Stiff competition for the Mk7 Golf GTI - First Edition

[Sharkie]

Trouble is the new 1 Series is like a pineapple. Ugly on the outside, but sweet on the inside.

Could you really buy a pineapple when there are plenty of nice shiny apples to choose from?

Agreed the 1 Series is not the best looker, but anybody who buys a "hot hatch" based purely on looks needs to re-assess their intent to want a drivers car as well.

I rate the now old 130i as the ultimate drivers hot hatch to date as nothing else I've driven (including Rs and S3s) delivered the same involving driver's experience out of the box. Not the most practical for passengers, but amazing to drive. I even cancelled my order on the R as the drive experience was frankly underwhelming when they arrived ....

My BMW Z3 M-Coupe was absolutely mental and almost s3xually satisfying to drive, but was hit hard by the ugly stick. When you're on the inside and you enjoy the drive, you tend to forget how ugly it is on the outside ...... and you don't care either ....

Whilst not the 1 I'm buying, I also have no doubt that a lightly tuned (ie Stg 2) 120i will run rings around a simiarly tuned GTI and the others for about the same price .....

[THE_EGG]

Agreed the 1 Series is not the best looker, but anybody who buys a "hot hatch" based purely on looks needs to re-assess their intent to want a drivers car as well.

I rate the now old 130i as the ultimate drivers hot hatch to date as nothing else I've driven (including Rs and S3s) delivered the same involving driver's experience out of the box. Not the most practical for passengers, but amazing to drive. I even cancelled my order on the R as the drive experience was frankly underwhelming when they arrived ....

My BMW Z3 M-Coupe was absolutely mental and almost s3xually satisfying to drive, but was hit hard by the ugly stick. When you're on the inside and you enjoy the drive, you tend to forget how ugly it is on the outside ...... and you don't care either ....

Whilst not the 1 I'm buying, I also have no doubt that a lightly tuned (ie Stg 2) 120i will run rings around a simiarly tuned GTI and the others for about the same price .....

Hey man a bit off topic but were you on stanley street within the last week? (near the gabba) I was stopped next to a Z3 M-acoupe (in grey i think it was) at a red light. grrr I wish i could remember which day. Totally agreed about the 1 series hatch, my grandpa has a 123D and that is epic.

[team_v]

Hey man a bit off topic but were you on stanley street within the last week? (near the gabba) I was stopped next to a Z3 M-acoupe (in grey i think it was) at a red light. grrr I wish i could remember which day. Totally agreed about the 1 series hatch, my grandpa has a 123D and that is epic.

I'm pretty sure Sharkie sold his z3-m a while ago.

[Greg Roles]

Of those three I'd get the Citroen!

But my next car will be RWD or AWD, it's really a shame the Beemers look so odd in my price bracket, they are exceptional mechanically!

[pologti18t]

The 125I seems like good value. 45K for a 160kw RWD hatch that does 0-100 in 6.4 seconds.

[Ryan_R]

I like tech in cars more than most people, but I think twitter + facebook are a bit overkill:

http://www.viddler.com/v/ebb6c1e1

Do they still put that trackpad in the middle for RHD cars? Would be somewhat harder for right-handed people otherwise.

[MkVIGTI]

I personally quite like the look of the Astra GTC as well, can't wait for it to arrive!

[Whistler]

Mercedes have stated they are aiming for the Golf R and Audi RS3 buyers. Hi output and AWD and It'll be in a different legue and price bracket.
It'll be a cracker of a car but before shelling out big $$$ I'd need to know if it "feels" as good as both Golfs

---------- Post added at 06:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ----------

My bad, just realized I'm referring to the AMG A class Just announced. But worth waiting for I'd guess

[Buller_Scott]

A class competing with the golf?!?!

since when did the A class put on so much weight?

given that all the power figures will all be within close range of each other, i'd go the one with the best chassis and smallest engine in a fwd car. the handling implications will mean that whilst others are quibbling over which car has 4% more kilwatts, the car i described will be 3 corners ahead.

and i say fwd because i like my hatchbacks, and so far rwd in a hatch package has compromised interior room (bmw)... i dont know why i care about what whoever is sitting back there thinks about comfort, but i do...

regarding the merc a250 - i read on some car site that they reckon that if aus gets an AMG version, it'd "likely be north of $50k"...

lol. the last POS a180 avantgarde from 2009 was RRP of like $48k...

the a250, their most sporting non-amg proposition, might compete with the gti in terms of stats on paper, but do you really reckon that mercedes, who are happy to sell a little ishtbox like the previous model a class for $48k, would sell the new one for a similar price?

nah, merc arent gonna let you have a new a250 for close to gti money... time and a halve it, though, and we might be ballpark...

[WhiteJames]

A better question to ask may be:
Do I purhase another hatchback or Toyota FT86 / Subaru BRZ Coupe?
Practicality -v- Purpose Built Driver's Car?
In fairness to the Golf GTI - The Toyota FT86 doesn't have the low end turbo torque, DSG Trans or 5 doors.
Cheers.
WJ

[alebonau]

A better question to ask may be:
Do I purhase another hatchback or Toyota FT86 / Subaru BRZ Coupe?
Practicality -v- Purpose Built Driver's Car?
In fairness to the Golf GTI - The Toyota FT86 doesn't have the low end turbo torque, DSG Trans or 5 doors.
Cheers.
WJ

yep picked all the reasons why so the toyota so different proposition to the golf.

interesting thread, I owned a citroen c4 for 4.5 years after which was very glad to shift to the gti. which has been a good car. would I go back to a french car. with its poxy resale (important to me if leasing) just dont seem to have the fit finish or solidity of the golf. the back windows of the ds4 dont go down? wtf ? who in theitr right mind allowed that out the design house !?! taller centre of gravity with higher seating position. no DSG on GTI equivalent ? not sure I'd go for it.

is the audi a more conservative / boring more expensive version of the gti ?

merc a250 ? no way Id imagine that would be gti competition. maybe golf R ? if it is that would be a direct hit for merc ! what else is out there megane rs250, alfa giulietta QV though again no DSG on either of those, and theyre heading back in citroen territory for build fit and finish and resale

[THE_EGG]

hmm well I've been doing some thorough reading on the Alfa Romeo 4C and by the looks of it the estimated price for Australia is around $55, 000AUD. I'll take this thanks!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[San Gimignano R]

Maybe Holden/HSV might release a new HSV Astra, Ford with their Focus ST/XR5 or even another RS, Honda with a better Civic Type R or Mazda with a new MPS3. Even Hyundai have their new 'hot hatch' which doesn't look too bad.

Honda is briging out a new Type R Civic. Has a 2.0L Turbo in it.

Honda Civic Type R Getting Turbo For Next Gen: Report | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications

[Ryan_R]

The 8C looked fantastic but drove horribly... this 4C though isn't working for me at all, so perhaps it will drive a lot better.

[alebonau]

Honda is briging out a new Type R Civic. Has a 2.0L Turbo in it.

Honda Civic Type R Getting Turbo For Next Gen: Report | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications

Sam unfortunately that was last year, latest from Honda Australia is the TypeR is no more

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/type-r-for-retired-20120229-1u1qf.html

Most 'sporty' thing fom Honda is the crz. Honda lost the plot basically !