Went to Goodwood, saw and liked both cars but are both too big for my needs. Do like the more modern Maxidot and centre console in the Octy's now. I forgot to ask how big the front brakes were. When my dealer gets one I'll see about a test drive.

That sounds soooooo nice!

Right, I'm back now after 7 hours driving, and here's what I thought about the day in general and the VRS in particular.

Like a lot of big events in Britain, the roads are completely unsuitable for the volume of traffic. Approaching from the south west on the M27 you get to a section of dual carriageway with lots of islands, none of which have lights so only one or two cars get through at a time. We bailed out and used guesswork and Thomas Thomas to come at it from the other side but a friend that I bumped into had spent over two hours in the queue!

Once inside though, everything was far better run with well laid out parking and loads of good staff.

I started with a look round the moving motor show section and had my test drive up the track in a 208GTi. They wouldn't let you go too fast, but it felt lovely to drive - a cracking hot hatch.

I had a brief nose at the VRS there but it was pretty crowded so we wandered over to the main show area for a look at all the shiny metal. There's too much to go over in detail but I was impressed by the size and number of the stands. A good substitute for the excel or NEC motor shows, especially on a sunny day. A few highlights were the top spec Citroen DS5 which had an interior from a 70s Sci Fi show, the new little Ford crossover (ecosport?), the Jag F Type, most of the Audi stand and the really hot girl with a full sleeve tattoo we sat next to while eating lunch.

Anyway, on to the VRS.

I don't know what it is about the MK3 but I still can't get as excited about it as I want to.

The white estates look very good from the outside, but I was a little disappointed that none had a sunroof. The hatch looks too similar to a standard car, especially as its now the law that 75% of octavias must be Race Blue.

There are some nice touches as standard including the front and rear lights. The Gemini alloy wheels in particular look very good. Pictoris, less so.

Now the interior.... The seats look good in pictures, but the centre section is all fabric and feels quite cheap to me. They also didn't seem as comfy as I'd hoped. The steering wheel and dash looks good, as does the nice gear stick, but it would be really let down by the lack of colour multi dot and the basic stereo you get on a standard car. The missing standard kit (no cruise) did spoil it a bit for me. How come a citigo can have the auto braking thing but the sporty flagship car doesn't?

I didn't drive it, and would expect to be impressed by the way it goes and handles, but so far I remain a little underwhelmed. I still don't think it would feel special enough and I can't quite tell why.

That must be the TDI then, Dr Z?

 

This CAD screenshot proves there's real dual exhaust for what I'm guessing is the TSI version. Thanks for checking, at least the Golf GTD isn't trying to trick anyone.

I believe so, yes.

Skoda.co.uk is quoting the VRS trim as being in addition to what is standard on the elegance. So if I assume that's right then doesn't it have Cruise Control and Post Collision breaking?

Skoda.co.uk is quoting the VRS trim as being in addition to what is standard on the elegance. So if I assume that's right then doesn't it have Cruise Control and Post Collision breaking?

Got a link to that?

It's missing quite a bit of Elegance kit according to their brochure.

Can anyone confirm if the vRS has folding mirrors and boarding spots?

Does someone have a link that shows which rims are the Pictoris and which are the Gemini?

Edited 11 July, 201312 yr by ChrilleJ

Pictoris are the ones with the spokes split into three the gemini the simple spider web design

Pictoris are the ones with the spokes split into three the gemini the simple spider web design

Thanks!

Got a link to that?

It's missing quite a bit of Elegance kit according to their brochure.

Right here

http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/new-octavia-hatch-vrs/equipment

Right here

http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/new-octavia-hatch-vrs/equipment

Ahh never mind, it's got loads of elegance kit listed in the extras :( feeling rather deflated now

Can anyone confirm if the vRS has folding mirrors and boarding spots?

I can, by the Slovenian configurator. Folding mirrors come as standard. Don't know about the boarding spots though.

VRS on the top of the rally stage  :sun:

 

Edited 11 July, 201312 yr by daydotz

looks like PhotoShop but nice, ha?

Edited 11 July, 201312 yr by giggs

This is confusing as the list says CCS - Cruise control system is extra, but at the launch today was told cruise is std, along with the colour Maxidot.

I have seen plenty of houses with fake chimneys! And plenty of laminate pretending to be wood. And lots of fake carbon fibre in car interiors come to think about it. That's the postmodern era we inhabit!

Just back from goodwood. Great day out and my twins were awesome too although didn't like the Ferrari that did launch control 5m away when he was asleep lol.

 

As for the vRS. Prefer the estate over the hatch having seen it. Not sure why but the hatch looks a little bland. Still like the blue for the hatch. Like the touch quality with the electric tailgate. Was surprised to see that all the demo cars did not have the collision avoidance as they didn't have the scanner in the bumper.

The interiors of the car were nice but IMO really let down by the very very tacky carbon print plastic. Its one of the worst ones I have seen. If they are going to do a carbon trim interior do the real thing or do something else brushed ali, gloss black etc. Also think the step down to cloth and leather is a backwards step to the alcantara which is a much nicer fabric

 

I was a bit disappointed by the sound of the car. Virtually silent on every climb of the hill that I saw and it must have been 20+ over the day

 

The one thing I did come away thinking about the vRS is. Its nice but is it really 7 years newer than mine as it doesn't feel it, specially for the price of the car

 

Was very impressed with the Audi stand too. The RS6 Quattro was awesome, specially on 19's

Edited 11 July, 201312 yr by Rob_Quads

I have seen plenty of houses with fake chimneys! And plenty of laminate pretending to be wood. And lots of fake carbon fibre in car interiors come to think about it. That's the postmodern era we inhabit!

 

That doesn't mean that we as customers should like it, agree to it and let manufacturers get away with selling fake items.

And the wheels as requested

typed with one chubby finger

This is confusing as the list says CCS - Cruise control system is extra, but at the launch today was told cruise is std, along with the colour Maxidot.

The promotional staff on these things often don't have a clue - they aren't Skoda employees, just bussed in for the day.

Interesting the 3 vRS I checked all had space saver spare wheels

typed with one chubby finger

That doesn't mean that we as customers should like it, agree to it and let manufacturers get away with selling fake items.

Absolutely. But without wanting to come across all Jean Baudrillard: what is 'real' anyway!

It's the fake carbon fibre mentioned above that concerns me most.

Interesting to note that the Tesla Model S manage to look quite sporty with no exhausts!

Interesting the 3 vRS I checked all had space saver spare wheels

typed with one chubby finger

J H C! How many chubby fingers do you have Spitzie?

My wife asked me if I wanted the change to the vrs since my elegence is delayed.

I thought about it and the answer was no.

A quick calculation and the vrs specced to the same level was several £k more and the ownership would be more.

typed with one chubby finger