MK5 GTI's competitor?

over here in Austalia, its main rivals are, well actually the GTi isnt near them they are faster but the GTi is a better drive apparently.

Ford Focus XR5 ST
HSV VXR Astra
Renault megane cup
mini cooper s


SSS_Hoon

NorthGTI said:

I assume you mean the original 60s Mini, as the VW GTI format has been around since the late 70s/early 80s. The current Mini is a responce to the GTI.

Click to expand...

No I am saying the design, features and everything they tried to put into the MKV GTI were copied from successes of the MINI. a lot of the design was modeled from the cooper

i never said derived, modeled after is a better term. The cooper took the class to a new place and vw saw this and modeled its design to reflect some of the successes mini had. The roots comment seems silly since i dont remember the original gti having auto dual climate ac and autowashing xenoin headlamps. There is a rootrs argument to be made but not here i dont think.

In this arena where we are comparing cars and rivarlies it is obvious that VW saw what MINI had created, reinvigorated, redefined...whater... and went for that same feeling and flair and idiosyncracies put it into the GTI. I see it much more related to a MINI than a civic.

TeknoGroover said:

Wow people, the ION Redline is a competitor. Isn't the Cobalt SS Supercharged? They're the same thing. So serioulsy:
RSX-S, Civic Si, Cobalt SS Supercharged, and ION Redline.

Click to expand...

comparable yes,
competition no

there isnt a large demand for scions, and for the most part GM cars,
(although my friend told me the cobalt just took 1st place on some road course test against supras, and skylines... i dont know much about that test so it ends there for me.)

There's no option for Porsche.
Remember, the original mk1 GTI was created to catch the 911 - the mkV succeeds admirably in these aims, as I've found out on a couple of occasions.

cmdrfire said:

There's no option for Porsche.
Remember, the original mk1 GTI was created to catch the 911 - the mkV succeeds admirably in these aims, as I've found out on a couple of occasions.

Click to expand...

Learn something new everyday. :biggrin:

w00t, voter #100. haha, oh yeah um the SI is pretty close in everything, cept the torque, oh and dealer markup (bastards at honda wanting $5000 extra)

For me the competition to the GTI is :
Civic Si
Mini Cooper S (but it's too small)
RSX-S
Mazaspeed3
A3

The only car that is making rethink my GTI is the new Mazdaspeed3. I've always loved the look of the 5 door 3-S. The new Mazdaspeed 3 looks amazing. 250hp/280lb ft. of torque!
LSD, beefed up 6 spd. trans from the 6's new 6 speed. Recalibrated and lowered suspension.
Should be priced around $25k. Yes, I think that is some serious competition for the GTI.