SMB Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 I just got this months magazine this weekend, and having read the review one part clearly struck a cord with me. in the second half of the article, it praises the GTI for being 21st century, lusty performance, nimble, but then goes on to say so refined and effortless to drive it's hard to engage with it. and the sense of isolation is added to by the DSG gearbox... removing yet another layer of interaction with the car. It's exactly how I've seen cars develop, somehow the older , more simplistic cars were more fun at slow speeds, the new refined cars need to go faster to have the same sens eof involvement, and fun. I use my GTI as a daily driver so the refined and modern atmospshere is what I want, but the drive for even more refined cars with modern electronics is robbing us of some of the low speed fun. what's your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 My thoughts are very much in line with yours, but it does depend on what you want from a car. I'm either enjoying back roads or on a long trip, so the GTI is perfect for me; i.e. it's fun when pushed, but relaxing and (relatively) luxurious when cruising. However, I would imagine that older cars such as the MK1 and the 205 GTI would be more fun around the twisties, but harder to live with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 My initial thoughts are to ask a Mod to move this to the General cars forum. My second thoughts are to say that for current day road use I am very glad indeed to have the added safety features which things such as ESP and DSG bring to us. I think the Mk5 GTI is still great fun to drive. The cars that are as much fun at low speeds aren't necessarily that safe at higher speeds and I don't necessarily mean at speeds over 100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 I wonder what one they'd pick for they're journey home down the M1 though. The thing is, Golf GTI's aren't weekend cars like Caterhams or Elises... they're multi purpose cars that can do one thing one minute and one thing the next. If i'd want a track machine i'd take an Elise. If i want a car that can take a chest of draws to the dump, get stuck in traffic whilst commuting but then have fun on the twisties, then i'd take the GTI thanks. If i wanted to break the sound barrier with a chest of drawers on board, i't have to be the VXR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Nail on head, LeMan - The GTI's great strength is its allround capabilities - Cruise like a big limo one minute and scream like a rally car the next, especially with DSG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMB Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] My initial thoughts are to ask a Mod to move this to the General cars forum. [/ QUOTE ] Red, why?, I thought it was a discussion on the GTI, as it was the GTI that they specifically made this comment about. We've all said the GTI is a great allrounder, but are we missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Read the article too. Someone (not sure who) did mention they would rather take the GTI for the run home. I did not order a GTI expecting it to be anywhere near the clio trophy/williams or Integra Type-R, the fact it was picked to get to the final shows it is one of the better FWD hatches on sale at the moment, in fact it is the only one in the final on sale at the moment (the mini is sold out afaik). Interesting comments on DSG, glad I went manaul now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOCK Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 you also have to remember that it beat the mk1 golf gti and the corrado vr6, also the new clio 197 never made the cut to the final 6 nor the focus rs, all of which i would have thought would have provided more excitement than the mk5 gti. so on that account and also it being the most luxury of the cars tested (imo) i think it did very well to get into the last 6, and of the last 6 which would you want to drive on a daily basis? thats the only fault with evo magazine, they tend to look at cars as though your gonna be in the evo zone all the time when in reality its gonna be something like 25% of the time if that, still the best car mag tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 what are the other 6? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOCK Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] what are the other 6? [/ QUOTE ] the final 6 were- mini cooper s works gp golf mk5 gti renault clio trophy honda integra type r (old shape) renault clio williams peugeot 205 gti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMB Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 peugeot 205, clio williams, clio trophy, mini s works GP and integra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOCK Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] peugeot 205, clio williams, clio trophy, mini s works GP and integra [/ QUOTE ] too slow lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] peugeot 205, clio williams, clio trophy, mini s works GP and integra [/ QUOTE ] too slow lol [/ QUOTE ] Can't be a DSG driver then With regards the test, what was their rationale for doing it, because IMO there is no question that a 25k+ new car will feel more technical and lardy next to a 1990's hatch. Of course one will feel more luxurious and one will no doubt feel more mechanical Seems like they've just stated the obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] My initial thoughts are to ask a Mod to move this to the General cars forum. [/ QUOTE ] Red, why?, I thought it was a discussion on the GTI, as it was the GTI that they specifically made this comment about. We've all said the GTI is a great allrounder, but are we missing something? [/ QUOTE ] ....Nope - I sometimes write the first thing that comes into my head Duh! Robin! So, here's the next thing on my mind.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 hmm she wasn't on my mind, but she certainly is now... *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Red, put your knob away. It's not even 5pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 .....No apologies! Tee Hee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin275 Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 It would make sense for this to be in the General Cars thread. Based on my experience of having driven, but not owned a GTI, I agree with the agree with the conclusion. The GTI is a comfortable, spacious, good all rounder. If I'd been looking for a main family car rather than a second, more special car, then I may well have gone down the GTI route. It's certainly a step up from the ST/VXR imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOCK Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] With regards the test, what was their rationale for doing it, because IMO there is no question that a 25k+ new car will feel more technical and lardy next to a 1990's hatch. Of course one will feel more luxurious and one will no doubt feel more mechanical Seems like they've just stated the obvious. [/ QUOTE ] the title of the test was the greatest front driver of all time, there was even stuff like the lotus elan in. so as you can see the last 6 aint a bad result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 What happened to the Focus RS then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What happened to the Focus RS then! [/ QUOTE ] The RS was always fated as the initial cars were awful (can't remember what Ford had done, but something to do witht he atb iirc). The actual owners cars were stunning (and still are imho) and I'd imagine would be more fun round a track than the GTI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOCK Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What happened to the Focus RS then! [/ QUOTE ] basically something along the lines of.... it torque steers all over the place. terrible! for all the fuss it makes, you'd think it had 512bhp not 212. very little feel at speed. and that was someones own focus which were supposedly better than the early press cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 ....Is the Focus RS the one that thinks it's a Ford GT40 and has the double racing stripes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOCK Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] ....Is the Focus RS the one that thinks it's a Ford GT40 and has the double racing stripes? [/ QUOTE ] i seem to remember some of the early press cars had the 2 white stripes on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_keith Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] ....Is the Focus RS the one that thinks it's a Ford GT40 and has the double racing stripes? [/ QUOTE ] I think thats the Fiesta with the stripes, the Focus is the one that comes in that really nice orange colour Red, who is the lady in the nice top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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