Saxo Boy

There seems to be quite a lot of hate for the new breed of hot-hatches and I note many comparisons to the Scooby's and Evo's from 10-15 years ago.

Sure, at 300bhp the Golf R is nothing special when a PPP STI had the same power over 10 years ago. However, the difference is that you can have your cake and eat it these days. when I had a 300bhp Subaru I'd get 22-25mpg, it needed serviced every 5 minutes and it was compromised in many areas (build quality, etc). I used mines as an every day car covering 25,000 miles annually and it was really hard to justify. The costs were astronomical and I always lived in fear of it going bang.

These days you can get 300bhp+ hatches with excellent build quality, longer servicing intervals, full warranty coverage and far better fuel economy. On the basis that I love quick cars, I'd have no qualms at all about doing 25k miles a year in one of the current hot hatches.

Beastie

iTrader: (2)

I have registered my interest, I can already see:

1) Excellent refinement.
2) Better economy
3) Lower road tax
4) room for the dog

If its too expensive for its size, I will be looking at the Mercedes CLA AMG Shooting Brake.

Matteeboy

My M135i is on almost 17k miles; still 4500 miles until its first service! And we get mid 30s to the gallon on a long run. Not bad for a 3.0 six pot turbo (twin scroll) with 320bhp (most are 340 when run in).

hodgy0_2

and initially they were 112BHP from a 1.6 in the MK1 Golf - and what a hoot to drive

jonc

Exactly. Manufacturers are going the wrong way playing the horse power game. You only need a car that's light weight and with modest power and grip with an agile feelsom chassis to enjoy driving on todays congested roads. I know some will argue its "progress", but 400bhp in a hatchback chassis based on a platform designed for space efficiency to transport families and shopping aided with tons of sophisticated electronic nannying to keep you on the road? Its limits will be so high that that you'd have to be doing some serious speed (quite possibly dangerous too) to get any sense of involvement in the driving.

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

^^^^ this x1000

stilover

Unfortunately people want more space = Larger car = more weight

People want more kit = More weight

People want better crash protection = Lots more weight

With extra weight, you have to add more power just to get the same performance. And as new cars should always be faster, more spacious, more equipped, and safer, even more power is needed.

The only saving grace is that engines have become far more frugal, even with 3 times the power of cars 15 years ago.

thenewgalaxy

Totally, 100% agree.

I've been alternating daily between the Cosworth and the S202 for about the last four weeks.

The S202 is more "fun" but the Cosworth is a much quicker car. To get the same edge of the seat thrills you need to drive at very antisocial speeds.

555)

iTrader: (1)

preza is dead, i dont miss my twin scroll hawkeye cheap tat now i think about it

£60 got 319 miles out my golf r dsg drive it fast a lot of the time

ill be ordering a golf r420 110%

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Not sure why anyone thinks it's a good idea to change the oil on a high performance car every 20k miles, no matter what the manufacturers say. If I owned one I'd be changing the oil way more often than that.

matt-c

iTrader: (5)

VW have started canvassing interested parties as to colours, no of doors and transmission type they would want on R400/25.

Speculation suggests they are thinking of initiating production soon, or at least making decision soon.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Wish they'd canvass me...I want the 5cylinder (or a blown VR6) engine with a proper manual gearbox, please.

There's only so much a "soundaktor" can do to hide the fact the 4 cylinder engines don't sound any more special than a GTi with a filter and an aftermaket backbox. Part of what makes a car special is the noise it makes.

JPS1

I suspect most of the people buying this car initially will be thinking of making a quick buck! Dealers and private individuals selling on to jump the waiting list. I also suspect it will be sold in tiny numbers so depreciation should not be a worry!

There will be absolutely no lease deals on this model unlike the R.......and it will be closer to £50,000 than £40,000

I registered my interest over 6 months ago and nobody would take any form of deposit.....to be fair to the dealers nobody really knew what was happening and probably still don't.

I hate to say it but probably a future classic!

matt-c

iTrader: (5)

I suggest you contact your dealer now then. As i said, they are asking questions to those who showed an interest.

JPS1

I should have said in my last post "Its not for me now"


After seeing the spy photos in the press I don't think it looks different enough now from stock the Golf R...


The first concept photos were really interesting and I had hoped they would really create something completely unique and special.


It seems this car now will be very similar to the R but on a few steroids. I think VW have missed a trick, especially with a new more powerful 45AMG pencilled in and a possible RS500. In two years time maybe 400bhp hot hatches will not be such a talking point?


I still believe it will create a storm and be very derisible......though after driving the current R........I'm not sure where that extra 100BHP is going to useful around Leeds.

gazzawrx

iTrader: (11)

Yeah but its still a boring plain looking 1 series that cant be used in any other weather than warm and dry, considering in this country the weathers 90 % wet a bmw has to be the most pointless car to own over here really, if it was to be used in say abu dhabi or some other desert based hot country then yeah its probably awesome but over here, no thanks ill take a 4wd or at least a fwd car over it.

Plus the golf looks 1000 times better than a glorified 1 series and with the cars bmw have produced of late they will no doubt be a lot more reliable too

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I have already said countless times if BMW brought the xdrive version with a manual gearbox (M135i Xdrive) over to the UK I would buy it. No doubt about it.

I do miss the AWD when the weather turns for the worse; Even for the simple things like quickly pulling away from busy junctions.

lozgti1

Hate my dsg box in my skoda vrs so much

InTurbo

iTrader: (3)

A work colleague of mine has a z4 35i and its over 2 years old and done 19k and not had its first service yet.
Would love to see the state of the oil in it but it doesn't have a dip stick!

If I had a new car I wouldn't follow there service intervals