Well I agree that the R is the least special looking performance Golf, minus the exhaust tips it looks almost as any other R-Line Golf out there, almost un-noticeable. An easy choice for those who like serious and conservative as you say you do. Not me, even a Cupra looks much more exciting in my eyes. But I think that to the average eye, a Clubsport will be taken at most for a GTI, which ok is a sports hatch but nothing mental really. When in reality, with almost 300bhp at its disposal (and easily taken to circa 400) will be just that on the road. In that sense it's quite a "Q" car as much as the R as it starts from a lower "expected" performance level.

 

The issue I see with UK prices is that being so close to the R price-wise, most people who actually don't prioritize driving dynamics and track performance will opt for the R. It's hard to resist a "4 wheel drive" even if you don't actually need it or even know that you drive without it 99% of the time. In Sweden though, they chose to sell it at standard Golf GTI price, yes you read that right. Slightly less equipped as standard but still doesn't come close to the R. Unless somebdoy needs 4WD absolutely, it's a no brainer really.

We wanted an MQB platform estate, with the 2.0 TSi & DSG.

It's for SWMBO & she states that Superb 3 is too big, Octy 3 vRS not nice enough inside, she won't even enter a Seat showroom & the new A4 Avant is too expensive.

Solution, buy a Golf wagon. Problem is the only 2 litre is the R, not GTi version, 'cos VW wont sully the GTi brand with the estate car body....

 

There are some very strange deals available here on the R estate, so, much to our surprise it's affordable even when loaded with nice toys.

 

It's probably not a track-day car, but for us that's of no real interest, in the right colour it's not going to attract any unwanted attention but it does "go" if we want it to

& the part-time AWD just might keep us alive if we have a "senior moment" & make a mistake or two. 

 

The AWD will certainly make rapid departures less dramatic, all of our current / recent fleet were remapped to 250 - 261 ps, & they all suffer from unwanted

axle-tramp / wheelspin from a standing start, as you might well expect from FWD cars.   

 

As for quality, it's good enough, the looks are indeed serious & conservative, & it's a practical &  (almost....) a sensible replacement for her Octy. vRS.

 

We really do realize that we are in no way representative of the target market for the Golf R, (& even less for the GTi Clubsport....) but we will both

have fun with it, especially if we venture into Europe this summer & can find some quiet driving roads to play on! 

 

The price variations between models & equipment levels in different markets is always strange, but local taxes & purchasing habits must influence

manufacturers / importers to some extent.

 

DC.

Do need to drive a Golf R. Driven the Cupra, liked it but felt a bit easy to go fast. Very stable at speed. How does it work with the R? Does it still feel FWD most of the time?

Do need to drive a Golf R. Driven the Cupra, liked it but felt a bit easy to go fast. Very stable at speed. How does it work with the R? Does it still feel FWD most of the time?

& then this.

Odd seeing as the Golf R & Audi S3 are the actual rivals by price, but hey ho.

*I do wish road testers would mention which tyres cars being reviewed have on, and with the RS3 does it have the optional wider front wheels /tyres.*

& When talking vehicles weights, does it have 20 kg or so of spare wheel in the boot as standard.

Edited 12 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Do need to drive a Golf R. Driven the Cupra, liked it but felt a bit easy to go fast. Very stable at speed. How does it work with the R? Does it still feel FWD most of the time?

 

Well the R feels even easier to go fast, no wheel-spin in low gears and around bends nothing dramatic, goes past them nicely and firmly but not in a way you haven't experienced with a nicely set-up FWD car. Which is not bad at all, but I couldn't honestly say I felt it was turning like a proper AWD in the likes of EVO. That was my impression although I couldn't obviously approach limits on a public road, just that at round-about exits it just put the power down effortlessly. Absolutely efficient but not leaving much up to the driver to do.

Motorway & Traffic Police in the UK often use big heavy cars that actually are not that quick when on narrower roads.

In Scotland the car of choice for the best Driving Roads / Non Motorway are the Audi A4 / S4 (quattro) & now the Volvo V60 Polestar.

Cars that get a shift on safely and without dramas.

 

I wonder how many UK Police Forces will be getting a Demonstrator Ford Focus RS.

 

Edited 12 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

I wonder how many UK Police Forces will be getting a Demonstrator Ford Focus RS.

 

Lol, I'd love to see that...

Motorway & Traffic Police in the UK often use big heavy cars that actually are not that quick when on narrower roads.

In Scotland the car of choice for the best Driving Roads / Non Motorway are the Audi A4 / S4 (quattro) & now the Volvo V60 Polestar.

Cars that get a shift on safely and without dramas.

 

I wonder how many UK Police Forces will be getting a Demonstrator Ford Focus RS.

 

Not bad value for money George, e.g.Pre-Reg but only delivery mileage .

 

Like mine but I bought it £2k cheaper than this one below

 

http://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/Golf-Estate/2.0-TSI-R-300ps-DSG-Estate/Chester/4419949-605644012-123201.aspx?srcmdc=se_na_re_

 

http://www.supercar.co.uk/ContentDelivery/VehicleImage.axd?OfficeId=1&DefaultImage=volkswagen&Width=1032&Height=688&VehicleId=605644012&View=1

 

http://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/Golf-GTI/GTD/R/GTE/2.0-TSI-R-300-PS/Chester/3853635-605652446-123201.aspx?srcmdc=se_na_re_

 

 

Not a bad value Pre-Reg Hatch either:

 

http://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/Golf-GTI/GTD/R/GTE/2.0-TSI-R-300-PS-DSG/Crewe/3853636-605653044-123256.aspx?srcmdc=se_na_re_

Edited 12 April, 201610 yr by vrskeith

Well the R feels even easier to go fast, no wheel-spin in low gears and around bends nothing dramatic, goes past them nicely and firmly but not in a way you haven't experienced with a nicely set-up FWD car. Which is not bad at all, but I couldn't honestly say I felt it was turning like a proper AWD in the likes of EVO. That was my impression although I couldn't obviously approach limits on a public road, just that at round-about exits it just put the power down effortlessly. Absolutely efficient but not leaving much up to the driver to do.

Perfect, just what the Doctor ordered......., for us that is!

 

(We both grew up with crude RWD cars that would wag their tails on damp roads, as for coping with winter (snow, etc.) better to leave the car at home & walk. take public transport)..

 

DC

.

Motorway & Traffic Police in the UK often use big heavy cars that actually are not that quick when on narrower roads.

In Scotland the car of choice for the best Driving Roads / Non Motorway are the Audi A4 / S4 (quattro) & now the Volvo V60 Polestar.

Cars that get a shift on safely and without dramas.

 

I wonder how many UK Police Forces will be getting a Demonstrator Ford Focus RS.

 

 

 

 I'd think that Essex Police will probably have a demo to play with. 

Currently their most common cars are diesel Focus Estates, with BMW 3 Series Tourers for traffic work.

 

DC

Perfect, just what the Doctor ordered......., for us that is!

 

Well the R feels even easier to go fast, no wheel-spin in low gears and around bends nothing dramatic, goes past them nicely and firmly but not in a way you haven't experienced with a nicely set-up FWD car. Which is not bad at all, but I couldn't honestly say I felt it was turning like a proper AWD in the likes of EVO. That was my impression although I couldn't obviously approach limits on a public road, just that at round-about exits it just put the power down effortlessly. Absolutely efficient but not leaving much up to the driver to do.

That's what I was wondering. Is it Evo like. I can watch videos all day but I'll have to have a go. A car for me has to feel fun but also be fast. That balance is quite hard to get as it's all to easy to build a fast car but then for it to lose any character and become boring. The R does have god tuning potential though

God tuning potential

 

 That balance is quite hard to get as it's all to easy to build a fast car but then for it to lose any character and become boring. The R does have god tuning potential though

 

God tuning potential! I mean, the Golf is good, but it's not the Hoy Grail!

We wanted an MQB platform estate, with the 2.0 TSi & DSG.

It's for SWMBO & she states that Superb 3 is too big, Octy 3 vRS not nice enough inside, she won't even enter a Seat showroom & the new A4 Avant is too expensive.

Solution, buy a Golf wagon. Problem is the only 2 litre is the R, not GTi version, 'cos VW wont sully the GTi brand with the estate car body....

Could the new Tiguan fit the bill? 2.0 TSi and DSG is available in R-Line guise in the first release phase.

God tuning potential

 

 

God tuning potential! I mean, the Golf is good, but it's not the Hoy Grail!

Can't edit because my Freedom has lapsed. Once Paypal let me have my account back I'll do it.

Can't edit because my Freedom has lapsed. Once Paypal let me have my account back I'll do it.

 

Exactly. The tuning potential is what initially attracted me to the Cupra and every other model that shares this engine. Then it was/is a matter of which package I get this engine in. More upmarket or more track capable or just an all-rounder...

Could the new Tiguan fit the bill? 2.0 TSi and DSG is available in R-Line guise in the first release phase.

It probably could have been a contender, but her car is "in transit", so it's a bit late to change our mind......

 

DC

God tuning potential

 

 

God tuning potential! I mean, the Golf is good, but it's not the Hoy Grail!

It might be, but I'd need divine advice to be certain though.......

 

DC

Can't edit because my Freedom has lapsed. Once Paypal let me have my account back I'll do it.

 

Too late, I've quoted you

 

Golf God works in a mysterious way

God tuning potential

God tuning potential! I mean, the Golf is good, but it's not the Hoy Grail!

http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/epcp-1109-hgp-volkswagen-golf-r/

Edited 16 April, 201610 yr by vrskeith

God tuning potential

God tuning potential! I mean, the Golf is good, but it's not the Hoy Grail!

http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/epcp-1109-hgp-volkswagen-golf-r/

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&ei=NGQkTe-PB4HdcZSr0I8B&hl=en&nv=1&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhgp%2Bturbo%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=de&u=http://www.hgp-turbo.de/vw-golf-vii-gti.html&usg=ALkJrhioh83G2BGwJRgGMLNyaI_PGJjkxg

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&ei=NGQkTe-PB4HdcZSr0I8B&hl=en&nv=1&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhgp%2Bturbo%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=de&u=http://www.hgp-turbo.de/vw-golf-vii-gti.html&usg=ALkJrhioh83G2BGwJRgGMLNyaI_PGJjkxg

 

VIN check yesterday - Clubsport has the R/Cupra engine (CJX) with the ECU/map of the Cupra 265      Which means the "Clubsport 400" is quite an easy project  

 

Different audience probably but I'm loving this even more than the S3 already.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIN check yesterday - Clubsport has the R/Cupra engine (CJX) with the ECU/map of the Cupra 265      Which means the "Clubsport 400" is quite an easy project  

 

Different audience probably but I'm loving this even more than the S3 already.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you placed your order for the Clubsport- spec etc?

Have you placed your order for the Clubsport- spec etc?

 

Got an offer but it is not the best one in terms of discount. Also trying to remove some of the extras I've added as they raise the final price from 32K eur to almost 41k (high Nav system, Bi-Xenon headlights, Dynaudio speaker system, bucket seats etc.) and also have to decide on color. White looks very nice, but since I got a white car already I want to have a change but with few options available, it's either that or Carbon Steel Metallic Grey which tones down a little bit the sport touches from the outside. Definitely going for the wheels on the last photo, 18" lightweight, at least those come as standard...

Edited 16 April, 201610 yr by newbie69

Did a 2016 Honda Type R get given any consideration as a possible?

(How are the prices of the Type R where you are buying?)

 

Edited 20 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi