RE: Spotted: VW Lupo GTI
Discussion
I've had mine from new, in Grey Anthracite, since March 2004. Currently on 90k and I will never sell. I love it.
Dynamically a similar era 106GTI or Cooper S has it licked, but its decent enough and its always had that special feel.
They do fetch strong money, but they were pricey to begin with. Mine was 14k with aircon and the pearl paint in 2004 and thats before you started adding leather.
Not sure if this pic will work, as its from my twitter...
My cars been a total work horse, I've been all over Europe in it, its done house moves (from France once), airport pick ups, taken me to job interviews, taken the cats to the vets, had a load of garden waste dumped in the back, transported all the material needed for our wedding, hen dos and done all the other things life throws at you. In short, its part of the family.
Its only let me down once in the nearly 9 years I've owned it.
Dynamically a similar era 106GTI or Cooper S has it licked, but its decent enough and its always had that special feel.
They do fetch strong money, but they were pricey to begin with. Mine was 14k with aircon and the pearl paint in 2004 and thats before you started adding leather.
Not sure if this pic will work, as its from my twitter...
My cars been a total work horse, I've been all over Europe in it, its done house moves (from France once), airport pick ups, taken me to job interviews, taken the cats to the vets, had a load of garden waste dumped in the back, transported all the material needed for our wedding, hen dos and done all the other things life throws at you. In short, its part of the family.
Its only let me down once in the nearly 9 years I've owned it.
Edited by AndyWoodall on Thursday 21st February 13:01
mrtwisty said:
I'd heard this as well. Did this afflict just the five cogger?
It's the 5-speed 085 family of gearboxes that are crap, the Lupo 6-speed has more in common with the 02X-series of 'boxes used in the larger VW products.The chocolate 5-speeders have their roots in the 084 4-speeder from the Mk1 Polo, though it only seems to be post-'94 gearboxes (after VW changed the design) from the Mk4/6N Polo onwards that have real issues.
As much as I love the Lupo GTI, I think it's the looks that've helped it hold its value - and I guess that it still feels relatively modern. A good condition Polo G40 for £2k looks like a bargain in comparison though, lighter and not much less power than the Lupo with easy potential for more.
TTOBES said:
AndyWoodall, that looks fantastic, even if dirty! The SE lenses look good.
Thanks, its rarely clean, although I was fastidious in the first year of owning it!The lights, along with a double DIN VW sat nav unit and some KW V1 coilovers (big mistake, though cheaper than standard VW shocks) are the only changes I've made.
My wife had one of these for a few years in silver, fantastic little car!
Never gave any trouble and was pretty quick, was great fun to throw about.
Should never have sold it.
Lupo GTI by Adam Kennedy Photography, on Flickr
Who Needs A 4x4? / 268 of 365 by Adam Kennedy Photography, on Flickr
Never gave any trouble and was pretty quick, was great fun to throw about.
Should never have sold it.
Lupo GTI by Adam Kennedy Photography, on Flickr
Who Needs A 4x4? / 268 of 365 by Adam Kennedy Photography, on Flickr
These great little cars, had one as my 2nd car at 18 but loved it as though it was first car. Bought by more luck than judgement at the time but had super rare colour concept interior, that wasn't offered on the Lupo GTi, yet I had to original invoice for the car that marked the option heated leather (blue), but I suppose when the 1st owner was from Kennsington what do you expect.
Sold after 18 months of lovely ownership for nearly 6 grand!!! I was happy considering I paid £3200 for it though
Sold after 18 months of lovely ownership for nearly 6 grand!!! I was happy considering I paid £3200 for it though
amstrange1 said:
mrtwisty said:
I'd heard this as well. Did this afflict just the five cogger?
It's the 5-speed 085 family of gearboxes that are crap, the Lupo 6-speed has more in common with the 02X-series of 'boxes used in the larger VW products.The chocolate 5-speeders have their roots in the 084 4-speeder from the Mk1 Polo, though it only seems to be post-'94 gearboxes (after VW changed the design) from the Mk4/6N Polo onwards that have real issues.
As much as I love the Lupo GTI, I think it's the looks that've helped it hold its value - and I guess that it still feels relatively modern. A good condition Polo G40 for £2k looks like a bargain in comparison though, lighter and not much less power than the Lupo with easy potential for more.
nagsheadwarrior said:
Ruddy hell, I like a small fun car but £4600 for that!!!
Imagine all the other things you could buy for that sort of cash,even some cars of the same age or newer, thats just mental.
Are these going up in value or have they just never fell past this price bracket?
Lupo GTI isn't any hot hatch. VW didn't just put 'big' engine in a small car, far from it. In fact, it was and still is one of the most factory 'modified' hot hatches ever. It has wider tracks both front and rear, aluminum wide wings front and rear, aluminum bonnet, magnesium rear hatch, alumium doors, upgraded brakes all round, 6-speed (rear at that time), different suspensions, smaller passenger side mirror, different head lights' deisgn (not just Xenon, but different design), unique dashboard design... List is endless. The difference between Lupo GTI and the 1.4 Sport is bigger than Focus RS and Focus ST. I don't think car manufactures today would do something like this and only charge 25% over the standard model (the 1.4 sport was around £10k, and GTI was from £12.5k). Imagine all the other things you could buy for that sort of cash,even some cars of the same age or newer, thats just mental.
Are these going up in value or have they just never fell past this price bracket?
Edited by loveice on Thursday 21st February 13:36
Hopefully I can clear this up so it never gets mentioned again
The Lupo GTi gearbox, in either 5 or 6-speed guise, IS/ARE DIFFERENT to the chocolate gearboxes fitted to the Polo GTi and other Lupos.
Well worth seeking out the 6-speeders if you're looking to buy - 6th is roughly the same ratio as the old 5th, so they're pretty well stacked together. I did have the times somewhere, but 50-70 was nearly 3 seconds quicker on the 6-speeder.
Price wise, they'll always be strong - they're worth alot in parts due to the aluminium panels, xenons etc. That, and they're quite popular!
This was on our shortlist after selling the 350z for something more economical but still fun.
We decided on either a Lupo GTi, a RenaultSport Twingo 133, or a Fiesta ST.
The 133 won out eventually after not liking the fiesta after a test drive and not having any GTi's close enough by or at the price we were willing to pay for one.
Still like them, they look like a baby Golf and i'm sure they would be great fun.
We decided on either a Lupo GTi, a RenaultSport Twingo 133, or a Fiesta ST.
The 133 won out eventually after not liking the fiesta after a test drive and not having any GTi's close enough by or at the price we were willing to pay for one.
Still like them, they look like a baby Golf and i'm sure they would be great fun.
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