New Golf R

[Lady Elanore]

The Escort Great noise. The sound it produces is so complex and angry. The exact opposite of what the Retail Park Saxos sound like with their wheelie bin sized exhausts.

[stever750]

It's all in the cam profile. These modern vvt engines with all of their sound deadening make it a bit boring. Flipside is that they start easily in the morning and your granny could drive them to tesco.

[vrskeith]

Or Grandad! PC please!

[Lady Elanore]

It's all in the cam profile. These modern vvt engines with all of their sound deadening make it a bit boring. Flipside is that they start easily in the morning and your granny could drive them to tesco.

I wasn't a Grannie, It was a 130TC with Alquati cams, flowed head, Full Ansa exhaust and maximum sized (and eventually drilled) jets in my 2 x Twin 40s (K&Ns of course). I am looking at the receipts for all this right now and still think it looks ridiculously expensive 25 years later. (£25 made my Uno Turbo go from 118bhp to 150bhp!) and I did drive it to Tescos, in a kangarooey kind of way until it warmed up

 

It was so expensive to tune up a car in those days. I asked for a little more power and they said,  

 

"well K&Ns are a good start, plus a proper freeflow exhaust, but you need the special exhaust manifold made from Unicorn tears to go with it and the special Minotaur horn camshafts to really feel the benefit, but while we are at it the head might as well come off and the if we are doing the head, we might as well use the Emerald encrusted Minotaur horn camshafts to really make it fly". "Sure, that's sound good, how much and how long?" "well if we do it in stages, probably 3 months and as for the cost, we will have to sit down and work that all out. We can get you a cheap loan if you need one".

 

 

What they didn't say was

 

"well apart from the fact you could have bought an all expenses paid, months holiday for an extended family in Australia, your car will be lumpy as the North Pennines and your ZF gearbox will probably break, which will cost you over a grand to fix"

 

Think of all the Boots and shoes I could have bought with that lot, as well as hired a better Private Eye to stalk George Clooney for me

Edited 1 April, 2015 by Lady Elanore

[stever750]

I meant modern high performance cars can be driven by your granny! Proper old skool cars were often a nightmare as a daily driver.

[Lady Elanore]

I meant modern high performance cars can be driven by your granny! Proper old skool cars were often a nightmare as a daily driver.

I understood what you meant, I was just laughing at myself and my stupidity. Didn't even get asked out by the guy who owned the tuning shop. He must have earned a nice Christmas bonus off me

[vrskeith]

Golf R is the Unisex Car of the year 2015!

[Lady Elanore]

Golf R is the Unisex Car of the year 2015!

Does that mean it will sleep with anything?

[vrskeith]

Does that mean it will sleep with anything?

Only if that's your bag!

However, it is designed to be very flexible, come rain, snow or shine.

Even likes staying true to thread.

Edited 1 April, 2015 by vrskeith

[Lady Elanore]

 

.... to be very flexible, come rain, snow or shine.

 

Ah so that's what Unisex means

[BossFox]

Does that mean it will sleep with anything?

Means it's safe no matter who is at the wheel.

Not unusual as it's VAG.

You have to drive it like a total maniac before it starts to break traction.

To many, that makes it very good.

[Lady Elanore]

Means it's safe no matter who is at the wheel.

Not unusual as it's VAG.

You have to drive it like a total maniac before it starts to break traction.

To many, that makes it very good.

Best be safe if you indulge in Unisex I reckon

 

I do remember getting into a bit of a tank slapper going up a motorway sliproad once in my Impreza (an original understeery type). I figured it was wet and empty and I could accelerate hard with my only worry a bit of mild understeer. I was a little surprised to have a 'moment' in a full time 4x4. Perhaps I hit oil or perhaps it was just plain old stupidity?. Mind you, I guess today with the clever ESP systems, that wouldn't have happened and I guess the Golf goes one further being predominately a FWD. I'm not so bold now I'm older, I must have learnt something along the way.

[B33fy]

Means it's safe no matter who is at the wheel.

Not unusual as it's VAG.

You have to drive it like a total maniac before it starts to break traction.

To many, that makes it very good.

 

 

Might  just be finding out how good.. priced up a few cars today to replace the GTD, the R came out cheapest, even against another GTD and a vRS Octavia with options

 

[BossFox]

Might just be finding out how good.. priced up a few cars today to replace the GTD, the R came out cheapest, even against another GTD and a vRS Octavia with options

No doubt it's a good car.

Be interesting to hear your thoughts as a keen driver and not a fan-boy.

For me it would have to be a manual though, I find the DSG a bit point and shoot.

Impressive but novelty wears off quicker.

[stever750]

Any doubts I had over the cupras LSD disappeared this morning on a series of damp RABs interspersed with short sections of twisty 2 lane, along with the civic type R (previous gen) replete with big exhaust and lowered stance. It's quick, but is it really fun?

[Yeti_Man]

Another long term test by Pistonheads...

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-fleet/vw-golf-r-ph-fleet/31904

[kenny]

Might  just be finding out how good.. priced up a few cars today to replace the GTD, the R came out cheapest, even against another GTD and a vRS Octavia with options

 

 

Cheaper? was it lease or purchase

[vrskeith]

Another long term test by Pistonheads...

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-fleet/vw-golf-r-ph-fleet/31904

I look forward to comparing notes during the 6 months period of the long termers life and reading about the planned comparison with the mags  fleet cars.

 

Mine is now 8months old,with  7200 varied miles on the clock.

 

In the hands of a "keen driver", who is developing a "fan-boy" enthusiasm for the mark, after living with it on a daily basis!  

Edited 2 April, 2015 by vrskeith

[stever750]

Agree Keith, their head to head of all of their fleet will be interesting, though the standard of PH's analysis and writing isn't always quite up to the standards of the better car mags.

 

Mine has just turned 21k, and whilst I thoroughly enjoy driving it, it's not an entirely emotional connection. TBH AWD would change that, in fact it might make it less so. The problem is they are devoid of any real personality or character. Functional, and fit for purpose, but lacking in a bit of flair, idiosyncrasies even.

[Lady Elanore]

Agree Keith, their head to head of all of their fleet will be interesting, though the standard of PH's analysis and writing isn't always quite up to the standards of the better car mags.

 

Mine has just turned 21k, and whilst I thoroughly enjoy driving it, it's not an entirely emotional connection. TBH AWD would change that, in fact it might make it less so. The problem is they are devoid of any real personality or character. Functional, and fit for purpose, but lacking in a bit of flair, idiosyncrasies even.

You need something with a massive V8 up front, RWD and a LSD and probably a wet race track, to give you your thrills

[stever750]

I must admit, I have thought about something like a Monaro.

[vrskeith]

I must admit, I have thought about something like a Monaro.

Another thread looming then.

[stever750]

Another thread looming then.

Another time Keith.

Back on topic!

[vrskeith]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-2601555/Chris-Evans-reviews-Golf-R-Hand-keys-Golf-GTi-comes-hot-hatches-VW-just-set-new-benchmark.html

 

I think he knows a thing or two, about owning, driving and experiencing exotic motors with bags of multi cylinder grunt.

 

So value his opinion on motors, as a noted Petrol head.. ( Oh!  Clarkson liked it too but that's History.)

[B33fy]

Cheaper? was it lease or purchase

 

Leasing. The figures won't mean anything as they are NHS specific and tied in to salary, Had a quick look at one today when I booked the diseasal in for a service. Blue needles look good, carbon upholstery looks a bit pants though, can't get excited about it like you lot on here,,. but nice enough..