[quickdraw]

Thanks for sharing, the news made me consider this car and I ended up calling one home for a test drive.

Pros:

Nice grunt, engine loves to play.
Seats are not bad at all, good support and feel.
Love the headlights and the understated looks.
I love that GTi Steering but the paddles feel cheap plastic.
Very supple ride with thick tires and well set up suspension.

Cons:
No auto lights even? C'mon you're asking us to pay 23 big ones for this?
Doesn't feel like a 20 lakh ka Polo (Light doors, average plastics)
Gearbox is dumb sometimes.

Although I would have loved to own this car. But I can't justify paying so much, sweet spot would be around 16 I guess for what they're offering.

[dark.knight]

So much for the articles about the GTI getting sold out and exhausted within the first week, so much for Hormazd Sorabjee and Michael Meyer calling it the choice of enthusiasts with well-planned demand gauging years in advance. Shows that the press are simply mouthpieces for whoever pays them the most.

The price was never mouth-watering, even the current price is eye-watering to say the least. It's a 2-door Polo with a big engine.. SIMPLE. If it were a Golf the equation would've changed completely.

As member quickdraw has mentioned above, 16 would be about the right price for this one.

As for comparisons with MINI, I'd say there is no comparison.. the amount of kit, quality of finishing and luxury+snob quotient of MINI is 10 times more than any car badged 'VW'. I'd gladly pay twice the price for it above the GTI (though I can't spare such money as of now).

[vb-saan]

If we take 3-door Polo GTI is a separate model from the regular Polo sold in India, it’s just a stock clearance of the previous generation model.
50% discount on the original sticker price maybe fairly reasonable.

[IshaanIan]

I agree with quickdraw; 16 lacs ought to have been the price for this car no more. I don't know why Volkswagen isn't bringing in newer generation models. Back when Skoda came into the country with the old Octavia, it was so clearly distinguished from the competition like the Optra. Now however, everyone has got a lot to offer and when VW does have a host of nifty features on their international models, it pains me to see them not bring such innovation to India yet expect customers to deal with their lazy service attitude.

Originally Posted by quickdraw

No auto lights even? C'mon you're asking us to pay 23 big ones for this?
Doesn't feel like a 20 lakh ka Polo (Light doors, average plastics)

For some reason I never understood the automatic craze to such an extent that auto lights and wipers have become so popular these days. Like you pointed out, I'd much rather have better materials and if it did come to convenience features, how about some powered memory seats, electric folding mirrors and dual zone climate control? Those I feel offer more value to the user.

[shibujp]

Waiting for the 14.99 offer.

If the Polo GTI engine bay could accept the 1.8 TSI engine wouldn't the Vento bay too. I think they should have used the Vento chassis for a limited edition performance version. Say 500 for 17 lakhs. Wouldn't that have sold better?

Drive on,
Shibu.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Only 99 sold. Or... unsold.

Imagine trying to get repairs/spares for this car in five to ten years. Really, it's a rich boy's toy.

having said that, if I were a rich boy... I'd buy one!

[SnS_12]

Even after all this, they are still hopeful of the psychological pricing working in their favor by pricing it at 19.99 lacs instead of 20 lacs??

[sriramv.iyer]

I'll happily pay 15L - 16L for this car. I'll pick it up at the drop of a hat at this price.



At any price close to Octavia, Octavia wins - Same engine, better space and countless more features. No comparison.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

For some reason I never understood the automatic craze to such an extent that auto lights and wipers have become so popular these days.

I thought so too - I have a Merc C250d, and I am so used to these features that I find it difficult to use my other two cars. Esp, love the way the speed of the wiper varies based on intensity of the rain. Same for the automatic lights which turn on as soon as I enter the basement or a tunnel. They start as minor conveniences, and then we begin to take it for granted!

[rageshgr]

Trust me, I was really excited for this car, even when it was launched at 25 lacs. At 19.99 lac, I guess it is the best bang for the buck in the Halo hot hatch car segment. But for a 17.x lac, you get the same (detuned a bit) engine-gearbox combo in a car twice its size in the Skoda Octavia Style 1.8 TSI AT. It takes a lot to sway an Indian from that car to this one, even for most enthusiasts.

The only demographic that would consider this is, someone who has 2-3 Germans/Jags in atleast the E/5/XF territory but is badly in need for a small city hatch which he can bash occassionally in weekends. But in that case why would n't he consider a Mini? Will 12 lac make such a big different for an uber rich guy? If yes, then this is the car to go. Else he might very well go with the Mini or 595.

At 25+ lacs, they should have gone the whole hog, the Golf GTI. In fact at that price, they should have launched the vRS. Would have got more takers.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by shibujp

Waiting for the 14.99 offer.

If the Polo GTI engine bay could accept the 1.8 TSI engine wouldn't the Vento bay too. I think they should have used the Vento chassis for a limited edition performance version. Say 500 for 17 lakhs. Wouldn't that have sold better?

Drive on,
Shibu.

I have mentioned this several times in several other threads, and even in my most recent post in the previous page.

However, I will reiterate.

The 1.8 TSI will not fit in the Polo / Vento engine bay without extensive modifications and rewiring. The battery in the GTI, for instance, has been relocated to the hatchback's boot-floor in order to accommodate the larger engine.

Carrying out this modification will result in VW incurring costs that they probably do not want to incur at this stage.

A better idea would be to shoe-horn the 1.4 TSI into the Polo's / Vento's engine-bay. But even that is unlikely.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The 1.8 TSI will not fit in the Polo / Vento engine bay without extensive modifications and rewiring. The battery in the GTI, for instance, has been relocated to the hatchback's boot-floor in order to accommodate the larger engine.

The below images posted by SDP on the Ameo cup car thread (Driven: The VW Ameo Cup Race Car @ Kari Speedway (1.8L TSI, 202 BHP, 320 Nm)) might be relevant to this, given its the same engine bay and engine being discussed here. (Ignore the aftermarket BMC air intake)





Possible? Yes. But you're right. The numbers would never justify it.

Originally Posted by drpudhi

That's never gonna happen. The 1.2 TSI GT itself costs 9.3 L ex show room right now. With 1.4 and higher taxes, it's impossible.

I stand corrected. Just came to know today that the GT TSI Sport itself comes to 9.81L ex-showroom Bangalore.

Not sure how they would price the 1.4 below ~ 12.5L, but anything above 11L might not work in the Indian market, in my personal opinion.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

A better idea would be to shoe-horn the 1.4 TSI into the Polo's / Vento's engine-bay. But even that is unlikely.

Fingers crossed.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post4217660

[petrol_power]

What next from auto industry? An Amby with a 4 litre 750 Nm triple turbo diesel engine with sporty suspension, LED headlamps, ceramic brembo brakes, priced against M series.

Be realistic, VW!!!

VW, If you target the rich people, given them a product that shows and projects it is unique and different which gives them a special feel, if you target middle income groups, give them something more affordable. Your GTI fell in no-mans land in India.

But Anyways VW incurred only shipping charges, may be they can ship it again to some other country and try the 99 number strategy again.

I guess if their intention was to create Halo, I doubt whether that worked either !!

[sivasain]

Given that a 3Door GTI DSG in UK starts at GBP 20K, 20 Lakhs Ex-showroom is as good as it gets for a full import.

To the comments about differentiation. The whole point of the cars like GTI and M is the anonymity it offers. I would be more comfortable driving a GTI around town rather than a mini (even assuming both are priced the same). Being in cars like mini is like sitting in an aquarium in middle of a traffic jam. Many don't like that kind of attention.

Indian market has not matured to that level yet.

[KAUBMW7]

You are spot on buddy... The Indian market isn't mature enough for a true performance hatch and the common man will always ponder hard whether to plonk 20 Lacs (ex showroom) on a 2 door polo look-alike hatch or get a spanking new facelifted Octavia TSI which has a zillion more features & ofcourse the much valued "boot" to come along.

I took a test drive of the GTI post the price drop and it seriously is a great car with fantastic power, gearbox, handling & simply brilliant braking ability. The new price point after this discount seems reasonable for a CBU and trust me (I did own the GT TSI for a brief while) the build quality is way above the locally manufactured Polos.

Comparing the Octy with this is highly incorrect and I am seriously contemplating either the GTI or maybe the V40 Kinetic (if I can negotiate well on the latter) as our second car, my budget is ~20 Lacs ex showroom.

If the GTI was slightly better kitted (Sunroof, KESSY or atleast a unique color), it would have been a simpler decision!

[nirvanaguy19]

Took a test driver of the GTI earlier this week. The suspension , power delivery and braking were spot on. The lack of kit (electronically adjustable seats, leather or at least better looking upholstery, Navigation or android auto /apple car play) is hard to forgive though. Being used to the lower seating stance of my 320d , the GTI seats felt quite high and thus not as sporty.

I was quite excited about this car post the price drop but 24L on-road, in Hyderabad, still seems a lot of money for this car