[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Pretorian

Say for argument sake, VW reads our forums & gets their Golf priced at 30L, will folks like us the 'enthusiast market' buy it ? I am sure most wont. They'll play foul, saying it should have been at 20L or pick some sub-conscious reason like, I can buy a A3 or a Mini for that price! Or go plain jane & say it looks like a Polo, nothing exclusive!

We are a cribby lot for a market with limited choices.
--

OK, OK, you brought me down to earth on that one. What you say is true.

[Mitz]

Originally Posted by Tapish

I respectfully disagree with this line of thinking. Sure- people would go all out and buy a GTI but what about people who truly have to look at the value their investment brings in.

Hi Tapish,

Well, thats NOT my line of thinking. I was more of trying to decipher VW's strategy.
I always wish the Polo GTI be priced at the level of, say 15 lacs. I would have been more than happy to buy that instead of the Vento TSI.
Secondly, value it brings in, would be a very subjective matter to be honest. For some, value could be the sheer fun, the technology, the uniqueness, for others it might be practicality, space, boot, fuel economy, etc. etc.. Depending on who is buying it. So, not a lot of people are going to go all out and buy it. Its gonna be very very limited.

Originally Posted by Tapish

No ways comparing, but here in the US, GTI, Mustang etc are available at 1/4 of the yearly salary of any decent qualified professional. They sure do charge a premium (50-100% over the base market cars) but that's for what the car has over its peers, not for the fact that there is nothing else available.

Well, there is no comparison to the Salary:Car-Price ratios between US and India. Altogether different markets, demographics, per capita income and whole lot of other factors in play, which requires a separate thread in itself. In India, such prices are commanded only because of its exclusivity. GTI, for eg does not even have a competitor here.

Originally Posted by Tapish

Our market is maturing and would (maybe soon) demand that better products be made available at deserving prices. The industry cannot hide behind the "niche market" face forever.

Yes, I do agree with your point here. But if you see the historical trend, anything new is always going to be niche and expensive.
Only when it becomes common, like most manufacturers offering it, will it brig down the cost. Benefits of competition.
Then again, for us, enthusiasts, we dont like common stuff, right ? So we are going to go for something new, which will be niche and expensive. Its a vicious circle you know.!!

Thanks.

[volkman10]

Polo GTI ready for launch - Nov 2016? - A localized GTI for India in the offing!

Expect a 20 lakh range for the CBU unit!

I think that people who buy the Polo GTI will not be considering the price too much. It will be more of a kind of unique racing toy that they’ll have, and this is how they will consider this purchase

The Polo GTI will be an expensive car. It is a CBU with 192PS and there is nothing like that. But who says it’s not the first step in getting a locally made GTI, which has the credentials of the GTI, but of course comes with a more local package. And I think there is big room for that. It needs some preparation. We will come out with the price pretty soon because the car gets on the road in the next couple of months.

Source

[GTO]

Moralfibre spotted a Polo GTI on the expressway. Thanks for sharing!

Caught a Polo GTI and a Vento with HIDs + DRLs on the expressway on Friday night.

[volkman10]

Polo GTI to launch soon,

- 1.8 TSI engine. 192hp. 236kmph
- India-spec only DSG auto, not 6-speed manual
- Flat-bottom steering wheel, sport seats highlights Polo GTI cabin
- Expected ₹25 lakh price tag. India-spec cars only 3-door too, not 5-door.

Link

[volkman10]

Polo GTI seen testing in India again!

Link

[Vik0728]

Polo GTI seen testing in India again!

Wow it looks sweet in that shade and the 3 door avatar

Though I may not be in the market for this hot hatch when launched, I only hope VW present it at a reasonable rate so that I get to drive this baby if one of my friends/acquaintances picks it up


P.S - Is it just a coincidence or was this GTI being tested against an Aspire !!

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Though I may not be in the market for this hot hatch when launched, I only hope VW present it at a reasonable rate

Speculations are, going forward there will be more affordable GTI's from Volkswagen!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Polo GTI to launch soon,

Originally Posted by volkman10

Polo GTI seen testing in India again!

I thought things had progressed further than that: I sat in one at Chennai auto expo.

Err... Didn't I? I thought I did, but would feel rather silly if I made a mistake and just a GT!

[vinj14]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Speculations are, going forward there will be more affordable GTI's from Volkswagen!

Hey,

Here's my two cents. After selling my Laura I thought i'd wait for the Polo GTI. But then I found an equally powerful, fun to drive, 4 door hatch with a PREMIUM badge!! The VOLVO V40 cross T4. The 1.6L, 180hp engine with the butter smooth 6 speed dual clutch transmission! And for 60k more (polestar upgrade) you can take it to 200hp and 285Nm torque.

Here's why everyone considering the Polo GTI should consider the v40 cross country T4:
1) Price - after discounts you can get the Volvo for 30 big ones on road. which would approximately be the same price as the GTI.
2) The Badge - Need i say more? You wont be rubbing shoulders with those who have a 6 lakh polo (apologise if I came across a bit elitist here!)
3) Features - TFT digital instrument cluster, safety features you could only expect in a volvo, boot space, rear seats and leg room...etc etc
4) Reliability - You don't need to sweat about the scary 7 speed DSG.
5) Road presence - Others might have differing opinions but in my mind the volvo is a clear winner
6) Polestar - A company installed remap that takes the car to 200hp and 285nm torque! Friends with the remap talk about how crazy it feels on the highways

And yes, I got v40 cc T4 last month and I'm loving it.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by vinj14

And yes, I got v40 cc T4 last month and I'm loving it.

Wow! Congrats. That's the problem with the Polo GTI. Moment it crosses 20L, there are other fancy options available for the buyer albeit with a little bit of a stretch. If it comes at 25L Ex showroom, it will surely be dead on arrival.

I see a problem with the 3 door configuration. It just takes away quite a bit of practicality from the hatch back. For young families with small kids it will be difficult to install child seats. Five doors will surely widen its appeal. My guess is they are dumping excess stock of the 3 door body kit before the all new Polo comes out in Europe. If that's the case, then there's no case for a 20L price tag!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by vinj14

And yes, I got v40 cc T4 last month and I'm loving it.

Well, I'm very fond of my Polo, which would be nearly twice 6 Lakh on the road, today's model new... but I don't mind your elitism at all, because I'm sure you have a car which is worth it in every way.

I'd never be in GTI-buying-possibility land, but, if I was, I should take your advice very seriously. I've fancied VW for a very long time, but I've fancied Volvo since way back. Since Volvo estates looked like wardrobes on wheels back in the late sixties! And even the more bulbous lines of models older than that.

Any ownership thread?

[polo_ankit]

Vinj, did you consider the increase in weight? Almost 150kgs. The GTI is an enthusiast's car. It's not a daily beater, it's a fun car for people who already have the kind of money to splurge 25L on a hatchback. The only valid point is the "Badge" part if you don't want to rub shoulders with the un-elitist people. Price is more (almost 6L more with the polestar), features - GTI has excellent features, reliability - there are loads of cars with the DQ200 running without any problems, road presence - I can't comment on that because the GTI probably won't be around much longer for a presence comparison :P

I'm not dissing the Volvo, I just think the GTI is an excellent car too. BTW, congratulations on the car, do put up more pics!

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by vinj14

Hey,

Here's my two cents why everyone considering the Polo GTI should consider the v40 cross country T4:

Hey vinj14, I have 3 cents:

1. Congrats on your Gorgeous Hatch.

2. Please post an ownership report ASAP.

3. Agree with every word of your opinion shared.

Though I know my next car will be hotter than my 1.6 GT TDi, I am quite sure I will stick to a hatchback. I have driven the Volvo V40 (Diesel) and loved everything about it, except the dashboard which appeared too cluttered. So I can only imagine how a remapped 200HP Petrol may be to pilot.

That said, when I am in the market for a hot hatch, I will be plonking my money on the V40 over the GTI, if priced on par, as the former adds a crucial/critical aspect called Practicality, especially as a single car in the family.

So as some members are hoping, unless we get 'Affordable GTIs', IMO this may well be another Kizashi Kinda story.

[vinj14]

Originally Posted by polo_ankit

Vinj, did you consider the increase in weight? Almost 150kgs. The GTI is an enthusiast's car. It's not a daily beater, it's a fun car for people who already have the kind of money to splurge 25L on a hatchback. The only valid point is the "Badge" part if you don't want to rub shoulders with the un-elitist people. Price is more (almost 6L more with the polestar), features - GTI has excellent features, reliability - there are loads of cars with the DQ200 running without any problems, road presence - I can't comment on that because the GTI probably won't be around much longer for a presence comparison :P

I'm not dissing the Volvo, I just think the GTI is an excellent car too. BTW, congratulations on the car, do put up more pics!

Thanks man!

Just a few corrections

1) Polestar remap is 60k not 6lakhs
2) In all likelihood the gti will be around 25 lakhs ex showroom. Which will be appx 30 on road. This is bang on par with the v40 cc t4 (after discounts). So with price being equal I can't see anything that the polo can offer over the Volvo.
3) An enthusiast car with the 7 speed dsg? Really? That makes no sense to me. Vw dropped the ball on this one. They are bringing an enthusiast's car with the 'convenience' of an automatic. And my point is that there are more 'convenient' options out there . So dumb move by Vw IMHO. Bringing the manual would have reduced the cost and stay true to the 'enthusiast car' tag.
4) Features?? I know the gti will have excelllent features. So does the Elantra. But I doubt it can match the quality of materials and features offered by Volvo.
5) The DQ200. This isn't your opinion vs mine. Yes many cars are running well but the proportion of failures is too high to ignore. Mods will tell you to go through the threads to be convinced of the higher than normal failure rate .

These are the facts.

Btw. I have loved VAG cars for more than a decade. My love for Volvo cars is only one month old. So I know that the gti is a genuinely good product. All I'm saying is that, at the mentioned prices one has better alternatives.