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What's the point of the R32?

M

Mishal

Active Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
256
I just watched the Top Gear review of the latest Golf R32 and I don't understand why VW would want to make both a GTi and a R32?

Don't get me wrong. I am a HUGE fan of hot hatches and I love both of them. But I can understand that the GTi is competing with Astra VXR, Focus ST, Civic Type R etc. But what's the point of a 27000 pound hot hatch? Who will buy it? And for that matter, the BMW 130i is even more pointless....

Can anyone give me some ideas? :?
 
I will buy it as soon as I opened my dentist office... So thanks VW for making it only for me to buy in 5 years... ;-)

Nope, I mean, the R32 has already everything in it, except Satnav and the DSG box, so its not as expensive as it sounds...
Its supposed to be more of a cruiser for a small family, and not a softcore track toy...

Buba
 
But you spend a little bit more and you get really good sports cars like Monaro and Elise. Why would you possible choose a hatchback over those?
 
The Monaro can carry people easily and their luggage.

The R32 just fills up a small part of the market. For those people who want all the practicality of the normal Golf, but the trackday ability of a Monaro or Elise.
 
The GTI and the R32 aren't in the same league. The GTI is for the normal GTI hatch segment. It is FWD and has 2-litre turbo that develops 200 hp as mentioned before.
The R32 on the other hand is made for the "?ber hatch" segment with cars like the alfa romeo GTA and 130i. It has a 250 hp 3.2 V6 and AWD. So there is a pretty big difference between the two IMO. Also the R32 has huge tuning potential if you are in to that sort of thing. The former R32 could be tuned to ~600 hp. And because of the AWD it can handle the extra power.
You also said "why not buy an Elise?". Because unlees you are a very hardcore mofo you couldn't live with it in everyday driving. The Elise is meant as a second or even third car in the garage for sunday drives and stuff like that. Not to mention lugage space and so on. The R32 on the other hand is perfectly useable as your only car.
 
SL65AMG~V12~604BHP!!!!!!! said:
The Monaro can carry people easily and their luggage.

The R32 just fills up a small part of the market. For those people who want all the practicality of the normal Golf, but the trackday ability of a Monaro or Elise.
Click to expand...

I understand that you can in a monaro... but knowing family members and cousins who owned 2-doored cars, getting in and out of them for the first 1 week is okay, after that, its just a pain in the ass...
 
andyhui01 said:
SL65AMG~V12~604BHP!!!!!!! said:
The Monaro can carry people easily and their luggage.

The R32 just fills up a small part of the market. For those people who want all the practicality of the normal Golf, but the trackday ability of a Monaro or Elise.
Click to expand...

I understand that you can in a monaro... but knowing family members and cousins who owned 2-doored cars, getting in and out of them for the first 1 week is okay, after that, its just a pain in the ass...
Click to expand...

And I would reckon they appeal to different people. The Monaro is big, heavy and has a huge V8, the R32 would be more practical.
 
The R32 is for people who dont want to wait for a GTI.

There is currently an 8 month waiting list for GTIs in Australia.

anyone know if there is a waitling list in other countries? and how long?
 
I dont think we have a waiting list for VW's here. There is an Overproduction anyway, might be different for the RHD though.
 
Mishal said:
But you spend a little bit more and you get really good sports cars like Monaro and Elise. Why would you possible choose a hatchback over those?
Click to expand...
Well, one of the reasons one would buy a R32 over the Monaro is, that the Monaro is RHD and only sold in the UK. And comparing the R32 to an Elise is absolutely pointless. ;)

To the aforementioned reasons I'd like to add:

The R32 is more exclusive. There are not that many on the road, pull up into a parking lot and even the Mark IV R32 still turns heads. And that V6 is just a gem. The sound is amazing, especially with a modified exhaust valve. (Because the R32 has to comply with noise regulations, the valve is closed after starting the car and only opened at speeds above 70 km/h. It's very easy to manipulate though... :mrgreen: )

I've driven the the Mk V GTI and it's great fun, very nimble and, if anything, more fun on the twisties than the R32. On the Autobahn it doesn't stand a chance however. The 4 cylinder turbo sounds nice, but not great.
I've yet to drive the Mk V R32, would be interesting to see how it compares to the Mk IV. It's basically the same, same engine (+9hp), same gearbox, same 4wd, but 3 seconds faster on the TG track...
 
It's supposed to compete against other AWD sports sedans/hatches such as the STi and the EVO, at least in America anyway. Yet I think it will sell more on brand loyalty than practical considerations.

How much heavier is the V6 than the GTI's turbo 4? For that matter, how heavier is the R32 with the AWD?
 
in america the gti doesn't come in awd

the r32 is the only one that does

that justifies its existence here in the states....
idk about other countries
 
The GTI doesnt come in AWD because otherwise it would be too close to the R32. The 2L turbo engine is tuned easily and can reach the R32's powerlevel at least on paper ;)
 
BlaRo said:
How much heavier is the V6 than the GTI's turbo 4? For that matter, how heavier is the R32 with the AWD?
Click to expand...
According to VW's website:
(which, BTW, you could've checked for yourself ;) )

R32
1510 - 1590 kg (3328 - 3505 pounds)

GTI
1328 - 1428 kg (2927 - 3148 pounds)
 
another reason for the R32 vs the monaro - the R232's engine is almost half the size of the V8. It'll have way less fuel consumption.
 
Blythy said:
another reason for the R32 vs the monaro - the R232's engine is almost half the size of the V8. It'll have way less fuel consumption.
Click to expand...
Actually it doesn't. That V6 in the R32 is a gas guzzler par excellence. Let me quote myself from this thread:
oliB said:
Driving in city traffic today I was averaging 22 l/100km, that's ~10 mpg! After leaving the city and driving on the Autobahn, it went down to 13.5 l/100km, or 17.5mpg, by the time I got home. Average over the last 3000km/2000miles is 11.8 l/100km or 20mpg. Lowest figure I've ever seen, 9.5 l/100km or 25mpg.

Even though I'm not actually trying to drive economically, fuel consumption on the R32 really is disproportionately high. :|
Click to expand...
Looks like the Monara gets basically the same mileage:
http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/050919/4/1ycur.html
 
I also don't see the point in the R32 when you can buy the Alfa Romeo Brera in the spring.

alfabrera.jpg

Alfa_Romeo_Brera_64998g.jpg
 
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