SRGTD wrote: ↑Sat Jun 18, 2022 11:53 am
lancslad1985 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 18, 2022 10:23 am
There’s a couple of new gtis at Bolton VW. A red demonstrator and a black showroom model. Looks very nice, climate controls are the same as my Tiguan so they’re backlit unlike the golf. Actually like the new tartan and don’t mind the red stripe on the front now I’ve seen it in person.
What I don’t like are the capacitive buttons. I drive with my thumbs over my steering buttons so I can press them, but with these I’d be constantly activating them.
I’ve not seen a new GTI in the metal yet. I did see a new R-Line parked up in my village the other day and I thought it looked OK. I do like the new style rear light clusters. Like you, I’m not keen on capacitive buttons.
I won’t be getting a new GTI though. All being well I’ll be keeping my GTI+ for another three years or so and then consider what to replace it with. There’s a good chance that the replacement will be an EV; I’d envisage by 2025 there’ll be more choice in the Polo sized car segment of the market and I dare say battery tech will have also moved on in that time too - smaller, less expensive, lighter batteries, shorter charge times and increased range. I’m not keen on the renderings I’ve seen of VW’s ID.2 so I’m unlikely to be driving a VW EV in 2025, but the small Cupra - the UrbanRebel - looks very interesting and it’s due to launch in 2025. Apparently, the latest concept version is a pretty accurate reflection of what the actual production vehicle will look like.
https://www.cupraofficial.co.uk/cars/co ... rebel.html
I chuckled to myself when I read this, as this is my rough plan for next few years of motoring. (don't know why, but always seems strange to me that others are thinking the same sort of thing, but shouldn't really be)
I wanted to get back into a Polo GTI as it will be a more manageable size and be easier to fit in my garage. Yes my garage will take a wider car but its a pain and does narrow the access between car and wall. So Polo is a lot better (even if it is a little wider now, than my previous 2007 Polo GTI and 2013 Polo BlueGT.)
Everything, I have seen and read suggests Polo will not last beyond 2025 (in Europe at least) and talk is Audi A1 also not going to be replaced. So with the size of current EVs as they are and talk of demise of smaller ICE cars, I thought I would be worth it to get a Polo before the music stops, to me this then gives me some flexibility in future choice.
I have said to myself, plan is go electric by 2025 (but that is subject to several caveats and exceptions depending on what VW do in next few years). So Polo GTI probably last ICE vehicle unless
i) VW might do a run out Polo GTI model / 50yrs of Polo (in 2025) - you never know, but I personally think unlikely as they(VW) seem only to be interested in Golf
ii) The Golf GTI 50th Anniversary might be something worth having, but price might be astronomical
So, in terms of electric future, nothing currently EV wise floats my boat in terms of size, style and cost. Autocar did have a scoop a few yrs ago about EV sports car that could appear around middle of decade. Its a nice idea, but again we will believe when we see it. Everything seems to be SUV/Crossover and I am not interested in those styles/shapes.
Hopefully the new small VAG EV does cover some of my requirements. (Size(dimensions) & Power). The Cupra Urbanrebel does look pretty good but this and the ID2 do seem to be rather crossover like (yes batteries in floor will raise height). I would like something more akin to today's superminis or a small sports coupe type of offering. (I appreciate that business cases are required and everyone is loving SUVs etc).
So back to having a Polo GTI will allow flexibility until perhaps later in the decade when the solid state batteries are suppose to appear and be a game changer in terms of size and packaging for EVs.
@johnpolo2 Glad to hear your car is built and I think I will check in with Dealer to find out if mine is also now built.