yer rite...i've heard and seen the "lansiness"...hopefully not all of them...
to me, GTi is still a good example of balance - of ride and handling, yet reasonable power...but i bet the chasis can take much more than the stock engine...
for everyday ride(not anymore, since petrol increase!), it is good and yet the best of what proton had produced in its class...
seriously, compared to its "new" models, i never regret buyin a GTi, eventhough i'm the 2nd owner, and the car is 6 years old...thanks to the previous owner, which is a family friend too, the car is still in good condition...
susah juga nak cari, year 1999, still in standard yet pleasant condition condition...
as for R3, i think its a case of personality dilemma....they stripped down the car to lightened a few kilos, yet a few items are still there...i.e. stereo, speakers...the ride is stiffer, yet some claimed that it can be brought right onto track from the showroom!...but, from my poit of view, if u want a track car and if u really want to stripped it off, stripped everything - no radio, no speaker, no air-cond...air cond alone is berapa berat already? with the compressor and everything...back seat oso gotta go..then ....there u have it!!
for a cleverly balanced between performance, ride and handling, i seriously think that GTi is good enuff. A cousin of mine, official satria GTi club instructor, had a few times tapaued more powerful cars at Sepang, in a standard stock GTi...even a boxster once!!no offence to porsch owners...
satria GTi had proven it...i wonder why we need a not-so-stripped off version of it..
i guess everybody has their own preference...but i think maybe its better for those guys at R3 to produce aftermarket performance part for GTi, rather than coming out with a new model...bolt-on kits, etc...with reasonable price la...tengok R3 punya barang, dia punya harga..waaa!!!!
my 2 cents though......cheers!