Test drive - VW Golf GTi.

Ok. So you are stressed. Nobody understands you. Work's crazy. Friends' are nowhere to be found. And you're all alone on a Friday night. So what do you do? You get a Golf GTi. So far (in my books at least), the mk5 Golf GTi the epitome of fun driving that is (ahem) obviously more affordable than many of the old boys' toy which of course, supposedly to serve much more than just being 'fun'.

Then you realise that your so-called 'stress' gets extracted out of the tiltable sunroof before you get to even complete your sigh when you pedal your new found friend. And you suddenly realise it's better to be an island, who needs understanding? Too much brain work. And uh, work? Woh...what? Friends? They'll eat your dust trying to catch up with your 18" Detroit alloy wheels. Being alone? Trust me. In your vintage tartan bucket seat is definitely where you want to be. Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, heck any day anytime. Because it's like a magic carpet that brings you to anywhere your heart desires and most importantly, transforming you from zero to hero at 6.9 seconds. Sweeet. Maybe it's not fair for me to compare, but. Bye bye 1 series (turbo 1).

The DSG (direct shift gearbox) which is uniquely (thank God) GTi was exhilarating which gives these wheels the ultimate driving ex... oops. I mean, the ultimate fun driving experience. In low revs (from 1800 rpm), you could already feel the torque surging and that's only the D mode. Immediate shift to Sports was seamless, except for that sudden burst of torque orgasm which really got me whoa! This car doesn't just run, it floods the road! 200 horses (obviously, don't think I've even reached anywhere near that) felt like all ranches broke loose on Penchala Link. To reach the power climax which its FSi engine is famed for, this baby needs to run on Sepang yo.

In terms of the driving experience, I was really pleased. Really surprisingly pleased. When stationary, the car welcomes you with a low growl just like your (I mean, man's) best friend. Put it on D, it doesn't move just yet. You have to return the greeting by slightly tapping on the pedal and the relationship is sealed. The interior is comfortable and suspension is hard enough which gives you a really nice feel of the road. Now I understand what they meant when they say BMW is becoming too refined. You could feel the road but the feeling is pretty much insulated in order to provide more driving comfort, which I think is what the general mass looks for anyway. So I guess it really depends on what works for you. But if I'm on the road, I'd like to feel like I'm on the road and not like in some cushy bubble wrap. And to top it off, a very fun road.

Good handling at 60 to 80km/h during sharp cornering is kind of expected. I was thrown a little (a cm is a cm) but I guess that's what the bucket seats are for. To put you back in place to challenge your little GTi when it throws you off guard with the unassuming powerpacked turbo-charged engine. This neat little package doesn't know how much power it has and it tends to overestimate itself and plays a little rough when provoked. Nevertheless, GTi strips away the masquerade of this unpretentious and modest personality that the VW badge had labelled it. Yea, pretty much like the 'Jekyll and Hyde' thing going there ("Oh, so you think I'm cute, wait till you see the evil things I can do").

Even the headlights are amusing. Ignite the engine in darkness, and you'll see them blink in subtle exuberance in anticipating a joyride with the owner (the headlights apparently also 'curve' a little according to your steering for better night visibility). Not to mention, interior lights are disco! Electric red and neon blue - crisp and clear. Everything about this 'little' car spells F.U.N. What about MINI? MINI is a handbag...

All in all. I think once you go turbo, it's hard to turn back. 1 series probably sits in another category altogether. I don't know, what shall we compare it with? Mazda RX8? Subaru STi? Honda Civic Type-R? Mitsubishi Lancer? Hmm. It'd be interesting to see what turbo means to the Japanese then.