End of manual German hot hatches?
Discussion
After having my order screwed up by nationwide vehicle solutions for what appeared to be the last manual golf R on offer in the UK, it’s left me pretty gutted to find I now won’t be able to own a manual hot hatch from new here in the UK.
No 140i or golf R’s being made in manual from factory, from now on.
Really not sure where to go from here, as I don’t want a DSG, find them ridiculously boring.
What’s in the pipeline? I’m guessing the new GTI with 270-280 is going to be as fun as it’s going to get from a German hot hatch perspective?
Can’t believe the US sell more manual R’s than we do here, how times have sadly changed.
No 140i or golf R’s being made in manual from factory, from now on.
Really not sure where to go from here, as I don’t want a DSG, find them ridiculously boring.
What’s in the pipeline? I’m guessing the new GTI with 270-280 is going to be as fun as it’s going to get from a German hot hatch perspective?
Can’t believe the US sell more manual R’s than we do here, how times have sadly changed.
The new polo GTI is horrible, much prefer the previous generation, which I currently have a blueGT of, which isn’t bad, but I’ve had my heart set on a manual R for some time, and certainly wont be able to get one used, as there’ll be no good lease deals on used.
Looks like it’s the MK8 GTI I’ll have to wait for and go with, boring times.
Looks like it’s the MK8 GTI I’ll have to wait for and go with, boring times.
Edited by Jaypc18 on Monday 17th September 18:08
The Golf GTI PP is worth a look whilst it's still offered as its a nice chassis and decent powerplant. I've been enjoying my 2015 TT with the same engine and a Manual 'box. It's been my first in a while but probably the last the way things are going! Possibly more fun to drive than the M135i Auto it replaced 
Almost new Clubsport here -
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Re-map and exhaust is all it needs. Prefer them to the R too
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Re-map and exhaust is all it needs. Prefer them to the R too
Sadly the manufacturers must listen to the people that buy them new and the emissions monkeys before used buyers (although I'll miss manuals too).
The last manual, performance Audi has already been built. S1s out of production earlier this year and manuals S3s discontinued a while before that.
The last manual, performance Audi has already been built. S1s out of production earlier this year and manuals S3s discontinued a while before that.
Gio G said:
I have to admit when I drove the Golf R in manual, I was pretty underwhelmed, felt vague at best.. hence I went for a DSG, just suited the car better.
G
I felt the same about the dsg box , so went for the manual , each to their own I guess . I do hope some manufacturers still give people the choice , and not forced to drive soulless autos G
neil-1323bolts said:
I felt the same about the dsg box , so went for the manual , each to their own I guess . I do hope some manufacturers still give people the choice , and not forced to drive soulless autos
Do you really think the R's manual is a decent gearbox? I think my son's Abarth 595 has a more enjoyable manual gearbox. My point is if any car has a decent manual alternative, I would be complaining if they got rid of it. Maybe that is the problem, they are just not going to evolve a manual to feel engaging and precise as auto's start to dominate. For the record, out of my 4 cars, 3 are manuals G
Gio G said:
Do you really think the R's manual is a decent gearbox? I think my son's Abarth 595 has a more enjoyable manual gearbox. My point is if any car has a decent manual alternative, I would be complaining if they got rid of it. Maybe that is the problem, they are just not going to evolve a manual to feel engaging and precise as auto's start to dominate. For the record, out of my 4 cars, 3 are manuals
G
Yes nothing at all wrong with the golfs manual box , would have no complaints at all about it , a joy to use precise, and slick changes, even good compared with my six speed caterham box which is regarded as one of the best manuals to use on a road car ever . G
tigger1 said:
Have you driven a Golf GTI (with or without PP)? Wife has just got a 230 manual, and although it's not as powerful as the R, and it's not 4wd, it's a more than capable car.
I wouldn't be surprised if we do see some manuals coming back, once manufacturers get on top of WLTP.
I have my blueGT running 185 with a tuning box, and I didn’t really feel a difference if any on the standard 230 GTI, especially over gears 1-5, in 6th it certainly felt better, but not substantial enough for me to want to change, especially when you consider in just over a year the GTI pp will be running up to 280.I wouldn't be surprised if we do see some manuals coming back, once manufacturers get on top of WLTP.
I would have changed for a manual R, as it was to be the last we see of them over here, but I still have just over a year to run on my current blueGT, so wouldn’t settle for such a small jump, so will probably stick with it and decide where to go then, saves me a fair amount of cash doing so as well.
Daggerpie said:
Is that right, having seem the recent pics for the new A1 I was hoping they would bring out an S1 variant some time down the line, even if it was 5dr and DSG.
I believe the general consensus is that the next S1 will be 5dr and Auto - certainly the latter anyway.Which should mean that my 17 plate manual S1 should be a collector's item and appreciate.... (Wishful thinking)...
Dr G said:
Sadly the manufacturers must listen to the people that buy them new and the emissions monkeys before used buyers (although I'll miss manuals too).
The last manual, performance Audi has already been built. S1s out of production earlier this year and manuals S3s discontinued a while before that.
Does that also spell the end of having Quattro in combination with a Manual 'box? End of an era The last manual, performance Audi has already been built. S1s out of production earlier this year and manuals S3s discontinued a while before that.
Good. The demise of the manual is no great loss to VWs afaic. Horribly detached and numb shift + a nannying clutch delay valve + soggy engine mounts all adds to a less than satisfactory shift when pressing on. Try throwing it into second at 7000rpm when hot, it really is not a box that likes to be rushed. If VW had a shift like Honda's S2000 or Civic Type R (gen 1) then I would be sad about it, but VW can bin their manual. It always was average in every Golf ever produced. Some folk old enough may remember the MG Maestro using VAG's 020 gearbox.....what a disaster, lol.
They can't carry on producing two types of gearbox to satisfy a dwindling enthusiast market. It's all cost driven these days. MK7+s are back to pressed steel control arms and subframes, and plastic sumps, as first hand evidence of the bean counting. The cost of developing silly virtual cockpits had to come from somewhere.
They can't carry on producing two types of gearbox to satisfy a dwindling enthusiast market. It's all cost driven these days. MK7+s are back to pressed steel control arms and subframes, and plastic sumps, as first hand evidence of the bean counting. The cost of developing silly virtual cockpits had to come from somewhere.
SuperchargedVR6 said:
Good. The demise of the manual is no great loss to VWs afaic. Horribly detached and numb shift + a nannying clutch delay valve + soggy engine mounts all adds to a less than satisfactory shift when pressing on. Try throwing it into second at 7000rpm when hot, it really is not a box that likes to be rushed. If VW had a shift like Honda's S2000 or Civic Type R (gen 1) then I would be sad about it, but VW can bin their manual. It always was average in every Golf ever produced. Some folk old enough may remember the MG Maestro using VAG's 020 gearbox.....what a disaster, lol.
They can't carry on producing two types of gearbox to satisfy a dwindling enthusiast market. It's all cost driven these days. MK7+s are back to pressed steel control arms and subframes, and plastic sumps, as first hand evidence of the bean counting. The cost of developing silly virtual cockpits had to come from somewhere.
You're probably right, though I just came back from a weekend driving on the country lanes of North Wales in a S1, and I did think at the time that had I have done it in an auto it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. They can't carry on producing two types of gearbox to satisfy a dwindling enthusiast market. It's all cost driven these days. MK7+s are back to pressed steel control arms and subframes, and plastic sumps, as first hand evidence of the bean counting. The cost of developing silly virtual cockpits had to come from somewhere.
That satisfaction of manually dropping the gears to overtake on a single lane A-road surely can't be matched in an auto?!
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