Top gear - Lambo LP640 V Golf GTI
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so in summary, theres not going to be much to chose between the mk5 golf and the 330 when lining them up against a merkylarger, but a 330 wasnt chosen because A) its not VAG B) its not as iconic (in the general public's mind as a quick everyday car) as a golf
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
What is it about the Golf that makes it exciting to you? This is more a genuine question now rather than a continuation of before. When I had a poke around a GTI (I didn't drive it becuase the salesman was fast approaching and I quickly had to decide if I wanted to take out the GTI or the A3 3.2, I took the A3) but it was... a Golf. Golf inside. Golf outside. The only thing that really said GTI to me was the badge on the back. Otherwise it was... some Golf. Some reasonable quality hatchback.
From a non driving perspective, it was far from special. Very far, infact. It felt quite cheap. However, I know that to drive, the Golf GTI *is* special. It's the best GTI in years. It's a great car. But given that this thread appears to focus mostly on looks and image and hardly on the way a car drives, I felt my initial thoughts of the Golf from a static position are relevant..
[TW]Fox;10151857 said:
reminds my of a BMW, its like the people who have the dilemma of "company car, what to buy... hmm a bmw"
Most people who drive bmws probably didn't shop around enough, hence why they end up stuck in the catagory of "generic BMW user", this is what makes the majority of bmws. boring. There is nothing special about them.
However, after riding shotgun with a colleague in the latest 530d, boy I wanted that car so bad.... it has everything, you dont even have to worry about rain, it turn on the wipers automagically! But then I got out and thought.. hmmm there is just nothing making this car stand out. Unless it was an M3 convertible
Thats my theory
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Oh I agree there. Many people driving BMW's (and Audi's) do so purely becuase its the default choice, or becuase they like the badge, or whatever.
But this doesn't detract from the mechanical abilities of the car. And it's something that not just BMW suffer from. Look at the Golf 1.6 company cars out there, it's one of the most common lease car choices.
Most people who drive bmws probably didnt shop around enough, hence why they end up stuck in the catagory of "generic BMW user", this is what makes the majority of bmws. boring.
What about people like me who bought their 330's because they are excellent cars? In every sense of the word. They are well built, respectable, IMO good looking, pokey, loads of grip for retards like me to avoid losing them, etc etc. Nothing else quite has the package for me.
Ive now changed onto what most people WOULD deem a boring car, and i could see why they would form that opinion, but with a 330CI i cant see it, even if they dont like the looks or image that much.
[TW]Fox;10151911 said:
how is this thread about looks or image? the OP asked why a golf was raced against a lambo when he felt a bmw was MUCH quicker.
this thread is about what is actually quicker (and if i were betting money, id probably say the BM..) and also what in the general public's opinion is the obviously faster car... the golf gti has the kudos being being a supposedly quick car... a 3 series bm, to the typical public results in a yawn or "thats what cut me up X number of times today" lol
So why, when people say '330' do we get 'yawn, a 318 cut me up today' (Becuase there are very few 330's around, most are the similar looking lower models) yet when we say Golf GTi, nobody thinks of those irritating junior reps in their my-first-company-car driving exactly like the 318 owners?
Whats the difference? Motorway service stations are awash with Leaseplan plated Golfs, as well as BMW 3 Series.
Whats the difference? Motorway service stations are awash with Leaseplan plated Golfs, as well as BMW 3 Series.
[TW]Fox;10151911 said:
I think the main thing you are missing in this entire debate is the experience (through young age) to appreciate what a GTi means to the average person watching top gear or most fans of cars (apart from you it seems!). A GTi is not merely some Audi, some BMW or even a Golf (hence why they dont actually put Golf on the back of the car, it just reads GTi!).
It is an image thing, but not in terms of the cheap plastics or the GTi 'that actually was just some golf' but in terms of it being a GTi i.e. a fast road going car.
The word GTi can instantly bring to people's minds what a 'fast car' is although it may not be as fast as a 330 or a 540 or whatever. Very few other cars can, especially not over a wide age spectrum audience, like apparently TG gets.
BTW You sure you didnt run away from the GTi when the salesperson realised there was not a hope that you could afford one
I have to say that I was curious about this one.
Here's a definition of boring from the web:
"to weary by dullness, tedious repetition, unwelcome attentions, etc."
Can't say that the 330 gets a lot of unwelcome attention as everyone and their aunt has one now. Not really tedious either and it's not dull. If anything, it's quite quick down a backroad, surprisingly so, and is only car I've owned that can make my passengers feel ill in after a really spirited drive.
Having said the above, whilst it is very very capable, definitely not the most fun car I've ever come across. I don't know how a GTi Golf compares, but my old GT Twin Cam made me grin more, and my MX5 was a smile a min.
Here's a definition of boring from the web:
"to weary by dullness, tedious repetition, unwelcome attentions, etc."
Can't say that the 330 gets a lot of unwelcome attention as everyone and their aunt has one now. Not really tedious either and it's not dull. If anything, it's quite quick down a backroad, surprisingly so, and is only car I've owned that can make my passengers feel ill in after a really spirited drive.
Having said the above, whilst it is very very capable, definitely not the most fun car I've ever come across. I don't know how a GTi Golf compares, but my old GT Twin Cam made me grin more, and my MX5 was a smile a min.
[TW]Fox;10151911 said:
Golf GTI's bore me to death. They don't excite me at all.
Note that I am trying to keep this thread on topic... that is, Phate is asking why Top Gear chose a Golf GTI over something more boring (oh look I just implied the Golf GTI was boring to begin with... will I reword that? Nope!!!). This thread is all about public perceptions of cars - and nothing to do with performance statistics and handling.
Not saying people can't take it slightly off topic by discussing such things... just that my input to this thread was to answer the OP's question and I can't be bothered any more to discuss the actual cars at hand.
I drive a Golf
But I don't have an obession to defend it, infact I am currently looking at my options of changing to something "interesting".
Current choices for my next car:
>S2000
>Supra
>MR2
Sensible choice:
>Audi A3 2.0T
And I agree, there are tonnes of Golf's out there. There are also a few nice ones
I think this is quite a confusing thread in that there appears to be more than one arguement going on. I'm fine with why the Golf was chosen by TG. Infact, I've explained myself why it was chosen earlier in the thread.
I'm addressing the claims that the BMW is boring, not why TG did or didn't chose the Golf
BTW You sure you didnt run away from the GTi when the salesperson realised there was not a hope that you could afford one
It was a grand cheaper than the 3.2 A3 I took out
but public perception of 3 series is 'rep driver who cut me up', when has it been much different to that?
sure there may be lots of mk5 golf gti rep lease cars out there, but to the typical member of the public, golf gti means 'the hot model'
hence... what is top gear going to use... rep car (the 'yawn') or joe public's hot model.
both will get minced by the lambo, but if the yawn car gets minced, thats basically to be expected, reps drive them afterall... but the golf gti, a joe public figure of 'oh, that should be a quick car', its better to see a supposed quick car get hammered for viewing purposes, i recon
sure there may be lots of mk5 golf gti rep lease cars out there, but to the typical member of the public, golf gti means 'the hot model'
hence... what is top gear going to use... rep car (the 'yawn') or joe public's hot model.
both will get minced by the lambo, but if the yawn car gets minced, thats basically to be expected, reps drive them afterall... but the golf gti, a joe public figure of 'oh, that should be a quick car', its better to see a supposed quick car get hammered for viewing purposes, i recon
That is the answer in a nutshell
unfortunately, you are now tarred with the same brush.
You most likely drive the car better and can get the shear value of the bmw package as would i given the chance. Its just a shame that I would dive past a BMW and not even glance at it or check out its badge 330i or 316i
You missed my point. Few reps drive 330's, and few reps drive GTI's. It's the lower models they all drive, and the lower models are what you think of when you think '3 series', so why not when you think 'Golf'.
I don't know how many times I need to say 'I know why TG picked the Golf'.
Everyone knows why TG picked the Golf. Phates question was stupid and meaningless. This thread would have died in 6 posts had it not evolved into 'Why do people think 330's are boring'.
I don't know how many times I need to say 'I know why TG picked the Golf'.
Everyone knows why TG picked the Golf. Phates question was stupid and meaningless. This thread would have died in 6 posts had it not evolved into 'Why do people think 330's are boring'.
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