It Has Taken Me Over 255
I've had my hands full these couple of weeks. Tested lots of cars, both from the manufacturers as well as those that belonged to people I know. So far I've already published the reviews on the Volkswagen Golf R Mk6 and the Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro C7. I've yet to publish the one on the crackingly good Ford Fiesta ST and the one on the polished, small engined Volkswagen New Beetle 1.2 TSI. The Fiesta ST is indeed one of the best supermini sized hot hatches around. It is so adjustable, so chuckable and engages you in it. The Volkswagen Beetle 1.2 TSI shows you how iconic it is and how accomplished a tiny 1.2liter engine can haul and do things these days. I will get them published as soon as they get done. Then I also went to an auction centre in Shah aLAM. Fleet Management Solution Sdn Bhd are licensed auctioneers that actually sell everything that people (mainly through their companies) want disposed. The system is clear and transparent as you have to bid on the items once placed on sale. I got to see where you can actually get used bargains. Company cars that have outlived their purpose are sold here. You can even ask them to auction off your cars if you're interested. Stay tuned for a write up on this too. And lastly, I had to let an old friend go. I sold off the Subaru Impreza 1.6TS. It has been with me for almost ten years but I suppose it's time to move on. Faithful to the last. It has taken me over 255,000km worth of places and experiences. I hope that it finds another owner who is worthy. I will try do a write up on this once I feel like writing a quasi love story about a man and his car.
The GTI Autobahn model has all the equipment above, plus leather seats with V-Tex trim, 8-speaker 300-watt Dynaudio sound system, LED daytime running lights, keyless entry with pushbutton start, and unique Serron wheels. Safety features that comes standard include front, front-side and side-curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution; electronic stability control with traction control; and a tire-pressure monitor. The GTI comes solely as a hatchback. It sits squat and square, and has a purposeful look void of tacked-on parts or extraneous wallpaper. This sixth-generation version, introduced as a 2010 model, is just seven inches longer than the original. A horizontal theme dominates the front with a wide, level honeycomb-grille aperture along the bottom, a narrower slot above with GTI-trademark red trim stripe, and slats leading to the only vertical element, the very effective fog lamps. The slope of the hood helps both aerodynamics and close-in forward vision. Four-unit headlamps are standard in black housings, with bi-xenon turn-following lights available that resemble beady little eyes.
Turn-signal repeaters in the mirrors help cross-traffic sort your intentions, while wraparound taillamps do the same for following cars. The rear center stop lamp is mounted in the integral spoiler so it never bathes the rear window in a red glow. This is a clean shape with enough curve to keep it interesting and minimal creases to show it off. Ornamentation is minimal, with chrome badges and tailpipes lurking below and red brake calipers hiding behind 18-inch alloys and low-profile rubber. The hatch opens to bumper level by pivoting the top half of the VW logo inwards (also by pushbutton inside) and cargo doesn't require a big lift to clear the painted surfaces. A rear wiper sits at the bottom of the glass out of mirror-view but sweeps almost all the glass one looks through. The GTI cabin is businesslike, a place the driver can appreciate and passengers will find quite accommodating.
It's nicely trimmed and well-assembled. The level of fit and finish better than you might expect for the price, especially since plenty of money was also spent on the engineering. You might argue that the instruments and switches benefit from Audi influence, or the other way round since VW owns Audi. Heated sport seats are standard up front with a fair range of adjustment, long cushions for long-legged support, excellent bolstering that contains you without restricting movement or entry and exit, and comfort for all-day drives. Leather is available yet we find the standard cloth better breathing and a bit less slippery if you're of slender build. The rear seats are designed for three-across seating, but as usual this is better for slim adults or children; more bolstering might be beneficial for some passengers but would compromise flexibility. There are three adjustable headrests, reading lights, cupholders, and storage bins, but the side windows open only on four-door models (the seats and space are the same). It may not be a long car but it is roomy; we put four 6-plus-footers in a model with a moonroof and had no complaints thanks to the tall, flat hatchback roofline.
In the two-door, both front seats slide forward for access to the rear and the long doors make that access fairly easy. A tilt and telescoping column with a flat-bottom, heavily contoured steering wheel, a good dead pedal and nearby brake and shifter allow anyone from 5-foot to 6-foot, 5 inches to find a comfortable driving position. Audio controls are available for the steering wheel, and cars equipped with the DSG have shift buttons behind the steering wheel, so it's rare to need to remove a hand from the wheel. Gauges are basic white-on-black analog with large RPM and speed readouts, and 270-degree sweep fuel and temperature gauges inside them. A central display handles trip computer and radio data, exterior temperature, door-open warnings and so forth. The audio and navigation systems are MP3/iPod compatible and offered with a touchscreen. Climate control is three-ring simple and unlike many cars, each of the center vents can be closed independent of the other.
