gavriil

Autoexpress calls it a 260HP engine and 3.4 liters

Getting worse and worse...

Time For Sleeep

Rear end reminds me of a Mazda 3. Front end reminds me of a Matrix. ... but I like it.

heyitsme

280 would be great right now, but 2-3 years from now, not all that impressive as a sport hatch, maybe as a luxury hatch it would be ok.

F23A4

It's not so much the HP. It's the effectiveness of the HP. I'm not a VW fan but, let's just wait and see. Besides, it's nowhere near as pathetic as a GM 3800 Series II 3.8L V6 that only puts out 200hp NA and 260hp with SC.

gavriil

The goal of the GM engine is totally different. It's not used in a sport hatchback. You can tell from that fact that it's not going for all out power. In a sport hatchback situation where you're going after the Sti you need more power. Of course, I am hearing that this engine will still further be massaged to make more than 300 but that's just rumors for now.

F23A4

Point is, you guys are knocking the R34 based on preliminary numbers (which sound decent to me), making it sound as though it were a GM 3800 Series II (context).

Give it a chance and see how it works out. For goodness sakes, the Forrester XT's specs don't sound great either but it's good enough to run upper 13 second ETs. And with a probably curb weight of 3400lbs (the current R32 weighs 3409lbs), the R34's torque is just as important as HP.

Crazy Bimmer

if they are making it lighter then 280hp will be plenty

N.O.6speed

i kinda think its ugly

gavriil

True, but we know from the current R32 what to expect pretty much. The main issue is that it's super heavy for the power and for what it wants to compete as. Even with 280 HP not much would have been solved. You need 320 HP for that thing to shine. But maybe the next R Golf will be a lot lighter. Already they are talking about a lighter GTi version. Maybe the R3x will be benefited from that effort as well. Who knows.

heyitsme

Think the issue is 280hp is where its at now, not two years from now. Two years from now it will be the same situation as they have with the r32 now - nice power but underpowered compared to the competition.

charliemike

If the R34 is around $30k then 260hp just won't cut it.

Just think about everything in that price range and I think they all beat it ... except the RX8

Mustang, G/Z, STi, Evo, and GTO ...

How can VW compete when they'll all smoke it?

gavriil

Exactly. I mean the STi better make 330 HP 2-3 years from now. Or more. So then you're 50 behind and you just came out with a new engine.

unless if VW wants the R3x to compete with the WRX and the rumored higher rated Golf to compete with the STi.

F23A4

Acura TL @ $33k = 270hp and it seems to sell just fine; and it still has no torque.

It's premature to bury it before it's born. BTW, we dont even know its equipment package yet. I mean, a fully loaded Cooper S will run you almost $30k, the TSX w/Navi still only has a 200hp 4cyl and the $35k IS300 only has 215hp. In this company, the R34 will probably hold its own.

As for the STi and Evo comparison, those are strictly fad cars. People get them today and sell them tomorrow. There are a number of used STis and Evos for sale in the used car market here in NJ; and many have low miles. That said, I dont see where STi/Evo competition would motivate VW when it comes to the Gti. I'm sure they just want a small niche car in their extensive Golf lineup.

GS Audio

I would like to see this car in person before stating any opinions.

As a VW fanatic, I am pretty disappointed in the power output of the current R32. I mean, $31K for a 240 Golf?? Not a "smart" buy in my opinion. I'd rather have an STi for that kind of money.

Just my .02 cents!

charliemike

It won't matter what equipment package it has.

The STi/Evo don't last because they are probably far more severe than most people thought before owning them. The VW dealership experience and initial quality problems are so severe that IMO the R34 needs to be better than its competition just to have a chance to get me in the dealership. If it's not, then they'll never see my $$.

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

I can't wait to see what comes out of development of the R36 in 2007....guess i gotta wait, damnit!

F23A4

Yup.

heyitsme

03typeS6spd

is that plaid?




at least their dashboard ergonomics appear to be getting smoother ala honda...

jpswanberg

I'm a previous owner of a highly modified 02 GTI, and I drove a new Golf V a couple of weeks ago in Ireland. After 1000 miles of driving it over 11 days, I have a few observations on the base 1600. First, the interior in the front is a little bigger than my Mk. 4, and the rea is still cramped, but perhaps not as bad. The 1600 engine is slow but very frugal. I doubt we will ever see it here. The base suspension works ok on bad roads, but is not in the least sporty. The worst thing is that there is no more arm rests in the front (my wife and I brought our arms down on the handbrake/cupholders too many times, thinking there should be an armrest). The coolest thing is that the hatchback opens by using the VW logo. JPS

charliemike

Great vids of the car

Fifth Gear Vid

Top Gear Vid Review

Top Gear Track Test Vid

Time For Sleeep

Wow to the plaid seats. Oddly enough however, I like it.

charliemike

I REALLY want to like this car. I want it to be good so I can consider it next fall. I want a hot hatchback and right now it's the Cooper S and the Mazda 3 and that's about it for me. And sadly, the Mazda 3 really ain't all that hot

I don't consider the RSX the same type of car as a Golf though guess it is ...

goldmemberer

I see no reason for them to recommend the new GTI over the Civic Type R. They even say that it's more expensive and slower. The Civic is just as practical and as far as looks go, the GTI wins but for how long?

The Top Gear review really did overplay the importance of the GTI, but hey, they have to sensationalize it or else nobody will want a thin haired british fatty to grace their television screens on a regular basis. Good for them. Cool car, I think the R32 equivalent for this gen will be something to consider, but it's not as revolutionary as it is evolutionary.

charliemike

Couple of things:

I don't know how old you are, and I have no intention of insulting you, so I don't know if you were even alive or much older than a toddler when the first GTI hit the market (I was 12). There was nothing like it at the time and certainly nothing like it before it came out. It's not accurate to say that there would be no Civic Type R without the original GTI but that class of car owes a lot to the originial GTI.

The Civic Type R is afflicted with the same problem that every automotive journalist has said about the S2000 ... unless you drive around at 6500RPM the car is a dog.

That, in and of itself, is enough reason for me to recommend the GTI over the Type R.

gocubsgo55

very very true. Honda gets equal or more HP than many v6's out of their 4's, but the problem is the torque. there is nothing out there that can boost up torque naturally (without forced induction). The Civic and s2000 are awesome track cars, but for everyday "all-the-time" fun, the GTI excells. I'm not sure I said what I was trying to say right, but I think you get the point... High-revving engines need to be kept up high to do their thing.

goldmemberer

If your post were poorly worded, I wouldn't have paid any attention to it. But you evidently know what you're talking about, so I'll divulge into the specifics of my original post.

The original GTI, needless to say, is legendary. It may well be right to say that there would be no Civic Type R without the GTI. My original post was specific to the new GTI, not a thing of it applied to the multi-generational GTI line as a whole.

Secondly, to the torque vs. sheer power point: I can't argue with it much. For a fun daily driver, of course torque is more of a necessity than Honda thinks it to be.

But how fun is it to have your car in the shop for repairs? Honda makes more reliable cars than VW, their build quality is just as good, styling is too subjective to call on (plus there's no new Civic Type R), and the Civic Type R is a good deal cheaper than the new GTI. Is the Civic Type R a better car than the new GTI? Maybe in some areas, but not overall.

Is it a better car for the money? You bet. And from a less journalistic and more average Joe Q. Carbuyer vantage point, what else matters more?

If the GTI did everything it does in 2-3k less (a big deal at its pricepoint), I would heartily recommend it over the Civic R. That's all. I'm 19 by the way, and I had no interest in cars before the age of 18, when I bought myself a CL.

charliemike

Interesting you mention reliability. I completely agree. One of the things that irritates me most about auto journalists is that they never take into account what the car is going to be like a year or two down the road unless they do a long-term test on it.

They constantly compare two cars and reliability has no bearing on their choice. They live and write their articles in a vacuum that certainly exists outside reality.

I keep that in mind when I argue about a car review. The GTI is a better car for day to day enjoyment in a driver's sense ... but to own one? I don't think I'd purchase either of them. The Type R is too impractical and the GTI too unreliable.

However the GTI is being made in Germany again so perhaps that will help it.

Good points though.

gavriil

Souped-up 168bhp diesel Golf coming - - Source: Autocar

Crazy Bimmer

What is VW thinking? They trying to kill the A3 sales?

gavriil

They dont care about the A3 as much as they do about the Golf. That's bread and butter for them in Europe and elsewhere. It's like the Camry or Accord for us here.

Plus the Audi buyer is a very different type of buyer in Europe.

gavriil

Translating (paraphrasing) from the article:

The R32's successor will be called R34 and it's already spent a lot of time testing at the N'Ring. The R34 will wear a 3.4L V6 making 270HP. Top speed will be 245 k/h and it will be equipped with VW's AWD 4motion system. There will be two transmissions. A manual and an automatic.

Exterior changes from the GTI will be revised front and rear bumpers and the dual exhaust. The R34 will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

Rumors call for an even more powerful version of the Golf, the R36, which would produce 290HP.

Source: www.in.gr/auto

gavriil

Look at that low low suspension setting!

If the above is true, I dont understand why VW would make two versions of the R3x Golf when there is only 20HP of a difference. I wonder what else could be different for the R36.

Crazy Bimmer

I think hes low cuz of the weight transfer on that side from the turn. Look at the size of the brakes though.

gavriil

I just noticed the dual, dual exhaust

srika

mad tyte yo!

Professor Gascan

There won't be an R34. VW does not have a 3.4L version of the VR6, only a 3.2L and a 3.6L. The MKV R32 will be shown in Frankfurt with a 3.2L FSI VR6 putting out 250hp with 4 motion. It will be a Europe only car. Somewhere further down the line, North America will get an R36 with the 3.6L FSI VR6 pushing out 300hp.

TL CHROMETIDE

Yeah me too, whats with that?

Professor Gascan

The set in the middle are the actual muffler tips, the ones to the left hand side are decoys to throw off anyone looking at the car.

Weck

... all for the low, low price of $45K Cdn. Come on Volks, where's the GTi that we all love - low cost, high 'fun-to-drive' quotient. Why oh why do automakers want to be all things to all customers? Audi is selling essentially same vehicle - this thing gonna steal/lose volume against the A3.