Mk7 Golf GTI Discussion Thread

[Ryan_R]

You're welcome

[FSI 220]

That is exactly what I am after... except for around 55k

[andrew7]

^ Hence chose the Golf R

[Marcotto]

I want the 3 door. I am a young male with no plans to have kids. It annoys me to no end we miss out, considering that they are in some way a performance car. It pissed me off no end when didn't get the Audi RS3. And the new S3 is only available in 5dr sportback. I just don't get it, a performance hatchback made bigger and heavier? Who is it meant for then? what's the point of it when there is a 3dr shorter lighter version available.

We are by far the highest per person per-capita consumers of performance hatchbacks. So why the **** do we miss out.

Like AMG misses the mark for me to now. I really like the A45 AMG on paper. Looks great, spec and performance look amazing, but no manual option.

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGH WHY?

I understand that most cars sold are in auto form as majority of people who buy cars, buy them to get from A to B. But why is a performance/enthusiast car not available in manual? I just don't freaking get it.

And yes because of that I would most likely not buy either of the options available at the current time. I have started to look at the 2nd hand market for 3dr golf R's in manual. freaking rare and holding there value too.

My 2 cents

Marcotto

[Ryan_R]

Rare (as you said) is not good for a company trying to sell as many units as possible. Even Porsche are starting to move away from manuals because the demand for them in certain models is dropping significantly.

[FSI 220]

^ Hence chose the Golf R

When I can fit our Great Dane cross American Staffy in the boot I will!

[Lock & Load]

According to the latest Wheels magazine VW Australia has still to decide on the High performance version GTI for the Australia market WTF .

I for one want the high spec one at 169 kw and the bigger brake package .

[The_Hawk]

Rare (as you said) is not good for a company trying to sell as many units as possible. Even Porsche are starting to move away from manuals because the demand for them in certain models is dropping significantly.

i grasp the concept of simplification and that making things for a small (and potentially shrinking) portion of your market is not where you want to spend your time and resources. ie spend money where it can make the biggest gain. For a company like Porsche I have to assume their unit sales are somewhat lower than VW's making the argument that much simpler...

But when it comes to VW, especially with the common MQB platform surely there is a large enough world wide audience for manual vehicles to make them a viable option. Yeah I'm assuming they use the same gearboxes in LHD and RHD vehicles, I'm also assuming they use common parts across models.

I am aware there are at least three different six speed manual boxed in the Golf range in the MQ200, MQ250 and MQ350 used for different applications (and power levels), although you would have to argue that with three different options there is surely enough being demanded to justify the work in creating them?!! If anything I would argue that they should work towards a single standard in all the vehicles if total demand was too low. (I wonder how much difference in cost/performance there is between the models).

Bottom line to this point is that if the parts are compatible and available having them fitted in the factory is virtually a no cost option regardless of where the vehicle is going to end up in the world.


Of course then is the argument for certain options in certain regions. The point being it's not worth training staff and keeping spare parts in stock in a region if very few people ever actually take that option. There is after all a cost to doing all of that. Of course there will still be Golf's with Manual boxes and again with the MQB platform other vehicles are likely to be sharing the same engine and gearbox combo's anyway... so why restrict the options. Sure 99% may be sold in DSG, dealers may only ever order DSG for their floor stock... but at least give me the option for a manual!

[Marcotto]

I have seen 2 separate dealers and both have informed me that the uptake on DSG is 80% on the golf range. 20% for manual is still large when you consider volume sold.

[Arnold]

For those who are not aware, RHD/LHD is not an issue for a car assembly line.

This couldn't be further from the truth... Yes the cars do eventually roll down the same production line but special tooling and manufacturing processes need to be set up and developed specifically for the RHD models. I could elaborate much further...

Please do elaborate further Golf7 as VW Convert was in fact talking about the assembly line.

"Special tooling" (and plain old "tooling" one presumes) is created, and "manufacturing processes" devised, many months, if not years, before the first cars roll down the assembly line, LHD and RHD, one after the other, by all accounts, in perfect harmony because the cars are being assembled, not fabricated, at this stage of production.

I trust that could be further from the truth, but please elaborate if not.