Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[BBP]

Actually - I've watched every NASCAR Sprint Cup race since the start of 2008. That seat you pictured is very out of date.

Umm, that's a lotta circle racing !

Add to that all the time you spend on this site and going to work .... you must be Mr Excitement Coreying !

[Corey_R]

.... you must be Mr Excitement Coreying !

No... Mr Excitement is Jimmy Spencer

[WhiteJames]

Taking the Golf R out on a @ 25km test drive with Gerald Slaven Volkswagen, Canberra, ACT Sales Manager Phil Fairhall (PhillipVWDealer) for a back to back comparison with the Golf GTI, then posting my initial sentiments on the virtues of each vehicle has me interested in what the motoring journalists have to say about the same vehicles. This includes any cold hard data that journalists may provide.


Well ... just read the recent U.K. addition of Top Gear, which involves the hot hatch shootout as shown by my previous post. No: A Volkswagen did not win the shootout – it was won by the only non turbo vehicle on the test; enough said on this. It’s important to note that the Top Gear journalists picked a winner based on the best drive experience and not the fastest vehicle. Remember when I said this earlier in post # 2 of my review:


Which has the better grip levels: GTI or Golf R? Hard to say as they both perform excellently in this regard & the Mark 6 GTI has improved substantially over the Mark 5 GTI in this area (remember that the Sirocco R has FWD and EDL/XDS). The Golf R feels better balanced around corners, making for a more fun drive.

This could be a perfect opportunity for WJ to eat his words based on the WJ butt-o-meter test. A 25km back of Canberra’s Black Mountain Tower road test is a short time to analyze the strengths & weaknesses of the Golf R –v- Golf GTI. Thankfully, the Top Gear ‘cold hard data’ is consistent with the WJ butt-o-meter based statement above. Interesting to see that the GTI matched the Golf R for lateral & acceleration G’s and was ahead on max braking G’s by @ 15%. Driving the Golf R –v- Golf GTI in terms of corning ability was too close for me to call on the short test drive – so close in fact they rated equal in Top Gear’s hill climb test with the STIG on board. Who said my reviews were pure speculation?


Top speed recorded between the Golf R –v Golf GTI was 1.25 miles per hour in favour of the Golf R. The lap times for all except one vehicle were consistent with the amount of horsepower each vehicle produced ... no surprises there. The FWD Sirocco R was 0.26 sec slower than the Golf R around the 0.889 mile hill climb circuit with the GTI a further 1.42 seconds behind the Rocco R. Top Gear Journalists also sight the same issues I do in respect to handling of the Golf R –v- Golf GTI. That is that the Golf R is better balanced & a more fluid drive. The GTI being harder work to extract the best from it with the front heavy chassis.


I disagree with Top Gear re: DCC as standard equipment on the Sirocco R –v- the STD Golf R suspension. Top Gear is sighting the tune of the DCC on the Rocco R did not provide as good a ride as the standard non-DCC suspension of the Golf R. I’d say it not the DCC tuned dampers, but the fact that the Rocco is lighter and rides over the bumps rather than soaking them up. Similar case with the lighter Golf GTI, but not as pronounced as the Rocco R as the GTI is not geared to be as sporty in ride (i.e. softer GTI spring/damper rates). The extra weight of the Golf R helps soak up the small to medium bumps in the roadway. I found similar results in past reviews re: MKV GTI –v- MKV R32 regardless of type of suspension package – this was also mentioned my review and is a point of difference to the Top Gear Hot Hatch article. The extra weight of the Golf R makes it a better Grand Tourer –v- Rocco R/Golf GTI. The express U.K. edition of Top Gear is on sale atm and a good read for those interested hot hatches.


Cheers
WJ

[REXman]

To be honest I have had major BUZZ KILL with my R. October 15 delivery date.. its just so far away.. i cant maintain thislevel of enthusiasm, or anywhere near it for much longer.

I have looked at the small amount of videos on youtube, Ihave searched high and low for photos.. I am litereally not coping too well with this wait. Like maybe if it was August or something, yeah sweet. But with so much gap, your mind changes with colours/rims etc all the time..

Doing my head in.. VW needs to make more cars and a bit quicker

[Starlooker]

To be honest I have had major BUZZ KILL with my R. October 15 delivery date.. its just so far away.. i cant maintain thislevel of enthusiasm, or anywhere near it for much longer.

I have looked at the small amount of videos on youtube, Ihave searched high and low for photos.. I am litereally not coping too well with this wait. Like maybe if it was August or something, yeah sweet. But with so much gap, your mind changes with colours/rims etc all the time..

Doing my head in.. VW needs to make more cars and a bit quicker

I agree completely, I have been adding and taking off options that I want to get and punching the numbers in, thinking about each combination so hard and changing my mind so much in the last few weeks its not funny. But I know, in the end, the think and the wait is worth it. I know it'll be the right car for me and things will work out fine. (At least that's what I am telling myself)

[MkVIGTI]

To be honest I have had major BUZZ KILL with my R. October 15 delivery date.. its just so far away.. i cant maintain thislevel of enthusiasm, or anywhere near it for much longer.

I have looked at the small amount of videos on youtube, Ihave searched high and low for photos.. I am litereally not coping too well with this wait. Like maybe if it was August or something, yeah sweet. But with so much gap, your mind changes with colours/rims etc all the time..

Doing my head in.. VW needs to make more cars and a bit quicker

I lost a bit of my enthusiasm during my wait too, only to find myself getting more and more excited closer to the delivery It is definitely worth the wait tho

[giddleberry]

To be honest I have had major BUZZ KILL with my R. October 15 delivery date.. its just so far away.. i cant maintain thislevel of enthusiasm, or anywhere near it for much longer.

I have looked at the small amount of videos on youtube, Ihave searched high and low for photos.. I am litereally not coping too well with this wait. Like maybe if it was August or something, yeah sweet. But with so much gap, your mind changes with colours/rims etc all the time..

Doing my head in.. VW needs to make more cars and a bit quicker

I'll be OK with October even, but from what some guys have said on another thread their build week has pushed back to week 42 which would be October itself... delivery would then be Jan?

Whats the wait on a GTI???