I say this with a lump in my throat and a heavy heart: the US spec 2005 GTI is no where near my origonal take on the car.

VWoA reports an official INCREASE of 15mm in ride height over the german spec version but judging by the early press release photos all I can think is, Holly 4x4 Batman. The turns are all yellow instead of clear, and the seats dont look like anything special. The base price is said to be $22k (lower than expected) but the options packages seem unnessesarially coupled with unwanted features - dramatically increasing the end price. For example, Why on earth am I requiered to have satelite radio and a sunroof just to get a decent set of cloth sport seats?? There's black plastic molding in all the wrong places especially on the rear bumper. The optional 18" rims look like something more suited for a matchbox/hotwheels car, and although I havent seen pictures of the standard 17's that will come on it I doubt they'll be any better. Color options are far to limited for a car planed for such high production numbers (where's the GTI laser blue? yellow? reflex silver?) - black seems to be the only color that looks decent. The fake plastic honey comb looks horable and reminds me of the plastic honey comb that comes on non-functional ford mustang wind scoops, it you look closely there seems to be a few cutout near the bottom, whats up with that! My bet is the standard "sport seats" will designed around the typical fat american ass and will be more like the base model jetta's "comfort seats" I'll be taken aback so far if we ever see any of the cool plad-pattered sport recaros from europe. The bumper relectors on the rear bumper of the german spec car have migrated to the front... and they're yellow now. I'm so disapointed.

Fuck it. What do I care anyway, right? I'm not in the market to buy a new car anyway.