model, a good friend who is something like 6'5" wanted a Polo 77TSI, but couldn't get in and out of the 5 door model cause the front doors are so short and he just couldn't get into the seat easily. No such issue with the 3 door Polo GTI, but the 77TSI isn't available in 3 door and he didn't want to spend as much as a GTI.

So it comes down to more than just looks... but there is never a difference in back seat space.

[DoggieHowser]

I wasn't referring to legrooms on the A3 variants, more to do with the aspect ratio. In that case, the Sportback is clearly chunkier vs the sleeker 3 doors.

But if you took away the door lines, the aspect ratio is identical on the 3 and 5 door Golfs.

[SilvrFoxX]

So to reintroduce the topic and make this thread interesting again... has anyone ordered a 35 yet..? I am not sure the timing is right for this spec given the waiting times for the R and the keen pricing of the standard GTI.

Also interested to hear what the driving experience is like, given that the R has been detuned and feels a tad doughy at times in D mode I can't appreciate how good the same engine and turbo config detuned further are going to improve it..

[Corey_R]

I wasn't referring to legrooms on the A3 variants, more to do with the aspect ratio. In that case, the Sportback is clearly chunkier vs the sleeker 3 doors.

But if you took away the door lines, the aspect ratio is identical on the 3 and 5 door Golfs.

"Aspect ratio" isn't really a term associated with cars, so I wasn't sure exactly what you were "applying" to the aspects. But I understand now. The "silhouette" of the side view outline of the Golf is the same regardless yes. It's just the position of the B pillar (and therefore front door size) and the styling from the B pillar to the back of the Golf which changes between the two - so mainly rear side window shape and rear quarter panel sleekness from the lack of the rear door handle and door opening lines.

ETA:

So to reintroduce the topic and make this thread interesting again... has anyone ordered a 35 yet..? I am not sure the timing is right for this spec given the waiting times for the R and the keen pricing of the standard GTI.

Also interested to hear what the driving experience is like, given that the R has been detuned and feels a tad doughy at times in D mode I can't appreciate how good the same engine and turbo config detuned further are going to improve it..

I don't personally know anyone who has bought one yet, but there have been quite a few sold already (well, deposits placed). I would assume that the driving experience would be much like the Pirelli GTI, but a little bit "quieter". The Pirelli GTI had the same engine and tune, and being 125kg lighter than the R, and not AWD, was actually quite a bit "zippier" than the stock R imo

[DoggieHowser]

What's the premium for the Scirocco R?

That's 2 doors, sleek as hell, same R engine with no detune, and COMES IN RISING BLUE ftw

If the rumours of it getting ACC as standard (vs no option at all on the Ed35), the Roc seems like a good alternative/proposition.

FWIW, I'd still prefer the 3 door Golf for the AWD

[Corey_R]

I'm not really a fan of the Scirocci styling tbh.
There is also 6cm less headroom in the back seat, so on the rare occasion that I do have a friend in the car, my g/f and some friends can't sit in the back due to their height. Additionally, based on the measurements, I can't fit some of my equipment that I transport semi-regularly in the boot of it. So it wasn't an option even if I liked the styling (and could be bought here)

As for price, it's supposedly going to be the same as the R. I don't think that the AWD is a great loss. For the performance boys, the fact that it's lower to the ground and lighter means it'll beat the Golf around the track anyway. AWD is only beneficial for the traffic lights GP and the drag strip

[SilvrFoxX]

Corey have to say I can't agree with you, AWD has a number of benefits and it is just not about whether you believe it has it over the FWD versions. The whole feel of the car is different and as said by many before if you are used to driving with AWD then to move to RWD or FWD feels less planted.

When braking with AWD if feels more controlled, I am no boy racer, no track hound or traffic light grand prix driver but I would shell out more to own an AWD for the safety aspects as well as the perceived benefits.

If some one says they think the AWD is a loss on a vehicle then it is a key purchasing decision.

[Capercat]

AWD does have a unique feel, it's an acquired taste so to speak, my personal favorite is RWD + LSD.

[SilvrFoxX]

AWD does have a unique feel, it's an acquired taste so to speak, my personal favorite is RWD + LSD.

I think it is because of the weight distribution which gives it that feel and also how power is directed.. with FWD the wheels are both driving and steering the car this is not the same in the AWD.