RE: Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport: Driven
Discussion
andrewparker said:
You're going to tell us the Focus RS is better looking now, or the Megane, A45, M135i....
None of these cars hit the mark visually for me. They all have love it or hate it quirks.
At least the the Focus has flared arches to make it distinctive, and the others have some individuality too. The Golf is a box on wheels to my eyes.None of these cars hit the mark visually for me. They all have love it or hate it quirks.
MB 1 said:
andrewparker said:
You're going to tell us the Focus RS is better looking now, or the Megane, A45, M135i....
None of these cars hit the mark visually for me. They all have love it or hate it quirks.
At least the the Focus has flared arches to make it distinctive, and the others have some individuality too. The Golf is a box on wheels to my eyes.None of these cars hit the mark visually for me. They all have love it or hate it quirks.
Guvernator said:
Dapster said:
VW know what they're doing here and presumably anything "more Clubsport" ie no nav, no rear seat, perspex windows, harnesses etc is either totally off brand and therefore a non starter, or research shows would deter customers.
It doesn't need to be THAT hardcore, they can keep nav as it weights nothing and loosing the rear seats on a practical hot hatch is always a stupid idea IMO. What they could have done is lost a bit of weight elsewhere, say 50-100kgs, maybe add a few trick carbon bits, add a proper lsd and remap it to move the powerband up a bit to give it some more useful fizz at the top end of the rev range. Would transform a pretty dull car to something that was bit more exciting, hell I'd even consider buying one if they'd done that and that's from someone who finds the current Golf very bland.Losing 100kgs is a big task in a road car VW want to sell to a wider audience. It's easily doable, but you'd be left with a bare skeleton of a car inside, which will be noisy. Typical German car buyers expect a certain level of quality, and they would walk away from Perspex windows, flimsy plastic wings and cosmetic bracing in place of rear seats.
It does have 'proper' mechanical lsd, and I would argue it's a better one than the usual Quaife style torsen diff. Having used Quaifes over the years, they can introduce some pretty undesirable side effects to a road car. Scatty B road behaviour, understeer unless you load it up on the apex and they still behave like an open diff if one wheel loses traction. The VAQ system is way more intelligent and effective. As said in the article, the leading Golf R was never out of the GTI's gun sight.
My only criticism is the lack of progress in the cabin. The same noddy HVAC dials and console layout date back to the MK5!
Locking diff
3dr
18" wheels
manual box
Probably the most desirable golf that there has been for a long time.
I'd take this over a Golf R any day, and probably over the more "focussed" Megane, Leon, Civic or Focus RS too.
I'd not lose any amount of sleep over the Golf's "failure" to keep up in the arms race chasers and their 'Ring times, not missing out on the last elusive percent of track capability. I think that the Golf would provide a far rounder and grown up package, and be a "better" road car as a result.
Be honestly tempted to know if there are any Golf R rivalling lease deals about for this car.
3dr
18" wheels
manual box
Probably the most desirable golf that there has been for a long time.
I'd take this over a Golf R any day, and probably over the more "focussed" Megane, Leon, Civic or Focus RS too.
I'd not lose any amount of sleep over the Golf's "failure" to keep up in the arms race chasers and their 'Ring times, not missing out on the last elusive percent of track capability. I think that the Golf would provide a far rounder and grown up package, and be a "better" road car as a result.
Be honestly tempted to know if there are any Golf R rivalling lease deals about for this car.
andrewparker said:
rob.e said:
"Clubsport-specific, forged and 3kg lighter 18s."
What are these then? No pics?
Are these the standard rims?
What are these then? No pics?
Are these the standard rims?
ETA They don't look particularly light!
They look appauling.
The grey car in the pictures looks to be running some attractive semi-motorsport styled rims that suit a Club Sport type car.
Club Sport, and gash blingy diamond cut faces do not sit well together.
mat205125 said:
Locking diff
3dr
18" wheels
manual box
Probably the most desirable golf that there has been for a long time.
I'd take this over a Golf R any day, and probably over the more "focussed" Megane, Leon, Civic or Focus RS too.
I'd not lose any amount of sleep over the Golf's "failure" to keep up in the arms race chasers and their 'Ring times, not missing out on the last elusive percent of track capability. I think that the Golf would provide a far rounder and grown up package, and be a "better" road car as a result.
Be honestly tempted to know if there are any Golf R rivalling lease deals about for this car.
If you believe the press release/Article then they'll be paying you to look after it for a couple of years while it makes them some money.3dr
18" wheels
manual box
Probably the most desirable golf that there has been for a long time.
I'd take this over a Golf R any day, and probably over the more "focussed" Megane, Leon, Civic or Focus RS too.
I'd not lose any amount of sleep over the Golf's "failure" to keep up in the arms race chasers and their 'Ring times, not missing out on the last elusive percent of track capability. I think that the Golf would provide a far rounder and grown up package, and be a "better" road car as a result.
Be honestly tempted to know if there are any Golf R rivalling lease deals about for this car.
So they put the Old Leon Cupra (280 now superceded by the 290) map in the GTI,
And then made it turn off after 10 seconds.
Anyone would think that VW had lots of map manipulating coders sat around doing nothing suddenly.
talksthetorque said:
If you believe the press release/Article then they'll be paying you to look after it for a couple of years while it makes them some money.
So they put the Old Leon Cupra (280 now superceded by the 290) map in the GTI,
And then made it turn off after 10 seconds.
Anyone would think that VW had lots of map manipulating coders sat around doing nothing suddenly.
I don't get that gimmicky over boost feature?, I'm assuming they haven't given it the 290 engine to keep it behind the r in performance termsSo they put the Old Leon Cupra (280 now superceded by the 290) map in the GTI,
And then made it turn off after 10 seconds.
Anyone would think that VW had lots of map manipulating coders sat around doing nothing suddenly.
SuperchargedVR6 said:
Losing 100kgs is a big task in a road car VW want to sell to a wider audience. It's easily doable, but you'd be left with a bare skeleton of a car inside, which will be noisy. Typical German car buyers expect a certain level of quality, and they would walk away from Perspex windows, flimsy plastic wings and cosmetic bracing in place of rear seats.
But that's the whole point of a "Clubsport", it's not supposed to appeal to the "typical German car buyer" or "wider audience", it's supposed to be a stripped back more focused machine. If they'd lost 150kgs, purposefully set it up to be much more playful/adjustable at the limit, produced it in limited numbers, but at a higher cost, then I think they would have got a lot of positive press reviews about how they'd really created something great. Sure, there would be people that would complain it wasn't £10k cheaper and available on a 0% lease, but it would have been a great halo, and fitting of the name - Clubsport.
hufggfg said:
But that's the whole point of a "Clubsport", it's not supposed to appeal to the "typical German car buyer" or "wider audience", it's supposed to be a stripped back more focused machine.
If they'd lost 150kgs, purposefully set it up to be much more playful/adjustable at the limit, produced it in limited numbers, but at a higher cost, then I think they would have got a lot of positive press reviews about how they'd really created something great. Sure, there would be people that would complain it wasn't £10k cheaper and available on a 0% lease, but it would have been a great halo, and fitting of the name - Clubsport.
The name is utterly, completely wrong. They would never make a true "Clubsport" Golf, it doesn't fit with the image they're trying to sell. It may not be supposed to appeal to a "typical German car buyer" but there are plenty of people who would walk into a showroom and buy one (because it's "the best GTI") then bIf they'd lost 150kgs, purposefully set it up to be much more playful/adjustable at the limit, produced it in limited numbers, but at a higher cost, then I think they would have got a lot of positive press reviews about how they'd really created something great. Sure, there would be people that would complain it wasn't £10k cheaper and available on a 0% lease, but it would have been a great halo, and fitting of the name - Clubsport.
h and moan bitterly that it's too hardcore.As an Edition 40 this car makes far, far more sense.
If you bought one of these, you would feel as though you'd have to explain why you bought it??? "oooh i bought it because it's exclusive.... and better than a regular GTi". That may be true, but the R is the elephant in the room.
Buy one of these and you'll be one of "those" who has to explain why its better and costs more than a regular GTI... And why a Golf R wasnt "the right choice" for you.
Buy one of these and you'll be one of "those" who has to explain why its better and costs more than a regular GTI... And why a Golf R wasnt "the right choice" for you.
I was going to start by saying I struggle to see the point of this car but on reflection I see the point exactly. From VW's point of view that is. They know their customers and this will sell easily for sure.
THAT is the point of this car. To sell to VW fanboys. The type of driver that has wet dreams over this is the type of driver that would never consider something like the new Civic Type R or soon to arrive Focus RS. This is only highlighted by the fact that you already have the very competent and cheaper regular Golf GTI sitting below it or the only slightly more expensive and very capable Golf R above it. Yet people will want it anyway.
Frankly VW should be embarrassed tagging this with the 'clubsport ' moniker. The stripped out, two seater, caged Megane is how to do 'clubsport' and the new Focus RS is how you do proper mega hatch fun for the family man.
When I eventually find myself in a position once again to consider this kind of purchase I want fun and grin factor above all else. Merely competent or 'desirable' simply won't do. As a past and current owner of various VW/Audi products I feel I am qualified to make such a comment.
VW don't do true enthusiast's cars, they simply do competent, slightly sharper and quicker versions of their mainstream models. For those who disagree with this look at Ford's RS and Renault's Renaultsport divisions and see what they produce.
If VW seem cynical with this car it is only because they are doing their job of designing (marketing) cars that they know will sell.
It's VW's customers who are cynical. And the Clubsport GTI is a very cynical car IMHO.
THAT is the point of this car. To sell to VW fanboys. The type of driver that has wet dreams over this is the type of driver that would never consider something like the new Civic Type R or soon to arrive Focus RS. This is only highlighted by the fact that you already have the very competent and cheaper regular Golf GTI sitting below it or the only slightly more expensive and very capable Golf R above it. Yet people will want it anyway.
Frankly VW should be embarrassed tagging this with the 'clubsport ' moniker. The stripped out, two seater, caged Megane is how to do 'clubsport' and the new Focus RS is how you do proper mega hatch fun for the family man.
When I eventually find myself in a position once again to consider this kind of purchase I want fun and grin factor above all else. Merely competent or 'desirable' simply won't do. As a past and current owner of various VW/Audi products I feel I am qualified to make such a comment.
VW don't do true enthusiast's cars, they simply do competent, slightly sharper and quicker versions of their mainstream models. For those who disagree with this look at Ford's RS and Renault's Renaultsport divisions and see what they produce.
If VW seem cynical with this car it is only because they are doing their job of designing (marketing) cars that they know will sell.
It's VW's customers who are cynical. And the Clubsport GTI is a very cynical car IMHO.
JMF894 said:
I was going to start by saying I struggle to see the point of this car but on reflection I see the point exactly. From VW's point of view that is. They know their customers and this will sell easily for sure.
THAT is the point of this car. To sell to VW fanboys. The type of driver that has wet dreams over this is the type of driver that would never consider something like the new Civic Type R or soon to arrive Focus RS. This is only highlighted by the fact that you already have the very competent and cheaper regular Golf GTI sitting below it or the only slightly more expensive and very capable Golf R above it. Yet people will want it anyway.
Frankly VW should be embarrassed tagging this with the 'clubsport ' moniker. The stripped out, two seater, caged Megane is how to do 'clubsport' and the new Focus RS is how you do proper mega hatch fun for the family man.
When I eventually find myself in a position once again to consider this kind of purchase I want fun and grin factor above all else. Merely competent or 'desirable' simply won't do. As a past and current owner of various VW/Audi products I feel I am qualified to make such a comment.
VW don't do true enthusiast's cars, they simply do competent, slightly sharper and quicker versions of their mainstream models. For those who disagree with this look at Ford's RS and Renault's Renaultsport divisions and see what they produce.
If VW seem cynical with this car it is only because they are doing their job of designing (marketing) cars that they know will sell.
It's VW's customers who are cynical. And the Clubsport GTI is a very cynical car IMHO.
I agree with most of that but as a massive vw fanboy I think the focus would get my money, maybe not the type r but I'd like to try it anywayTHAT is the point of this car. To sell to VW fanboys. The type of driver that has wet dreams over this is the type of driver that would never consider something like the new Civic Type R or soon to arrive Focus RS. This is only highlighted by the fact that you already have the very competent and cheaper regular Golf GTI sitting below it or the only slightly more expensive and very capable Golf R above it. Yet people will want it anyway.
Frankly VW should be embarrassed tagging this with the 'clubsport ' moniker. The stripped out, two seater, caged Megane is how to do 'clubsport' and the new Focus RS is how you do proper mega hatch fun for the family man.
When I eventually find myself in a position once again to consider this kind of purchase I want fun and grin factor above all else. Merely competent or 'desirable' simply won't do. As a past and current owner of various VW/Audi products I feel I am qualified to make such a comment.
VW don't do true enthusiast's cars, they simply do competent, slightly sharper and quicker versions of their mainstream models. For those who disagree with this look at Ford's RS and Renault's Renaultsport divisions and see what they produce.
If VW seem cynical with this car it is only because they are doing their job of designing (marketing) cars that they know will sell.
It's VW's customers who are cynical. And the Clubsport GTI is a very cynical car IMHO.
I really like it however...
I wish they had got rid of the rear seats, upgraded the brakes and stuck a nice, fancy titanium exhaust on it.
It is a silly idea in only offering the PSC2 on the 19" alloys however you can get them in 235/40/18 which I am sure some people will opt for as it's the same size as the standard rear tyre size and only 10mm bigger on the front.
I wish they had got rid of the rear seats, upgraded the brakes and stuck a nice, fancy titanium exhaust on it.
It is a silly idea in only offering the PSC2 on the 19" alloys however you can get them in 235/40/18 which I am sure some people will opt for as it's the same size as the standard rear tyre size and only 10mm bigger on the front.
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