Gold Standard

The Gold Standard (known as the Gold Kart in Europe and Australia) is an unlockable kart part in Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8.

As its name implies, the kart is a gold-painted version of the respective games' Standard Kart. In both games, CPU players never use the Gold Standard, along with the Gold Tires, and the Gold Glider, making this body player-exclusive. When this body is combined with the Gold Tires and Gold Glider, they complete the whole Gold Standard kart.

Mario Kart 7
In Mario Kart 7, the Gold Standard can be unlocked by earning 10000 VR in Wi-Fi races, or alternatively, by collecting 20000 coins.

The Gold Standard gives a slight boost in speed and weight, but slightly hinders the acceleration and off-road stats, making it the polar opposite of the Pipe Frame in a way. However, its hidden stats are affected differently than those of the Pipe Frame, as it slightly hinders air speed, mini-turbo and drift.

In this game, when all gold parts are combined, the Gold Standard gives great speed (the second strongest boost in the game) and has good weight, but hinders air speed, acceleration and mini-turbo, noticeably hinders sea speed, land and air handling, and drift, and it has the worst off-road in the game.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The Gold Standard returns in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, where it has received a small detail change: instead of the character's emblem, the Gold Standard's logo is a number 8 from the game's logo with a wreath of olive leaves around it. This kart and the GLA are the only kart bodies that don't display the characters' emblems. It is unlocked in Mario Kart 8 by getting a star rank on every GP cup for every engine class, and in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe by getting a star rank on every GP cup in Mirror mode.

In Mario Kart 8, the Gold Standard offers a strong boost in speed and a slight boost in weight, but slightly hinders acceleration and highly hinders traction. In terms of its hidden stats, it also boosts speed on every terrain, but hinders air handling and mini-turbo. It shares its stats with the Mach 8, Circuit Special, Sports Coupe, B Dasher and the P-Wing vehicle bodies. When all gold parts are combined, it boosts speed on all terrains except water, and weight, but hinders anti-gravity handling and acceleration, and heavily hinders mini-turbo and traction.

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, its stats have been altered: it now only slightly boosts land speed, while no longer boosting speed in any other terrain, but rather worsening water speed, as well as no longer boosting weight. It now further hinders acceleration. However, it now hinders air handling rather than anti-gravity handling, and doesn't hinder traction or mini-turbo as much as previously. No other kart shares its stats. When all gold parts are combined, the Gold Standard is much worse, as while it still increases ground speed and weight, it now hinders every other stat with the exception of anti-gravity speed and sea handling; it especially hinders acceleration, air and anti-gravity handling, traction and mini-turbo, all in a heavy way.

Mario Kart 7

 * Speed: +0.25
 * Sea Speed: 0
 * Air Speed: -0.25
 * Acceleration: -0.25
 * Weight: +0.25
 * Handling: 0
 * Sea Handling: 0
 * Air Handling: 0
 * Off-Road: -0.25
 * Mini-Turbo: -0.25
 * Stability: 0
 * Drift: -0.25

Whole Gold Standard

 * Speed: +1.25
 * Sea Speed: -1
 * Air Speed: -0.5
 * Acceleration: -0.75
 * Weight: +0.75
 * Handling: -1.25
 * Sea Handling: 0
 * Air Handling: -1
 * Off-Road: -2.75
 * Mini-Turbo: -0.25
 * Stability: 0
 * Drift: -1.25

Mario Kart 8

 * Ground Speed: +0.5
 * Water Speed: +0.25
 * Air Speed: +0.5
 * Anti-Gravity Speed: +0.25
 * Acceleration: -0.25
 * Weight: +0.25
 * Ground Handling: 0
 * Water Handling: 0
 * Air Handling: 0
 * Anti-Gravity Handling: -0.25
 * Traction: -1
 * Mini-Turbo: -0.5

Whole Gold Standard

 * Ground Speed: +0.75
 * Water Speed: 0
 * Air Speed: +0.75
 * Anti-Gravity Speed: +0.5
 * Acceleration: -0.75
 * Weight: +0.75
 * Ground Handling: 0
 * Water Handling: 0
 * Air Handling: 0
 * Anti-Gravity Handling: -0.25
 * Traction: -1.5
 * Mini-Turbo: -1

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

 * Ground Speed: +0.25
 * Sea Speed: -0.25
 * Air Speed: 0
 * Anti-Gravity Speed: 0
 * Acceleration: -0.5
 * Weight: 0
 * Ground Handling: 0
 * Sea Handling: 0
 * Air Handling: -0.25
 * Anti-Gravity Handling: 0
 * Traction: -0.75
 * Mini-Turbo: -0.25

Whole Gold Standard

 * Ground Speed: +0.75
 * Sea Speed: -0.5
 * Air Speed: -0.25
 * Anti-Gravity Speed: 0
 * Acceleration: -1.5
 * Weight: +0.75
 * Ground Handling: -0.25
 * Sea Handling: 0
 * Air Handling: -1
 * Anti-Gravity Handling: -0.75
 * Traction: -1.75
 * Mini-Turbo: -1

Trivia

 * The Gold Standard's steering wheel is gold in Mario Kart 7, but in a first-person view, it will remain black, unless the player has earned the Golden Steering Wheel by doing 100 races with at least 80 using gyro.