I just don't see the fascination with this car. There are hundreds on the roads here, and none of them look as good as Golf GTi, and a new Elise is cheaper.
Each to their own I suppose...
GTI is FWD. If you don't mind FWD, I'd say the GTI is a tempting choice (especially considering it's thousands cheaper than a 128i). But there are some real RWD fanatics out there. You know who you are
As for the Elise, maybe it's cheaper in Europe. In the States, at least, the 128i starts in the upper $20s, the 135i starts in the lower $30s, and the Elise starts at $46,000.
I'm a big RWD fanatic, and I'd still rather have the golf.
I'm very curious why as well. Never driven a 1-series, but have driven a 3 series. I might be ending up cross shopping a GTI and a 1-series (along with a Mini and a few others) and the FWD of the GTI is a big negative for me. Love your thoughts, especially if you've had an opportunity to drive both.
On the golf, I have driven a GT Sport, which was good, but not the GTi. I'm not big into FWD but with a car of this wheelbase I don't think it matters, in fact I think RWD and a short wheelbase/high car combination can be very tricky handling-wise, especially in the wet. There is just something about the Golf I find very reassuring, the look, the design, the build quality, and the value for money. The R32 is £25K and would be my preferred choice, but the GTi is about £21K.
The equivalent BMW is probably the 120i SE (which I haven't driven), optioned up it would probably be a little bit more expensive than the golf (and christ it's a long options list). I suppose it is more the design that I don't like which is a very personal thing, and yes I refer to the hatch more than anything, although I don't find the coupe a looker either.
I just think that BMW could have nailed the market, if they had started with the tii, and then made an even lighter model as the special sports edition. VW's golf had been getting less cohesive and lardier with each iteration, the latest generation is one of the best handling hatches around and by far one of the best handling FWD cars I've ever driven.
It's just my opinion, but I think that with the 1-series BMW started with a poor design, and now they are just adding to it. And I'm not really taking price into the above, but for the price of a top spec 1-series, there are much better cars out there.
Anyone who likes them please don't take it personally.