Not really. Unless you really need AWD. I’ve tried this R in the snow and it does things no GTI could do.

In all honesty I’d stick to a GTI. Unless you’re a hardcore Golf fan, then get the R. It’s stellar in every way (so is the GTI).

What advantages does this motorcar offer over, say, a train, which I could also afford?

Is it worth the price difference over the GTI? Or are they different enough to not be comparable?

Obligatory whenever someone mentions a Daewoo Lanos:

What you said about your family’s oldest car representing the best parts of the family really registers with me. My family is in harder times right now, and it looks like I’ll probably be giving the 1997 4Runner that I’m currently driving back to my dad this summer because he’s had to sell his car. The 4Runner was…

This is jalopnik. Beautiful

$500k in Australia ;)

Safety in a collision, you say?

Counter point. My 2012 500 Abarth has never given me any grief and only been back at the dealership one time to replace a piece of double sided moulding tape.

I won’t disagree with you or Tom on FCA build quality, but I happily owned a 500 Abarth for 55k miles, only doing regular maintenance and having a coolant tank replaced under warranty for a small leak after 45k. Traded it in on a 124 Abarth, so far so good. Happy FCA owners exist!

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That airfreshener is not up to the task.

Incorrect. Those are park-anywhere lights.

+1 Robert Frost reference

But my heart keeps calling me backwards
As I get on the 707
Ridin’ high I got tears in my eyes
You know you got to go through hell
Before you get to heaven

First thing that came to mind is this sounds like the basis for a new Seinfeld episode. Kramer rents a gasoline tanker to drive gas from the East Coast to the Midwest. “We’re swimming in it, Jerry, swimming in it!”