GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Does it measure up?

Wild Hare

.: MR. BIG STUFF :.
Ahh, yes!
 

JimmyT1

Passed Driver's Ed
I am very interested in seeing a fully instermented test by a car magazine. All of the previously published reports I have seen just have VW data to support the performance claims. The infamous 6 speed vs. DSG video is the closest comparison along with the 5 lap time attack comparo video from Japan. The cars seems fast, but compareing it to other cars to include precious generations of R would be nice before commiting to buy a $ 32k and up car if it is ever announced for the us. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I have not even seen ring times for this car!! Come on VW, what are you hiding?????
 

ShinyRedGti

New member
I just did 2 test drives. Lovely car, you can feel the weight difference from the GTi (which weighs less), naturally slower off the lines. In the higher spectrum of the KMs, the car doesn't require much rev at all :) Maybe it needs to be broken in and taken track-side to really feel the difference

Not saying its a bad car. It's a lovely piece of work. Worth making the switch from a GTi to the R badge... hard to qualify just yet.
 

OzGTI1

Ready to race!
Personal preference here, I like the GTI. R heavier (obvious). Looks wise, I prefer the GTI (red trim). Exhaust note, GTI DSG sounds better.

Drive wise, yes, the R wins, but only by a margin in my eyes. Handling is MUCH better, I won't deny that. But turbo lag is evident. Instant off the line, I believe the GTI to be quicker with less lag. Obvious the R will prevail in the longer run.

Pricewise, it's not much more over here in Oz, so if I were in the market for a new car, I would consider it, as bang for the buck, you're not going to get a better package. At the same time, I'm always weary of buying the first release of any car that VW makes (i.e. MK5 and it's issues).

R seems too easy for me at the end of the day. If I had to pick between the two, honest opinion, I would still take the GTI. You can thrash it to hell and it'll keep coming back for more. It's fun to push a car as hard as you can, and actually get something out of it. For the streets, it's plenty of car. For the race track, I'd take the R. How often do I go to the racetrack? Never...hence my decision =)

Again, subjective...my opinions only...before someone comes in and thrashes me for stating what I feel.
 

OzGTI1

Ready to race!
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ShinyRedGti

New member
Thanks for the link OZ definitely a good read. The GTI is faster off the line. Though i am really waiting to see what the R can do.
 

JimmyT1

Passed Driver's Ed
my decision is on hold until I drive one back-to-back with my MK V R32. I put I/C/E on my R, and now it behaves as it should have from the factory. IMHO, I think I am around 270-275 CHP with the above mods, but do not have the dyno to prove it!! I just took a 500 mile drive this weekend up to Leavenworth, WA and back as part of a PNW event, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The mid-high RPM power delivery with the exhaust note were an intoxicating combination to say the least. My desire for the Golf R is to get more economy, more tuneability, and a better overall driving experience out of the box. I also want 4 doors in my next VW. I am sold on the DSG and it's usability in this platform, and admit I have not had the problems that others talk of with this transmission (knock on wood). only time will tell if VoA will sell this car in the US
 

xenon

Ready to race!
WhiteJames, Great post re GTI vs R

I totally agree with it all. You explained all the things I experienced but did not realize.

Well written and a pleasure to read. Many thanks.
 

Wild Hare

.: MR. BIG STUFF :.
Out of all the cars I have owned I truly enjoy my '07 (5) door GTI with the minor mods I have done. I know it's not the fastest out there and I have owned much faster cars in the past. It's a true pleasure to drive slow or fast.

My biggest challenge is the lack of grip off the line and when I'm in lower gears and really get on it. Before my '07 I had a '98.5 Audi Quattro 1.8t 5-speed that I modded further than my '07. "I miss the AWD!" Nothing grips or makes a huge difference than AWD --- NOTHING!

I'm impressed with the fact that the Golf R will be the fastest production VW yet. To have a High Performance OEM VW with 265HP out-of-the-box means tons to me. To add just a few items of aftermarket to that really appeals to me. Not to mention that beautiful blue color it has.
To have 265HP, AWD, 5-doors, DSG, 30 MPG HWY or better and a nice OEM warranty to boot is what I'm after. I like the WRX's, STI's and Evo's too. Yet that Gentleman's sports car which the Golf R and the R32 both are ... are much more to my liking.
 

TAZZ1

Ready to race!
I just did 2 test drives. Lovely car, you can feel the weight difference from the GTi (which weighs less), naturally slower off the lines. In the higher spectrum of the KMs, the car doesn't require much rev at all :) Maybe it needs to be broken in and taken track-side to really feel the difference

Not saying its a bad car. It's a lovely piece of work. Worth making the switch from a GTi to the R badge... hard to qualify just yet.

Since I am hesitating on which car out of these 2 brilliant hatches to buy; I wanted to compare test-drive both before flying back home to place an order, so I went for a comparison drive with a friend (Mk6 GTI owner) last week-end, (both cars 2 doors DSG, and 18') here's what our shared impressions were:

On a straight off the line start;
The GTI feels so instant-torquey, you feel an immediate surge as soon as you hit the accelerator, however higher in the revs the acceleration settles, the pace becomes very linear.
The R definitely has turbo lag (especially if you compare it to the GTI), however as soon as the torque band opens the R is noticeably quicker and the acceleration feel keeps on increasing until red line.
I have read so much about the GTI being "quicker off the line", well it does feel so but only for about the first 1000 rpms off idle, because past this point the acceleration of the R is much more impressive and keeps on increasing rather than settling.
On the outside? After several tries on a straight off the line start side by side, at no point the GTI front bumper came out ahead and (obviously) the R quickly started to widen the distance gap.

On the bends and twists;
The GTI is very nimble, we did have the impression that it feels more agile and composed than the heavier R, even (surprisingly) more reactive. At higher speeds though understeer remains the enemy despite XDS. The R does have a slight tendency to understeer, but the rear of the car is much more involved; at some point it did not even feel like a golf:), and rather than being limited on the bends at (much) higher speeds the golf R surprised us with a "whole new world" of track-oriented feel.

Bottom line:
Thx VW for these 2 amazing cars. The performance feeling of the GTI is more accessible and immediate, the R demands (just a tiny bit) more to reveal its more extreme arsenal.
The tarmac grip-grading in my country is rather low, and I have lots of twists and bends to play with on my daily commuting so I went for the R :D
 
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