The RS is limited production anyway, so is there a comparison to be made? surely the ST and Megane sport etc would be a better comparison? I still think they need to push the boundaries a bit more though. It looks more like a Mk5.5.
I saw my first Mk6 on the road today and I thought it looks great. It is an evolution but its a good one in my eyes. Id happliy own one over a Mk5.
It is really, it's more like the difference between the early Mk3's (the rusty ones) and the later ones. If VW were being honest it's a MK5 that's easier and cheaper to make, although it's meant to feel if anything better made. As above the RS is the Hot hatch of the moment, and will go on to be a modern classic like the Cosworth and MK1 Focus RS. Mostly because they only ever make small numbers of them and Ford owners, are well Ford owners they're more fanatical than even VW owners are. But if youre not just window shopping and really want bang for your buck, and are not just worried about your manufacturer not being the best the Focus doesnt make a lot of sense. Its going to be about 27k and you wont get a penny off, that puts it up against Evo Xs, WRXs and Lancer Sportback Ralliarts which will all be faster, grippier and better made. The Golf will still sell well, and people will like it because it has a good balance, itll be safe, reliable, nice to sit it, AND fast and agile. 99% of the people who actually buy new Hot Hatches they spend most of their time like everyone else, driving to work, driving kids to school and occasionally giving it a footfull when the roads are quiet and youre on your own. If youve got 20k to spend on a Car and the only thing you care about is how fast it goes youll buy a Caterham or a flash motorbike.
What differences other than rust proofing did the MK3 get? None! The Mk6 golf is different visualy inside and out along with completely different DCC adaptive damping and the running gear has the new XDS differential. The power has been upped as well. Its qite a lot different to the Mk5. Just about every journalist in the land loved the Mk5 and the Mk6 is an improvement on that. The Mk3 got less rusty and they changed the side repeaters, thats your lot!
If you're talking about specific models then the VR changed quite a bit, less "sporty" trim, fully colour coded, softer suspension set-up, different engine management.... I'm not anti MK6, I really like it, especially the Gti, the R32,4,6 or whatever it will be will probably be good too. But it's IMHO anyway not worthy of a new "mk" the stuff you mentioned would usually just be rolled out throughout the life of the MK5, more power? Well a bit more than the original MK5 Gti, but a bit less the special edition GTi's, these days especially with turbo motors power is just where the manufacturer sets the volume dial.
All the Mk3 VR did was turn into a CL looking model. A different, front / rear / interior/ chassis set up etc is well worth a revamp. Why not combine them all into a Mk6? Its not like there going to run out of numbers plus the 5 has become common place.
