Mk8 GTI to be revealed in March

[Joe_Mama]

Is $44k really “close” to $60k though? That’s a third again the cost of an R. Why not toss out the Urus, it’s really within reach of most of us, at least it has a backseat and a hatch, so it makes a modicum of sense to compare it.

And it’s a Porsche, so it’s going to be $75k with options that make it worthwhile.

I dunno is 45k close to 30k? They are the same car

 

[oddspyke]

I dunno is 45k close to 30k? They are the same car

Yeah, but that happens with all cars and just goes to further the point. People looking for a fun practical daily on a budget will get the base GTI and never even look at the upper trims. People looking for some luxury will cross shop the Autobahn vs R. People with $75k to blow on a second car will check out the Cayman.

 

[Corprin]

Yeah, but that happens with all cars and just goes to further the point. People looking for a fun practical daily on a budget will get the base GTI and never even look at the upper trims. People looking for some luxury will cross shop the Autobahn vs R. People with $75k to blow on a second car will check out the Cayman.

That depends, or maybe I’m an anomaly? I certainly have the means, I just gravitate to cheap, tossable, econo-boxes. Well that and like money in my pocket, not garage.






....or should I say, the minister of finance does. I’d be rolling deep in a 911 GT3 if I had my way.

 

[oddspyke]

That depends, or maybe I’m an anomaly? I certainly have the means, I just gravitate to cheap, tossable, econo-boxes. Well that and like money in my pocket, not garage.






....or should I say, the minister of finance does. I’d be rolling deep in a 911 GT3 if I had my way.

Why not both? GTI and a sports car is a great combo.

 

[Strange Mud]

I am glad I have the room for multiple cars: I tend to keep them a long time

06 Tacoma 4x4 ex cab about $24K
17 GTI also $24K
64 Comet. $16K
Over the last 17 years (taco bought new 05) that is about 64K in purchase price divided by 204 months = $313 month. Taco still has a good bit of value in it cause Toyota. GTI I love and Comet I can get what I paid for it.

with the 2-3K miles a year I now put on Taco (and it's new frame) this will prob be the last truck I ever own as I'm 60. I may have to replace GTI eventually but at moment I have zero interest in doing that. I could afford it but when you like something I can't see replacing it unless there is a good reason for it.

made up numbers follow: If I sell all 3 ($10K taco, $15K GTI, 16K Comet) monthly changes to $112

math w/o comet is $245 month.

and a tractor, and a plow truck I am a lucky dog!

 

[bentin]

I dunno is 45k close to 30k? They are the same car

Oh brother. I thought I'd left this shit behind at the BMW forums. Yes, a $41k 330i is the same chassis as a $70k M3, but it's not hard to feel that they're not the same car at all if you drive them. A $30k GTI S compared to an R is lacking awd, larger brakes with two piston front calipers, stronger engine internals, additional cooling, leather seats with cooling, DCC, a sunroof, upgraded audio, and I'm sure some other stuff too. Both cars come with the same weak clutch, but of course the R is closer to taxing it in stock form and will be well over it's limits with even a stage 1, while a GTI can get away with stage 1 for a period on the stock clutch.

The point is, it's easy to add $14k of options to a lot of cars, we're currently looking at S3's (a dumb looking Golf R) and you can get them to nearly $60k. At the end of the day, yes, it's just a $30k GTI, or a cheaper Golf. But is it really? Your argument might be stronger if you were just attacking the $10k premium to the Autobahn. At least then you're dealing with a car that's mechanically the same, but has additional comforts and features, but nothing that would make it faster, handle better (ignoring the summer tire option) or deal with the lame clutch any better.

 

[Corprin]

Why not both? GTI and a sports car is a great combo.

2019 Alltrack
2019 GTI Rabbit Edition
2012 Tacoma Broverlanding Edition
1983 Mini 998, soon to be 1275.


Stable is full now, but we are looking at splitting a 2500sqft “car condo” with a couple friends at the moment, and I’ve been eying up a Nissan Stagia Autech for a minute.

 

[sstarrx2]

This is a huge factor. I wanted all the bells and whistles and shopped for R's and Autobahns with extra options (2016). The sticker price difference between my Autobahn and an R was only like $4k at the time, but the actual difference was closer to $10k because no one would discount an R, but I could get $5k discounts on any GTI I wanted.

Yeah, all wheel drive is a nice have...but I can live without it. These front wheel drive GTIs will go really well in the nasty stuff with the right snow tires. As for performance, you can tune the GTI to get to R numbers.

 

[bentin]

Yeah, all wheel drive is a nice have...but I can live without it. These front wheel drive GTIs will go really well in the nasty stuff with the right snow tires. As for performance, you can tune the GTI to get to R numbers.

Absolutely. But you have more headroom on the stronger R motor internals, more cooling standard and better brakes. I had two piston floaters on a previous car that weighed about the same as our cars and they were more than adequate for any track use I could throw at it. Of course it also had excellent ducting to the front brakes, something that the MQB seems genuinely challenged with.

 

[sstarrx2]

Absolutely. But you have more headroom on the stronger R motor internals, more cooling standard and better brakes. I had two piston floaters on a previous car that weighed about the same as our cars and they were more than adequate for any track use I could throw at it. Of course it also had excellent ducting to the front brakes, something that the MQB seems genuinely challenged with.

Soooo....if you want to race your car the R is the better choice to spend the money up front. All the stuff you mentioned will not mean much as a daily driver.

 

[bentin]

Soooo....if you want to race your car the R is the better choice to spend the money up front. All the stuff you mentioned will not mean much as a daily driver.

Well yeah, a Fit would be better than either if you just need to have a little fun while commuting.

 

[Joe_Mama]

I'd get the R if I was going BT and serious power. Like 500+whp. In that scenario the R is what you want. Slightly better internals, AWD and bigger brakes.

But if you are staying in the 300hp range it is the GTI for me

 

[geokilla]

Canadian prices are so good. If only the interior didn't suck.

 

[oddspyke]

I'd get the R if I was going BT and serious power. Like 500+whp. In that scenario the R is what you want. Slightly better internals, AWD and bigger brakes.

But if you are staying in the 300hp range it is the GTI for me

I'm excited to drive one. In the MK7, the R was faster in a straight line, but really wasn't any better/more fun to drive than the GTI. The new torque vectoring AWD could mean the new R is actually more fun too, not just faster (that's what the magazines/blogs seem to be saying)

 

[bentin]

I'm excited to drive one. In the MK7, the R was faster in a straight line, but really wasn't any better/more fun to drive than the GTI. The new torque vectoring AWD could mean the new R is actually more fun too, not just faster (that's what the magazines/blogs seem to be saying)

This exactly. I don't disagree with Joe if we're talking Mk6 or Mk7, but I think the Mk8 may have finally turned the tables.