[NEW ARTICLE] JC on the VW Polo 1.8 GTI

[Blayde]

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/art...457674,00.html


Think of it as the Golf GTI before it got fat - JC

Good read, and seems he gets some aftermarket tuning in too...

[Viper007Bond]

Obviously this doesn’t apply in America, because any nation that can’t make a cup of coffee and is utterly confused by the recipe for “a pot of tea” is going to struggle pretty badly when it comes to something as complex as making a car.

Imagine that, more America bashing...

[SL65]

If you look soley at his review OF THE CAR - it isn't that good. It's not got the usual Clarkson-ness to it. But the one thing I like about the car based on his review of it is it's ability to make you feel like you can go around any corner at any speed. I like that in a car!

But IMO, it's such a Golf wannabe with it's very similar looks and GTI styling. Wouldn't mind one though....

[Adunaphel]

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

Imagine that, more America bashing...

It's JC, what do you expect?

But yeah, it's getting pretty lame indeed...

[nomix]

A 237bhp Polo. That would be fab.

[Redliner]

This car is making the news here in Brazil. Only 30 will be imported, and they will cost 50.000USD each...

[newbie]

I suppose, given the number of years Clarkson has been in this game, we'll have to forgive him for repeating himself now and again ( i.e. American bashing!)
It seems wrong to criticise Clarkson - he is, after all, the master of the motor journalists, but, just sometimes, I find myself thinking he throws in all his funny comparisons and such to show us how much more clever he is than anyone else, and it gets a bit tiring - after all, his knowledge on cars is unquestionably brilliant - it's not like he has anything to prove to anyone.

[andoxviii]

i don't think its possible to read or watch Jeremy Clarkson without him making fun of Americans.

"Getting old" doesn't even begin to describe it.

[bwkrupp]

He was here in America for several weeks this year and had some understandably bad experiences here. Of course he's going to take it out on us for a while. Its not that he's repeating himself or anything, its just that he's pissed at us and taking out some verbal revenge.

[pwalsh53]

Now, I'm as big a fan of Clarkson's writing and car reviews as anyone. But he's really starting to show his age.

I'm only 22 and he's in his mid 40s, but he's really dating himself by showing no desire whatsoever to learn anything about electronic engine tuning. It's been around for more than a decade and it's very common nowadays. Not necessarily just tuning the engine, but car modification is also fairly commonplace with people below age 35. I have a 3-series that I have changed a few things on (BMW needed to put a LSD on it from the factory for one thing), two of my friends have GTIs that they have modified and one friend has a WRX that he has heavily modified. I don't have any friends with American cars because frankly, and I'm with Clarkson on this, they're horrid. And so are a large proportion of the people that modify them.

Clarkson is just starting to get a little "cranky old man" in him, and the America stuff can be funny at times (when he put the outboard on the Hilux) but it's just repetitive. I really believe that it's a combination of his frustration during his last visit and just outright jealousy. Living in the states, I almost NEVER see an American journalist so frequently bash or even talk about the British. Americans seem to be on Clarkson's mind all the time.

But still, he's the best automotive journalist in the business. However, he needs to do more reading up on modern technologies and tuning. But I guess that's what Hammond is for...

Patrick

[nomix]

I think James would actually do that better. Richard is just young, James actually understand the thingy on the Prodrive.

He might think oversteer is a left wing plot, but he'd probably understand it.

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by pwalsh53

I'm only 22 and he's in his mid 40s, but he's really dating himself by showing no desire whatsoever to learn anything about electronic engine tuning. It's been around for more than a decade and it's very common nowadays. Not necessarily just tuning the engine, but car modification is also fairly commonplace with people below age 35. I have a 3-series that I have changed a few things on (BMW needed to put a LSD on it from the factory for one thing), two of my friends have GTIs that they have modified and one friend has a WRX that he has heavily modified. I don't have any friends with American cars because frankly, and I'm with Clarkson on this, they're horrid. And so are a large proportion of the people that modify them.

You've just confirmed his point. Americans modfy cars, Brits don't. Modified cars are almost entirely done by young people here.

[scoops]

Originally Posted by Peter3hg

You've just confirmed his point. Americans modfy cars, Brits don't. Modified cars are almost entirely done by young people here.

i think you read it incorrectly.... he was talking about americans modifying american cars.... when the truth is, we'll modify anything we can get our hands on amaizingly enough, I'm an example, i've got mods on a WRX and a Jeep Cherokee. silly canadian....

oh and he's pretty much repeated the whole mini one thing from another thing he did. it was in one of the top gear eppisodes almost word for word....

[Blayde]

WRX, okay, Cherokee? What are you doing, driving to the Pole?

[scoops]

Originally Posted by Blayde

WRX, okay, Cherokee? What are you doing, driving to the Pole?

lol Canadian, there's alot of undeveloped land to play around in.

[Alok]

I was at the Cannes Role night last night at my University which was hosted by one of the chief people at Ogilvy advertising, showing the 300 best advertisements in the world this years at the Cannes. I saw the three ads vw offered for the Polo GTI all of which won the bronze award, they are hilarious.

http://www.sostav.ru/grabers/mov/bronze/108.mpeg
http://www.sostav.ru/grabers/mov/bronze/109.mpeg
http://www.sostav.ru/grabers/mov/bronze/110.mpeg

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by Peter3hg

You've just confirmed his point. Americans modfy cars, Brits don't. Modified cars are almost entirely done by young people here.

So modifying cars is another American stereotype now? Man, British people must be really boring.

Hell, if you want to prove me wrong pete, just look at your sig.

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

So modifying cars is another American stereotype now? Man, British people must be really boring.

Hell, if you want to prove me wrong pete, just look at your sig.

Yes but in my sig they are factory modified, not by the owners.

[BlaRo]

So there aren't any car enthusiasts in England? Nobody has bought a Lotus Elise and added a set of aftermarket coilovers? Not all car modifying consists of putting huge wings and stickers and loud exhausts; you already have the chavs in their Nova's for that, just like we have our wiggers in our Civcs.

If you have car enthusiasts, you have car modifying. It's a pretty universal thing.

[Mercury]

I just wanna know one thing....was that bit in his new DVD where he asks random people in the street what's the capital of france and they dont know for real??? I mean how pointless are these people if they can't name 4 countries in Europe?! Im going to the states soon and if a bunch of self envolved ignorants is what Im gonna find then it will be a disappointment. And it will make JC's US bashing all the more fun.