Any one ordered the new facelift GTI?

[lancslad1985]

I understand why they did this but, having had the haptic buttons on the wheel for 12 months, I don’t think they’re that bad. Expensive to replace eventually I’m sure, but I won’t keep the car that long.

[SRGTD]

That is interesting. Did not take them long to sack those haptic buttons off then. Shame the extreme left and right buttons are just blank though. If they are buttons that is.

IMHO those haptic steering wheel ‘buttons’ were a case of form over function and change just for the sake of change. Maybe a haptic touch pad is cheaper to manufacture than actual physical buttons(?), otherwise why would VW have opted to use them rather than retain physical buttons. At least they’ve seen sense by reverting back to proper buttons; just my opinion though and no offence intended to any facelift Polo owners with haptic touch pads on the steering wheel who prefer them to the ‘old style’ physical buttons.

I don’t think the extreme left and right blank sections are buttons. The buttons are a slightly different design to those on the pre-facelift GTI / GTI+ steering wheel, but the number of buttons is the same. I do like the chunkier steering wheel rim of the facelift GTI - reminds me of the steering wheel in the mk6 Golf GTD I owned.

Pre-facelift steering wheel showing the number and position of the buttons;

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[Discoboy]

In UK the Polo GTi Edition 25 insurance group has increased to group 25 over group 23 of the std GTi… Guess another reason its called the Edition 25...
Did anyone else notice this?
FYI: If you are considering a purchase of the GTi edition 25 this has an additional hidden cost of ownership over the std GTi in the UK

[Nora]

I have a new facelift Gti on order and according to the dealer it’s due for production in week 42 (16-22 October) and I’m awaiting confirmation of this being completed, then there’s the transit time to the uk, so I’m expecting possible delivery early December.
A couple of questions for the group:
Does anyone know of of which car carriers are due in port to pick up cars from the factory in the next few weeks so I can track it, and what kind of connection is it in the centre console to plug in to the CarPlay and for charging (I didn’t spec the charger), as I understand that it maybe USB C and not the USB in the AW polo

[lancslad1985]

I THINK it’s usb C, however not 100% sure as you can use CarPlay wirelessly in the facelift. Haven’t connected my phone to the car since my gti+.

[Discoboy]

On my Dec. 2022 facelift GTi it’s 2x usb C sockets in the front centre console and I use Apple CarPlay Wirelessly

[Mike_]

Took delivery of my 73 plate polo GTI (standard, not 25th edition) this week, thought it might be of interest that it came fitted with the physical buttons steering wheel not the haptic version. Build week around mid August.

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Mine still has the haptic buttons (I don't much like them) I got the e-mail to say it left the factory on the 27th July.

I can also confirm it has 2 USB C sockets in front of the gear lever.

[RealMarshy]

Took delivery of my 73 plate polo GTI (standard, not 25th edition) this week, thought it might be of interest that it came fitted with the physical buttons steering wheel not the haptic version. Build week around mid August.

IMG_0265.jpeg

Interesting! I got told mine was built last week (ordered end of July) so I expect will be 8wks or so until delivery. Will be interesting to see what steering wheel mine comes with!

What are your heating controls like, are they haptic or buttons?

[lancslad1985]

Should be haptic. Was only the steering wheels that were switching back as far as I’m aware. Had the haptic sliders in this car and my previous Tiguan and have no issues with them as I’ve learned where they are with them feeling slightly recessed. Can see how some might not like them though.

[Andy838]

Interesting! I got told mine was built last week (ordered end of July) so I expect will be 8wks or so until delivery. Will be interesting to see what steering wheel mine comes with!

What are your heating controls like, are they haptic or buttons?

Yes, as lancslad1985 said, that control panel for climate/seat heating is the same touch panel, it’s just the wheel that was switched back - same wheel as on the other grades I think.

[RealMarshy]

Interesting! I got told mine was built last week (ordered end of July) so I expect will be 8wks or so until delivery. Will be interesting to see what steering wheel mine comes with!

What are your heating controls like, are they haptic or buttons?

Yes, as lancslad1985 said, that control panel for climate/seat heating is the same touch panel, it’s just the wheel that was switched back - same wheel as on the other grades I think.

Thanks both

[Nora]

Waiting for delivery of a new car is like being an expectant waiting for the birth of a baby. All I know atm is that the car is built and awaiting transit, and looking at marine traffic seems to show that the next vehicle carrier due in South Africa bound for Germany (Glovis Cosmos) will arrive in South Africa on the 12/11/23, so I anticipate that it might reach Germany by the end of the month at the earliest so I’m hoping that it will be delivered in the new year

[RealMarshy]

Good investigation! I've been trying to find when the next vehicle carrier is leaving Port Elizabeth. When I spoke to the dealer (about 2 weeks ago) they said mine had been built and that it may come before Christmas if we're lucky. I wonder how frequently they have vehicle carriers depart?!?!

I know what you mean about it being like waiting for the birth of a new baby, though at least I'm not worrying about nappy changes (unless launch control results in a need to change my own underpants ).

[Nora]

Good investigation! I've been trying to find when the next vehicle carrier is leaving Port Elizabeth. When I spoke to the dealer (about 2 weeks ago) they said mine had been built and that it may come before Christmas if we're lucky. I wonder how frequently they have vehicle carriers depart?!?!

I know what you mean about it being like waiting for the birth of a new baby, though at least I'm not worrying about nappy changes (unless launch control results in a need to change my own underpants ).

It’s my understanding that the port of East London and not Port Elizabeth has the dedicated car terminal.
The Glovis Cosmos is sat at anchorage just outside the port of East London SA, and is due in port tomorrow morning
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/ho ... 15/zoom:10
Any other vehicle carriers in the vicinity of the port are heading east towards Australia and the far east. So keep your eye on the this ship and if it departs towards the west and up the west coast of Africa it’s likely that our cars are onboard

[SRGTD]

Good investigation! I've been trying to find when the next vehicle carrier is leaving Port Elizabeth. When I spoke to the dealer (about 2 weeks ago) they said mine had been built and that it may come before Christmas if we're lucky. I wonder how frequently they have vehicle carriers depart?!?!

I know what you mean about it being like waiting for the birth of a new baby, though at least I'm not worrying about nappy changes (unless launch control results in a need to change my own underpants ).

It’s my understanding that the port of East London and not Port Elizabeth has the dedicated car terminal.
The Glovis Cosmos is sat at anchorage just outside the port of East London SA, and is due in port tomorrow morning
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/ho ... 15/zoom:10
Any other vehicle carriers in the vicinity of the port are heading east towards Australia and the far east. So keep your eye on the this ship and if it departs towards the west and up the west coast of Africa it’s likely that our cars are onboard

Back in 2020 when I took delivery of my Polo GTI+, VW were using Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha) to ship cars built at their production facility in Kariega (previously known as Uitenhage) to the UK. Kariega is much closer to Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha than it is to the Port of East London, so it would make sense logistically (and financially?) for VW to use Port Elizabeth. / Gqeberha.

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