The new type r - is it a sales flop?
Discussion
kambites said:
EnglishTony said:
How are Golf R sales bearing up now the Focus RS is within sight of being delivered?
Do they really appeal to the same people? I'd have said the Focus and Honda probably have similar target audiences but the Golf is somehow just more... sensible. I'd have thought the Golf's average buyer was 10 years older. The R is just a fast Golf to me and therefore has all the desirability of a quality raincoat- probably an excellent & sensible choice, but I'd sooner take a jacket and risk getting wet. Or something like that.
I've seen a few of the new Type Rs on the road although I'm not too far from a big Honda dealership, and I have to say I thought they looked even better on the road than the pictures I've seen, they certainly have a lot of road presence (for better or worse). That price has got to be putting a few people off though.
neil1jnr said:
Your point is entirely correct. Ironically, the same traits can apply to say the Golf R, not the quickest, not the best to drive or the best to live with (debatable) but is hugely popular. If I had the money, would I buy a Civic Type R? Possibly, FWD appeals to me, I prefer the Cupra 280 over the Golf R. The fact of the matter is though, the Civic, I assume, is not as affordable as its German rivals via PCP or lease, and if I had the choice of a Golf at £300/month or the Civic at £350/month I'd take the Golf every time.
They failed at their goal of the ring record and created a monster chasing that dream. Beaten by seat with a car that looked normal and Renault with a car ID actually describe as quite pretty.
Finance isn't it's issue. It's just an ugly under achiever. If they leased them for under £200 tomorrow I doubt we'd see a golf R lease type stampede. After all, finance requires, a good credit history and this car looks like it's aimed at people who hide behind the couch when the provy woman comes round.
Finance isn't it's issue. It's just an ugly under achiever. If they leased them for under £200 tomorrow I doubt we'd see a golf R lease type stampede. After all, finance requires, a good credit history and this car looks like it's aimed at people who hide behind the couch when the provy woman comes round.
nunpuncher said:
They failed at their goal of the ring record and created a monster chasing that dream. Beaten by seat with a car that looked normal and Renault with a car ID actually describe as quite pretty.
Finance isn't it's issue. It's just an ugly under achiever. If they leased them for under £200 tomorrow I doubt we'd see a golf R lease type stampede. After all, finance requires, a good credit history and this car looks like it's aimed at people who hide behind the couch when the provy woman comes round.
Not entirely sure the roads are filled with Renaults or Seats either are they? People like the Golf for the image. And they love a cheap Golf even more. The ability of the car has very little to do with it if they can save a few quid.Finance isn't it's issue. It's just an ugly under achiever. If they leased them for under £200 tomorrow I doubt we'd see a golf R lease type stampede. After all, finance requires, a good credit history and this car looks like it's aimed at people who hide behind the couch when the provy woman comes round.
If the Golf was a bag of s
t, it would still sell. As was seen with the MkIV.I love it, being an old school VTEC fanboy I thought I wouldn't. Couldn't have been more wrong. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I had £32k for a daily driver. Might consider a used one in a couple of years. I think I read that Honda only planned to sell something like 1500 per year in the UK so will always be a pretty rare car.
Jimmy Recard said:
It could well be a regional thing. I'd say that here VW group brands are the thing to have for anyone in their 20s. I know not one person who has a Honda. The only Honda driver I've EVER met is an old neighbour, and she'd be at least 90 now (if she's still alive)
I think Hondas are probably good cars but very, very unappealing
I like Honda. My old Civic gave 12 years trouble free and faithfull service and my C90 was brilliant. I have had my Jazz for 2 years and nothing, repeat, nothing has gone wrong with it. It is a brilliant little car and it's odd why they are not everywhere. I have CBR600F that is 4 years old and will soon be off on its 4th trip around Europe and again, nothing has gone wrong with it. Total and utter reliability.I think Hondas are probably good cars but very, very unappealing
My issue with Honda is their bonkers pricing and they don't seem to be bothered about the UK market. I don't like diesels and my car is plenty economical, but there is no Jazz diesel and they only give it 100hp when they have more powerful versions available elsewhere, so lets have one here, and a Type R while your at it too.
The current CTR looks too lairy and not subtle enough for me and probably needs Golf R power +10% to make people want one.
I like it, it's bonkers and that's why I like it. It's fast and compared to similar fast hatches its there. I don't really care about the ultimate 0.1 sec on the Grand Prix lights. This car is as fast as any of the other ones on the real world.
None of them are perfect, I agree, a little bit toned down, better exhaust sound and better resolved wheel arches/wheels but I would buy one and I am on the wrong side of 30s.
I really don't care if it suits my age or not, I drive whatever I fancy not what may or not be social correct. And I wouldn't certainly feel embarrassed getting out of one.
None of them are perfect, I agree, a little bit toned down, better exhaust sound and better resolved wheel arches/wheels but I would buy one and I am on the wrong side of 30s.
I really don't care if it suits my age or not, I drive whatever I fancy not what may or not be social correct. And I wouldn't certainly feel embarrassed getting out of one.
Shame. st.
I think the concept is considerably better than the end result.
The Honda concept designer once the first production car was shown to him
And here is something which actually looks coherent
How the fk does this look even remotely similar
This is a better reproduction of the design!
t.I think the concept is considerably better than the end result.
The Honda concept designer once the first production car was shown to him
And here is something which actually looks coherent
How the f
k does this look even remotely similarThis is a better reproduction of the design!
Edited by stuart-b on Thursday 21st April 19:55
Edited by stuart-b on Thursday 21st April 19:57
kapiteinlangzaam said:
hornetrider said:
What on earth is going on with the rear wheel / arch?If you told me that whole car was a pisstake, id believe you.
An utter abomination. Its Barry, personified.
I really like the Civic Type R. It seems to be pitched to a different market than the Golf R, which seems to be sold off the back of some very low monthly payments on lease deals. As happens, I see about four or five Golf R's on the road for every single competitor car. It has the perfect combination of badge appeal and low cost. I wonder what the residual values will be like in comparison to the market predictions considering how many will be dumped off after three years. Funny that the quad exhausts on the Golf R look more like the sort of dodgy barry-boy modification that the Civic is criticised for. The Golf R looks relatively handsome, if a little staid and anodyne; those exhausts look utterly incongruous.
As for the Civic, it does have the might of Honda's engineering and technical expertise behind them. They've got that advantage over the competition. The previous Civic Type R models were head and shoulders above their competition in terms of build quality and reliability. Honda really know about cohesive, engineeeing led design. I really rate that quality about them and the fact that the new CTR is so wild to look at is quite surprising! I can't remember the last time the hot hatch market was this exciting.
As for the Civic, it does have the might of Honda's engineering and technical expertise behind them. They've got that advantage over the competition. The previous Civic Type R models were head and shoulders above their competition in terms of build quality and reliability. Honda really know about cohesive, engineeeing led design. I really rate that quality about them and the fact that the new CTR is so wild to look at is quite surprising! I can't remember the last time the hot hatch market was this exciting.
MrBarry123 said:
I've seen probably 10 or so, 3 on the same day last week.
I like a bit of a chav in a car's design (big spoilers, wide arches, A45 Aero Kit) so the look doesn't put me off however the standard wheels are awful; the design is st and don't fill the arches properly.
I think the problem the car has from a competition perspective is that a) it's not as fast as other uber-hatches e.g. A45 AMG, RS3, FRS, M135i etc. b) not as sharp to drive as a Megane Renault Sport 275 and c) not as subtle as the Golf R or S3 - leaving it in a bizarre middle ground.
I thought the civic was the current FWD ring record holder, with faster times than the AWD 'uber hatches'? Not that I would buy a car on it's ring time mind. I assume your perception of fast is straight line 0-60?. I like a bit of a chav in a car's design (big spoilers, wide arches, A45 Aero Kit) so the look doesn't put me off however the standard wheels are awful; the design is s
t and don't fill the arches properly.I think the problem the car has from a competition perspective is that a) it's not as fast as other uber-hatches e.g. A45 AMG, RS3, FRS, M135i etc. b) not as sharp to drive as a Megane Renault Sport 275 and c) not as subtle as the Golf R or S3 - leaving it in a bizarre middle ground.
Happy to be corrected on if the Civic is slower round a track than the 'ubers'.
On topic, I have seen a few. I kind of like them, they make a change to see than a mass of boring looking cars on my commute. I would however still take the Megane out of the current crop of hatches.
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