Oh yeah absolutely the F80 M3 is a better car pretty much all around, but I've heard some owners say they prefer the more raw V8 from the previous generation because it has more character. One interesting thing to note is how strikingly similar the S65 torque/hp curve is to our VQ37VHR, except that it has a higher rev limit of course and keeps making power up to it, whereas ours falls off after 7k~.

I wouldn't say that you'd have to rev the **** out of the S65 in order to get it to move, I don't feel like I have to do that in my G but yeah I definitely do wish there was a bit more of a punch down low. Nothing beats the torque of a turbo though.

 

I'm going to repost this pic because... well, duh. Just look at it! This thing screams fun.

 

Yeah we have a 4 year old so rear seats are important. A 911 would be cool, but the back seat is pretty non-existent in the coupe and probably worse in the convertible. I had 2 Jeep Gladiators and they were cool. Great in the winter and fun with the top off in the summer. They were just terrible to drive and a royal PITA to remove and re-install the top. I have been giving serious thought to a Wrangler 4xe so I would use next to no gas to work and back, have great hybrid acceleration when I need it, a much better version of the Alpine stereo than the Gladiator, and an easier top to remove. The problem is that they are really expensive for what you get and still not great to drive. I keep an eye on their lease specials just in case. A black Sahara 4xe looks pretty sharp- kind of like a Mercedes G wagon if you ask me.

Funny you mention the Mercedes convertibles. My wife saw a black AMG63 version and thought it looked "nice" without realizing how stupid expensive it was. Maybe a used one if they made in AWD. I did not think of the Audi idea either for my wife. Not a bad idea with AWD. I'll have to take a closer look. I bet they are a unicorn with a manual transmission though. (If they ever made them at all- probably last gen)

Exactly- the trunk is the one issue with the convertible. The other thing that scares me is the cost of replacing the top when it fails. Those are usually $15-$20k. So if you can find a good deal on a used one where a Zurich warranty is not too much, then it would be a consideration for me.

 

It is ridiculously fun to drive! Fingers crossed I can get one...

 

The V8 is without a doubt the more soulful engine. There is nothing quite like taking a race inspired V8 up over 8,000 rpms to make your spine tingle. The million dollar question is how long will it hold together like that before it needs new rod bearings? I saw a few that sold on cars and bids for quite a bit less than the ones you see listed elsewhere right now so maybe that is an option...

 

I'm staring at that little red VW with a lot of appreciation. For example, unless my eyes are deceiving me, there's a crease in the front fender which just gently fades away as the sight line travels into the rear door. And just below it, there's a crease in the rear fender that fades away as it travels into the front fender. The net effect is to create a visual "rake" to the side profile, and I think that kind of detail is freaking amazing. I love it.

Man, I would love to obsess over keeping that little car perfect over the years. I've tried to do that with the G, but with mods and miles it's really impossible. Perfection being the enemy of the good, and all that jazz.

 

It is a good looking car and I'm not a big fan of hatchbacks. It's not overdone anywhere, sporty enough while keeping some refined elegance.

 

exactly this! Something honda needs to learn when designing the body on the civic type r... they either go full boy racer or boring. That golf definitely has the right balance

 

That's an interesting observation about the side character lines. I never noticed that. I first noticed that the styling on this generation looks a lot tighter and more cohesive than the previous generation. For some reason the last generation looked a bit like a roller skate in the back when looked at from the side profile. Fortunately, this one does not. I would say the solid styling mirrors the solid feel you get when you close the doors.

From the front the styling is vastly improved as well. Initially, I was not sure about the 5 hex fog lights and the light bar across the grille on some models, but it is growing on me. On red, all the black and red accents just seem to work. I was unsure about the red stripe in the wheels in pictures, but in person it is well executed. The color combo looked strange on the yellow one we got, but I think it looks great on red. For me there is also the large amount a sentimental value attached with this vehicle in this color. Like I mentioned earlier, now it is just a waiting game to see if I can actually get one.

 

An $82,000 VW Golf right here: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a4...r-333-edition/

 

For a hatchback? And here I thought north of 50K was too much to pay for the GTI Type R.

 

I saw that. Yikes! That will not make my short list. Are the muffler bearings made out of unobtanium on that thing?!?

 

For $82,000 to Volkswagen, I'm expecting a Phaeton with a W12, not a Golf with special decals.

 

This GTI had a mid engine W12 with 650 hp, but it was not the most attractive GTI ever made.

 

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