Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[orkers]

Has there been a review of a GTI vs the 2.0T A3 Quattro? A mate has a 2011 A3 2.0TFSI and it seems a good fit in between a GTI and an R, specially with a ECU remap....

[DCRL]

Nice review but not a direct comparison of the 2 cars though

[Corey_R]

No... but why would you? They are pretty much the same car, with different "skins" (both exterior and interior). Which one is "better" really comes down to personal opinion about what you think "looks best". The main difference is that the R has no 3 door anymore. The S3 3 door is manual only. The S3 5 door is the "sport back".

There are a few mechanical differences under the skin, but nothing that any marketting division would bother mentioning. Guy_H once listed what he'd noticed between the two from owning and working on both. There were things like "stamped metal" vs "cast metal" in some under body components. Differences in rotor hats, and things like that. (Can't recall when and where the post was made...)

[Ideo]

No... but why would you? They are pretty much the same car, with different "skins" (both exterior and interior). Which one is "better" really comes down to personal opinion about what you think "looks best". The main difference is that the R has no 3 door anymore. The S3 3 door is manual only. The S3 5 door is the "sport back".

There are a few mechanical differences under the skin, but nothing that any marketting division would bother mentioning. Guy_H once listed what he'd noticed between the two from owning and working on both. There were things like "stamped metal" vs "cast metal" in some under body components. Differences in rotor hats, and things like that. (Can't recall when and where the post was made...)

I test drove a secondhand S3 back to back with the R and couldn't tell the difference to be honest, apart from a nicer interior in the S3.

New car vs 2 year old car one out on that one.

[triode12]

I find the S3s to be too understated. Unless you know what they are or have been heavily modded, they tend to look just like any other Audi hatchback. The ultimate sleeper car.

[Finance_Analyst]

Has there been a review of a GTI vs the 2.0T A3 Quattro? A mate has a 2011 A3 2.0TFSI and it seems a good fit in between a GTI and an R, specially with a ECU remap....

In all honesty, an A3 2.0T is really buying a badge. It is significantly more than a GTI for the same motor and some of the bits are not as good as the GTI (e.g. the sound system in the GTI is colour and touch screen which the A3 isn't). Audi charge like $55k+ for one b4 any options so really can't see the value, unless you are a real estate agent or caffe latte type who park their cars outside their fav coffee shop.

The Audi dealer told me that a 2.0T A3 would whip a GTI and so would an A3 1.8T..... As soon as I heard that, I told him he wasn't kidding me with that comment. Audi's only defence is that 'our cars are Quattro and better made than Golfs'.... BS - the A3 isn't even from Germany

[Corey_R]

Yeah - when I was looking at an Audi S3 the dealer was trying to tell me how the Golf isn't made in Germany. When I explained to him that the MKV had some models made in South Africa but all the MK6 models are made in Germany, he strongly refuted the comment saying that Volkswagen couldn't possibly price the Golf at the levels it did if they were made in Germany...

Oh well... I honestly prefer the MK6 Golf interior and exterior over the A3/S3 anyway...

[orkers]

I agree that the technology inside is fairly basic compared to the GTI, in fact my mate is looking at what options he has to replace the crappy symphony II audio system he has for something close the RNS510. Also agree that it is overpriced although I think there is a bit more scope to bargain as the stock is slightly better on A3s than GTIs?

I thought the A3 2.0T was made in Germany? I thought most of the other models were South African made but this one was Germany - that's what the dealer told my mate anyway!

So you don't think the AWD of Quattro on the car will allow it to whip a GTI? Wet weather only?

He certainly can't keep up with the R...

[DoggieHowser]

I vaguely recall reading that the Audi 2.0T engine has variable valve technology for both intake and exhaust whereas the one in the MkVI only has it for intake.

[Corey_R]

Yeah it is.
155kw and 350Nm. But it means the ECU updates etc don't make as big of a difference unfortunately. Nice engine though.

FWIW, I've no idea where the A3 / S3's are being made - could be Germany for all I know. It's just funny the comments that some Audi dealers have made to me whilst trying to distinguish the A3/S3 from the Golf, and justify the price difference...