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View Full Version : Does anyone have pics of the GTI leather seats??



kevvie
21-02-2011, 10:19 PM
I have been trawling around with no luck, would like to see what they look like before ordering.

I have a 2007 model GTI with APR so don't mind the wait....

JaneAusten
21-02-2011, 11:03 PM
Volkswagen Polo GTI Review | Car Advice | Reviews (http://www.caradvice.com.au/93075/volkswagen-polo-gti-review/)

Scroll down mate. In short, don't mess with the traditional tartan seats, they are a part of the GTI heritage and symbol, plus the pleather seats look horrible and offer next to no functional advantage. :-)

Btw, I have the new Polo GTI with the tartan seats and it's a great test to see how much people know about GTIs base on their comment on the seats.

Frostee
22-02-2011, 05:28 AM
Volkswagen Polo GTI Review | Car Advice | Reviews (http://www.caradvice.com.au/93075/volkswagen-polo-gti-review/)

Scroll down mate. In short, don't mess with the traditional tartan seats, they are a part of the GTI heritage and symbol, plus the pleather seats look horrible and offer next to no functional advantage. :-)

Btw, I have the new Polo GTI with the tartan seats and it's a great test to see how much people know about GTIs base on their comment on the seats.

+1

I took a look at the 'leather" option when ordering my car and one look made my mind up. $1900 for predomiately velour seats that look crappy the moment you sit on them. The only benefit I guess is they're heated, but why would you pay that much for a "nice to have"? Instead I ordered a panoramic sunroof for $1700.

I love the tartan

GTI JOE
22-02-2011, 06:14 AM
+2

Stay with the Tartan laddy...hoot man it's bonny..."they can take away our leather, but they will never take away our Taaarrrtttaaannnn!!! :). Use the extra shilling for power mods.

GraveDilute
22-02-2011, 08:24 AM
My company supplies the same leather as used in these seats.
The cost price is about 10 percent of that

Power mods or a nav perhaps??

VW Central
22-02-2011, 08:30 AM
Do the new polo's have heated seats in the tartan?

Frostee
22-02-2011, 08:37 AM
No, I am not aware of heated seats being an option with the standard cloth tartan interior.

Corey_R
22-02-2011, 08:42 AM
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2011/02/VWPoloGTIAus24-1.jpg
Courtesy of AUSmotive.com (http://www.ausmotive.com/)

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2011/02/PoloLeatherSeats-1.jpg
Sorry about the line through that, it's from the PDF brochure.

GTI JOE
22-02-2011, 08:51 AM
What more can I say....send them to HELL:)

VW Central
22-02-2011, 09:00 AM
Definitely leather!!

triode12
22-02-2011, 09:10 AM
They are part leather, part Alcantara (a synthetic material).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcantara_(material)

Used in high end cars like Lambos to trim everything from dashboards to steering wheels.

Frostee
22-02-2011, 09:31 AM
I don't care what they call it I still think they look like crappy old suede. Give me the Jacky Tartan anytime

Ralfi
22-02-2011, 11:28 AM
If you want an idea of how crap/worn they look after you've sat in them, go to a sofa place & sit on their suede sofas. You'll be 'combing' the suede to get the 'marks' out in no time...........very cheap looking.

Corey_R
22-02-2011, 11:43 AM
But it's not suede.
It's Alcantara which is synthentic and was specifically designed for this purpose.

People like leather, but leather isn't as "grippy" as suede or cloth for sporty driving. But suede wears out and becomes smooth anyway (as you noted from the furniture stores). Alcantara is design to provide properties of suede but be much more durable.

From the wiki link that triode12 provided:

Alcantara is composed of about 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane giving increased durability and stain resistance. The appearance and tactile feel of the material is similar to that of suede, but it may be incorrectly identified as such, or as "Alcantara leather".

So call it "cheap" looking if you want - but keep in mind that when you go and spend that extra $120,000 to get the "special edition" of your already $500,000 Lamborghini - alcantara will be everywhere replacing the leather of the standard model... hehe :)

Frostee
22-02-2011, 12:00 PM
Just goes to show you don't have to have taste to have money.

As I said I don't care what you call it, I sat on the fabric in a Golf R and it looked like crap.

Interesting to note I've read of Lambo owners who have had to pay a premium to get leather? Go figure. At the end of the day Alcntara is a branded name for a micro fibre fabric which i guarantee you they're making a killer margin on

Corey_R
22-02-2011, 01:48 PM
The Golf R doesn't have alcantara, so not sure why you bought that up...

Also, "taste", just like "looks" are personal opinions. Just look around the forums and see how many people dislike the tartan. There have even been people who dislike it so much that they haven't even bought the car, just signed up on here to tell us how much they dislike it, or ask whether it's some kind of "inside joke" that such a disguisting print is put into VW's sports models.

I like the tartan, as do you... apparently we're disgusting...

GTI JOE
22-02-2011, 02:02 PM
It's not that I am against leather seats, had them for years and love them. The Alfa Romeo leather seats are a sight to behold. Not too sure about mixing leather and that micro-fibre stuff.

Frostee
22-02-2011, 02:31 PM
The Golf R doesn't have alcantara, so not sure why you bought that up...

Also, "taste", just like "looks" are personal opinions. Just look around the forums and see how many people dislike the tartan. There have even been people who dislike it so much that they haven't even bought the car, just signed up on here to tell us how much they dislike it, or ask whether it's some kind of "inside joke" that such a disguisting print is put into VW's sports models.

I like the tartan, as do you... apparently we're disgusting...

Obviously my error. I thought it was an R, anyway it was a car in Camberwell VW showroom on Dec 4. Just wanted to mention that I'd actually seen it in person and it looked cheap.

I've even worn tartan in my lifetime, obviously corrupted from an early age :)

pologti18t
22-02-2011, 03:42 PM
I actually think there is NO leather component in these optional seats.

You also get a less bolstered seats (defined as sports seat) compared to the standard cloth GTI seats.

triode12
22-02-2011, 06:10 PM
Obviously my error. I thought it was an R, anyway it was a car in Camberwell VW showroom on Dec 4. Just wanted to mention that I'd actually seen it in person and it looked cheap.

I've even worn tartan in my lifetime, obviously corrupted from an early age :)

The Golf R fabric seats has got light grey/white alcantara panels which look similar to the Polo GTI leather seats.

VW Golf R - Interior Rear | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23574881@N06/3926637019/)

It is probably where the confusion came from.

Corey_R
22-02-2011, 08:05 PM
Are the white bolsters in the R actually Alcantara though?
I know that link says that, but I've never seen anywhere official say that, and the brochure certainly doesn't say it. It simply says "Black ‘Kyalami’ sports cloth / Grey ‘San Remo’ microfibre seat upholstery combination"

triode12
22-02-2011, 08:13 PM
Are the white bolsters in the R actually Alcantara though?
I know that link says that, but I've never seen anywhere official say that, and the brochure certainly doesn't say it. It simply says "Black ‘Kyalami’ sports cloth / Grey ‘San Remo’ microfibre seat upholstery combination"

It is a similar microfibre suede like material if not the exactly Alcantara (tm). It is the same material used on centre sections of the Pirelli seats.

UPDATE: It is actually made of Miko Dinamica:

http://www.dinamicamiko.com/miko/gamma-prodotti/auto

http://www.cardesignnews.com/site/process/design_services/display/store4/item186834/

yellow_cake
22-02-2011, 08:51 PM
i love plaid.. so im stoked that GTIs have this as standard!

kevvie
22-02-2011, 10:38 PM
Thanks everyone, lots of opinions. The dealer told me the are just the same as a passat R36, but it seems not to be the case (they are highly bolstered)

I like the look of the tartan, but am worried about durability. I have leather in my current GTI and it still looks new 4 years on - and especially love the heating in winter, am just puzzled as to why they would put alcantara inserts in these and make them flatter...go figure

Billecartz
22-02-2011, 10:51 PM
Thanks everyone, lots of opinions. The dealer told me the are just the same as a passat R36, but it seems not to be the case (they are highly bolstered)

I like the look of the tartan, but am worried about durability. I have leather in my current GTI and it still looks new 4 years on - and especially love the heating in winter, am just puzzled as to why they would put alcantara inserts in these and make them flatter...go figure

These are the same seats I have in my 77TSI Polo, they are Leatherette (man made leather) and alcantara. They are much better than the standard seats as they have very good support on the side bolsters top and bottom, they are also heated :cool:

We have had our car 9 months now and the seats are not particularly grippy material wise, they are extremely supportive though and would recommend them!

JaneAusten
23-02-2011, 10:11 AM
GTI = Jacky Tartan
non-GTI = do not care

pologti18t
23-02-2011, 10:41 AM
These are the same seats I have in my 77TSI Polo, they are Leatherette (man made leather) and alcantara. They are much better than the standard seats as they have very good support on the side bolsters top and bottom, they are also heated :cool:

!

The problem is that the standard GTI seats are of a higher standard (more highly bolstered) than the pleather optional seats.
So, while they maybe an upgrade compared to the seats in a 77TSI they are a bit of a downgrade (support wise) for a Polo GTI.

Aftermarket seat heating kits can be bought for about $100-150.

GTI JOE
23-02-2011, 04:17 PM
Perhaps this thread has run its course now? I second JaneAusten:)

ChristopherJ
23-02-2011, 08:40 PM
Slightly off topic, but heard somewhere that you can't put normal seat covers in cars with side airbags as it can void your warrenty, is this true? I was looking at putting my old car seats that are still in good condtion in my new Polo.

Corey_R
23-02-2011, 08:47 PM
First thing, there is practically no such thing as "voiding your warranty". You can do whatever you want with your car, and if you break something that you change/modify, then obviously the manufacturer doesn't need to warrant that, but they still need to warrant anything unrelated to what you do. i.e. put in your own stereo and it blows a speaker, then you need to replace the speaker at your expense. But if your engine then fails, your warranty isn't voided. And vice-versa, if you put in a custom engine and a speaker fails, then they'll replace the speaker as it has nothing to do with the engine!


But to your comment...
You can't put "normal seat covers" on seats with airbags because those covers do not have openings to allow the proper operation of the airbags. Not only does this mean you're less protected in the case of a side impact (if the airbags don't deploy properly), you're possibly even MORE at risk than if you didn't have airbags because the seat cover itself could possibly push you out of the seat during the airbag detonation...

ChristopherJ
25-02-2011, 10:21 PM
Thanks for your reply, that doesn't sound good at all, will look at other options.