Motoring Icons: Golf GTI, Audi Quattro & Merc E55 VS their modern alternatives | Fifth Gear

First broadcast in 2014, Tiff & Jason put the motoring icons, Golf GTI, Audi Quattro & Merc E55, up against their modern alternatives. For access to exclusive Fifth Gear content and all FULL episodes, join our channel / @fifthgearuk
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[@DeBedschbacher]

I still can't grasp the point behind letting Tiff go. Utter utter madness...

[@matthewgodwin3050]

You're not on your own there. Letting Tiff go was crazy. Fifth Gear will never be the same again. However, the Love Cars KZbin channel is pretty awesome, so we can still get our Tiff fix.

[@tqracing]

What, did Tiff punch someone or what's going on?

[@TheMentalblockrock]

Tiff was sadly not """diverse""" enough for our modern enlightened media!

[@kerrysgold1]

@@TheMentalblockrock a highly experienced & professional racer with a great TV manner wasn't suitable then. Crazy to let him go!!

[@TheMentalblockrock]

@@kerrysgold1 It's not about that, its about ticking boxes and Tiff ticked none...

[@swanblake]

Tiff and Jason were truly magical together. Wish those two could get together somehow for some challenges like this. Love Tiff

[@KapitanPisoar1]

Much better than top gear imho

[@samsonian]

@@KapitanPisoar1 to my mind it’s down to Top Gear focusing on the interplay and drama (however scripted) between the hosts more than Fifth Gear’s more technical numbers focus. It’s about the cars and not the BS.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

@@KapitanPisoar1 agree

[@brianbickle7395]

T V producers think people want to watch “ stars” and “ celebrities “ and “ trendy” people , not someone who knows about cars.

[@aveedub7403]

Mow light years ahead of top gear, those new 3 clowns have ruined the whole show! At least Tiffers and Mr Plato have a bit of pazzzas about them and are genuinely having fun, not just in totally unaffordable cars! Great stuff Boys

[@gunsandcars3648]

we miss Tiff, I struggle with watching 5th gear anymore after they fired him for no reason besides hes getting older.....

[@timsaxon5825]

What happened with Tiff? I basically just watch KZbin these days so no idea Fifth Gear was still going. Johnny Smith’s Late Brake Show is ace if you haven’t checked it out.

[@DennisBerkhout1]

@@timsaxon5825 Tiff became a co-presenter on the KZbin channel Lovecars. I highly recommend it. Great car content with lovely shot films, and you can't go wrong with Tiff of course. ;)

[@swiper1818]

totally agree with you

[@TheNonAlignmentMovement]

Exit of tiff from 5th gear initiated the exit of 5th gear from my favorate tv show list.

[@MrChoiceAs]

Always love fifth gear using footage with a presenter they stabbed in the back

[@najidahi7731]

Can you explain this comment, please?

[@MrChoiceAs]

@@najidahi7731 fifth gear very unceremoniously fired Tiff from the show because they wanted young fresh blood, and yet. They continue to use his footage from the past to promote their show on KZbin

[@bjornmarley5670]

everything has a shelf life....

[@ozscorpio7]

Wine gets better with age...

[@ljgarrison6910]

Agreed, and Tiff could really drive, unlike some of these new muppets.

[@gustafwessling224]

"Life isn't fair Jason" if Tiff only knew ;(

[@aronbennett4760]

I'm very proud of the Audi going out there and redeeming itself. I love those cars.

[@oleo007]

Audi quattro is awesome, the best of his generation, the sound 5cil 20v is amazing, a eargasm.

[@abdulrauf813]

And looks awesome

[@Drako9874]

@Leo 007 Ohh Yessss 😏 #Quattrofonie 😎♥️

[@kristapsvalainis1671]

Every video I've seen, the 10 valve version sounded better

[@Drako9874]

@@kristapsvalainis1671 Yes, it's right. MKB: NG, AAB etc. 😎

[@Kraxi95]

5 cyl audi s best engine by far, there is nothing which sounds like that engine

[@suprac19]

Tiff should be on top gear doing real driving tests with Chris Harris, best drivers on tv.

[@smOOdiebOOdie]

That would be epic !!! I can’t stand those two other dorks on top gear 🤮

[@lukecowell7516]

Chris Harris tiff plato would be awesome for top gear

[@keithlestrange4249]

Check out love cars on youtube ..tiffs new home

[@nonename7869]

Fifth Gear > Top Gear ... Tip Gear is bullshit

[@mykehyslop198]

Agreed.👍

[@darrylcavanaugh9465]

Great comparisons. Being ‘old’ (53), I’ll still take the icon of every set. Don’t care if the newer kids are faster. It’s what we grew up with, and the less involvement from the car is what I want. Thanks for doing this. Fun watch.

[@AsinineComment]

I'm 53 as well. I know there's numerous car enthusiast programs and channels, with needlessly silly guys hosting - but Needell (soon turning 70) is pretty similar. I find Needell is quite often just as silly at the younger twits. There's enthusiasm - and then there's increasingly doddery pantomime performance. 😒

[@tim1polman]

I'm 34 now, and I'd take the older cars any day too. 😅 Drive a VW Corrado vr6, an old Saab 900 2.1i and a Saab 900ng Convertible. I find it funny how many people still feel 'intimidated' by a bright purple Corrado, wich hasnt even 200hp. As for the old 900... i just like the way it drives. 136hp is enough to have some fun with too.

[@danielwatt4783]

I’m 19 and I would rather have the old Audi andAMG but not golf

[@steelbear4887]

I agree. I would take an 86-87 Countach instead of any newer sportscar, it doesn’t matter if it would be a Koenigsegg or a Bugatti.

[@carlosoruna7174]

​@@tim1polman may you drive a mid 80s e30. 😊

[@jjtinkler97]

I have an e55 estate, the wheelspin is the best feature by far. They might have ironed out the bugs on the newer cars but the fun gets ironed out too.

[@martinfisker7438]

Who doesnt want to wrestle an old quattro and feel like they are Walter Rohl

[@coache1nine]

My arms and knees would hurt for a week, but my smile would last forever

[@Kulric]

They make my lower back hurt from how stiff the clutch is if it isn't really fresh. The sound makes up for it though.

[@nishithpancholi8161]

Always loved the way Tiff narrate since my younger days. Thank you

[@LynGriffiths70]

Shame on you for dropping Tiff. 😕

[@RebelsInc969]

RIP Sabine Schmitz ❤️🙏

[@TheMentalblockrock]

was that her waving the starting flag????

[@Showmetheevidence-]

@@TheMentalblockrock no it wasn’t.

[@jctheU.G.SafariBigGamecat]

Tiff makes me smile plain and simple, what a laugh they must have.

[@brentjeworski2021]

Wow love this video, I just happen to have both an 83 ur Quattro and a w210 e55. Both of these cars definitely deserve the respect they have.

[@rockervdrive]

Even if all 3 icons lost by miles and days, they'd still be icons. The modern base cars will never be.

[@Showmetheevidence-]

Those class B rally shots... utter madness!

[@petkokrushev3840]

can we appreciate how good the Quattro looks

[@JamesGadbury]

It's just spectacular. Less is more.

[@KOL630]

💯 quality styling it looks fantastic.

[@intraxx88]

- He's definitely got more traction on the corner. Quattro: barely touching road with inner side A4: watch mee ridin' like on rails

[@cpariaug]

I really miss this series ... Plato and Tiff are magic!

[@classiccarssp]

500E W124 is the real deal

[@patersul]

I'll take old e55 amg all day everyday!

[@ljgarrison6910]

What a brilliant bit of video! Modern technology is incredible, but I would always take home one of those icons. Great work!

[@cossie118bmk]

you guys are the best tv car show presenters by far ....... keep us petrol heads alive with your good work thanks ALOT 👍👍👏👏

[@scottw3048]

really, really like that quattro especially in the white - imo its got a lovely, elegant, almost minimalist look to it. no nonsense/clutter on the front grille and no stupid fake exhaust pipes or anything like that spoiling it!

[@Dominik189]

Y'know. This is one thing I NEVER understood fully about the car industry and car community. Everyone is obsessed with numbers and numbers and numbers... When did enjoying a car stop being about how the car actually makes you feel, how much the car allows the driver to actually enjoy the act of driving and how much the driver can actually do with the car, as in how much the driver him self actually has control over everything.

[@qasimmir7117]

Completely true. However, consider other trends in the industry. The advancement of technology is one of them, and that tends to go against what we like regarding car design. Technology progresses logically most of the time, however, humans beings are not logical themselves nor do we have fun in logical ways. Therefore, this explains why we see this unfortunate trend in the car industry.

[@Dominik189]

@@qasimmir7117 Yeah, I can see that. it's just hard to accept it. It's probably me getting old as well I mean I'm 30 this year. On top of that due to the country I live in, unlike most of my fellow 30-year-olds, I had the pleasure to experience cars sans all the modern ABS, Servo, and whatnot. I mean the car I learned to drive on was a Yugo, followed by a golf MK I and a BMW 2002. Granted all were heavily modded with fully adjustable suspension setups, limited-slip diffs, and even a wide-angle kit on the 2002. So they're probably not what you'd consider a baseline, but still, they were far RAWER and I miss that in modern cars. Yes, modern cars are faster and smoother, and have more power, and are easier to control. But that in itself makes them less interesting to me. The 2002 I drove barely made 200 WHP, but damn was it fun. Its top speed was 180, mechanically limited due to the transmission, but doing just 100km/h in that car gave me more of an adrenaline rush than I get in most modern cars going double that.

[@theodor12]

This was such a fun video, loved it!

[@Gozar111]

Love these two guys together. Great duo

[@garymcquade4276]

Mismatched cars but interesting how tech has progressed 😁👍

[@RaviSingh-ph2uw]

I agree I don't see why the classic Quattro wasn't up against an A5 Coupe' 2.0 T with quattro and 211 horsepower. Now that would have been a great match up.

[@13vex]

@@RaviSingh-ph2uw or why the mk1 gti was paired with a MK7 golf. 30hp difference with a 1.3 thousand pound difference

[@thomasgrabkowski8283]

Yeah they matched them up with baseline models rather than actual modern day equivalents of those icons

[@Jeff_F7]

@@RaviSingh-ph2uw because the whole point was to see how cars have progressed. If technology has made even the baseline cars able to beat the first-gen high-performance versions of the same cars. Because pitting the classics with their direct modern-day equivalents would have been pointless. Since, for sure the modern-day equivalents would beat the classics. That comparison would be boring and predictable.

[@dastardlyexperiments]

Please bring this back as the 'famous' current motoring programmes are written by nobs for nobs.

[@xro1589]

What a great show! Thank you!

[@mac2540]

This is a brilliant comparison!

[@Matrix_Spirit]

just look at how much emotion driving old cars gives. :) new machines may be faster, but not more fun. :)

[@Drako9874]

Yes, you`re right ;)

[@jjtinkler97]

Just listen to that 4pot diesel! Who would have a v8 instead?

[@Guns_Turbos_Action]

I've owned a W210 E55 for 5 years. This was hardly a relevant test against the modern diesel taxi to test their performance. The E55's (old) traction control system is still kicking in at 70 mph, it's after this speed that it's a serious contender, even today. If you just floor it off the line you actually get a slower start than manually controlling the spin. The brakes are also amazing as seen in the video. The test should have been to 120mph and then stop :)

[@djturbo88]

Would have been interesting to see them do a second run with the traction control turned off. Pretty sure the results would have been different especially with Tiff in the E55...

[@mancmatty5219]

Q: How many ads can 5th Gear fit into a 16 min vid? A: All of them

[@nonename7869]

Well done!!! That was a great episode 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼💯

[@mohamedyasinarakkal5130]

5:20 Old Car Soft Suspension. Watching the old car prices makes me cry. 12:47 Old car suspension

[@jamiesmyth9092]

10k for a quattro when this was released and now they’re mostly double that

[@rickydub6950]

Try doubling that again 😑 unobtainable now for most to justifyt as a 2nd car for the weekend lol

[@yellowa4725]

More like 50k plus for a nice 20 valver like that 😍

[@Agent.K.]

There’s one sitting in our backyard right now!

[@sikais17]

@@yellowa4725 Really good example low millage try 90 k

[@ethanallan1254]

@@sikais17 yeah, hagerty's value calculator lists a perfect condition quattro at 85,000 usd, although the racecars are worth much more

[@stefanschopf8408]

It drives tears in my eyes to look at these price tags. Long Time ago. At least the Quattro and GTI had been a great investment

[@jarek0n077]

This is one of the most fun videos I watched on youtube. While watching this I had big smile on my face, good its late and my family is a sleep. 😁😁😁

[@Zed-not-Zee]

Absolutely no chance of getting an Audi Quattro for £10k now! If only!

[@Shane-zx4ps]

Yeah 2 hopes Bob hope and no hope...🙏

[@ewarwoowar7931]

£30k minimum unless you want a basket case

[@karthikgokul7917]

All great to tiff and plato. Love them

[@ihaveacoolhat1]

Good to see them both back!

[@gavinwyllie7855]

This was recorded about 7 years ago. Tiff will never be back.

[@merqury5]

Great clip!

[@legambaz]

The new cars are more powerful and more relaxing to drive for sure. But these 2 particular icons, the VW GTi and Audi Quattro, are loads of fun as a driver's car from the day they were born till today. That's something i can't say about many new cars these days and certainly not the current VW or Audi.

[@maneetgoddard8837]

Jason , the way he spins n drift is amazing ,,

[@kiranmodagi]

This show was great!

It's not surprising the modern cars perform better. I want simplicity though, with lower weight, and as little "hand holding" as possible, so the older cars are way more interesting. Enjoyable video!

[@AW-xv7dq]

Great content!

[@gggggggg3542]

I have an old Mk1 Mexico (ex rally car), I can confirm that it's slower than a newish Focus, but for sheer fun it's a great little thing, rear drive, no traction control, bugger all interior comforts, and just about every time I get in or out of it I crack my head on the roll cage. My wife hates it - - - if she ever says it's her or the car I'll give her a hand to pack her bags after all I've had it longer than we've known each other

[@rstjx3j183]

That last race, enjoyed that. Golf though, one N/A the other turbo’d Wonder what you would put a S1 or S2 RST escort up against. Thanks for sharing

[@antonbless]

Should of had the 20v Quattro and these will always be icons from there about!!

[@koakamaka]

Interesting question is how much would the icons improve around the track with their contemporaries rim & tire specs?!?!

[@TrackDaysDude]

Amazing video 🚀

[@crxdelsolsir]

14:11 " Modern day driving dynamics mean I am hardly breaking a sweat" in a track = Dull, no connectivity in daily driving. Hence the phenomenon of distracted new drivers not busy enough with driving needing to pass boredom with screens and gadgets.

[@davidkirk6249]

These cars will never lose their appeal. There is an aura about them that most modern cars can only dream of.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

As Ferdinand Porsche once answered a question when asked which Porsche is the best Porsche ?.. and he replied the newest car of course cause we are always improving.. older are great, but when you drive them and get back into a new car the difference is amazing..

[@eeeandeee]

So true! Some years ago I could afford a second hand Audi Quattro Coupe in a local specialist garage. My dream car. Test drove it around the area and drove it back to the garage and walked away. Compared to my Golf GTTDi the Audi felt heavy, unwieldy, sluggish and just not that engaging. They say "Never meet your heroes....." I was quite disappointed and sad that day. I wrote this before I watched the video - I have a plain white A5 Sportback diesel CVT :-)

[@paredding]

Bet you regret it now with URQ's now anything between 25 - 85k ;-)

[@eeeandeee]

@@paredding I do but then again I had an orange MK1 Escort Mexico in the early 80's when my mates had Capris and XR3is. The Mexico was just a smart nippy car but not as smart as an XR3i. Ho-hum :-(

[@Shane-zx4ps]

How to you find the cvt?..

[@eeeandeee]

@@Shane-zx4ps very smooth in auto, just accelerates away without any lurching and good in manual too. Wife has an auto A6 and that always seems to be in the wrong gear and lurches through changes. Both are good using the paddles.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

@@eeeandeee so cvt is better than normal auto. I drive a Lexus is300h with Ecvt and it’s brilliant, but so many haters out there of cvt,s

[@joe-vl3nd]

Great stuff

[@mihalybognar6775]

awsome content thanks !

[@christopherfisher8748]

Really enjoyable thank chaps

[@Forke13]

This was actually quite entertaining.

[@swiper1818]

Superb - bring Tiff back asap

[@rhannay39]

That Quattro is just gorgeous.

[@paredding]

It's the one they keep rolling out for YT tests...no idea who dreamt up that value - try 35-55k. Similar on the Golf, though IMHO the Mk2 was better

[@keithskelton2287]

Great show🙏🙏🙏✌🏽

[@wass006]

Nice to see the awesome Tiff. Still not happy about why he's not on anymore he's the best hands down

[@madmike6942]

old cars are better..and look gorgeous

[@VidVwr00]

“Oh, he’s gone..” Jason about Tiff 😞

[@kings3803]

The motoring icons are tiff and jason

[@robinmarples5198]

The test on the e55 is not the right one to do. This car is about the smoothness and the sound of the v8. Also the better interior

[@johanswart8116]

We had a golf that we did weight reduction on it . 113kw. 1.6liter polo engine vr6 throttel body 276 degree cam. . Lsd and konic suspension. Dunlop semi slic tyres. Glas fibre bonet en boodlit

[@Julia-xz7vb]

That’s pretty cool! I learnt to drive (properly) in a mk 1 golf gti 😂 now just about to buy my 9th one 😂 😂

[@carsandstuff365]

Should of done a rolling start with the E55 .. would of been miles ahead

[@servicebavaria7549]

Fun to watch.

[@westcoastseattleboy784]

Very curious if an AWD A5 would have gotten a different result against the Quattro

[@isaacsrandomvideos667]

Remember when quattros were 10k? That was at least 12 years ago, damn man. I miss then

[@surrenderthebitchesjedi6001]

Those headlights look bigger than the rally verison

[@johnjoseph911]

Much stronger than current 5th gear content

[@espenliebak6875]

Was the E 55 2001 better than M5?

[@MareksMatisons]

Had fun watching . Only question - what the heck is that (? fake) golden blob on the drivers wrist? Did he shop at Wish recently?

[@herbiee22]

The challenge started with that jumper Jason wore to work that day...

[@paulanthony6791]

Would have been best to stack it up against their sibling Icons of today to see how big the gap really is...

[@thisisalsoasolution]

Yes the gap will be big! But i'll take the old cars, much more people will stick their thumbs up while driving along 👍😉. And much new cars are badly made and don't survive 30 years....

[@ethanallan1254]

Yeah, I don’t really get why they took the worst versions of each of the new cars rather than their contemporary counterparts ie. Gti and e63 Idk what they could have used for the audi

[@S3l3ct1ve]

@@ethanallan1254 The gap would have been too big :) It also show us that today even a base model is as good as the icons were back in the day :)

[@davidviner4932]

The bushes could do with being replaced in those old cars looking at the way they handled

[@lewisselier]

That E55 amg is sooo lovley.

[@S3l3ct1ve]

Well the fire breathing monster had like 800Hp :) This one is street legal version :) Very fun episode :)

[@jermainerobinson7098]

Enjoyed that 👏🏾👍🏾

[@richardbrownhill1018]

Very few people rag a car to its limits on public roads, so ultimate performance numbers are irrelevant. It’s how are car makes you feel that matters to me. I had a Quattro in the early nineties and loved it but my head was turned by an integrale, so I sold it. I adored the Lancia too but it just couldn’t cope with mileage I did at the time. Oh how I wish I’d kept them. Now got a 1999 Daimler Super V8, cos it makes every journey special. Not the fastest but fast enough and it’s a nice place to sit whatever the traffic conditions. No real downsides apart from filling it up!! All for £4K. New cars depreciate more each year than my Daimler cost.

[@kefren1322]

Very nice Panerai watch :)

[@jongandy6732]

Jason's Panerai is positively mesmerizing.

[@FREEDOOOOM]

Nice one, boys!

[@1dashcamboatsandcars]

great cars

[@cervelo9465]

Nice watch, Panerai. My daily driver is the 2013 Mercedes. Pretty decent car.

[@user-sj3kp6tc5x]

Audi Quattro is dream car and for me is the best thanks for sharing this video

[@earlwallingford7776]

Awesome!

[@saringaclose]

i enjoyed this alllllot not even that amazon series can beat this

[@steelbear4887]

I would take the classics no question about that. Wonderful video but I really do miss the M635CSi in this clip. About the Golf GTI I would for sure chose the 1983 mk1 with the ”new” 1.8L engine (the mk2 engine).

[@jeffskillman9275]

Great fun to watch but all this essentially tells us is that car technology improves cars over time and no doubt electric cars will "trounce" these modern cars in another few decades time. However, the key point here overlooked is the driving experience which makes these icons so sought after. Also the GTI, Ur quattro and AMG E55 are regarded as Firsts which contributes to their iconic status. Which ones would you prefer to take home ?

[@Shane-zx4ps]

Electric cars in 10 years time will make all of these cars look obsolete

[@Jeff_F7]

@@Shane-zx4ps These cars are obsolete right now. It's amazing what the current high-performance electric cars or even the more mundane ones can do. but that's not the point. electric cars won't necessarily be more fun, have that driver connection that enthusiasts pine for, or be full of character like the classics. I think there's a place for both electric cars and classics in the car world.

[@jackmehoff7430]

Tiff: The Icon Jason: Modern Day Descendant Both great!