Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[hooba]

I drove the GTI around the Corporate Hill Short Course and rode in the R around the full Eastern Creek course today. Both were fantastic fun, and the GTI's brakes held up despite copping a lot of abuse on the short course.

The hot lap with Steve Owen was brilliant, he didn't hold back. As a passenger you can feel the rear doing more work on the track to launch the car out of corners, however its ability is far beyond my talent. That said the pace he was carrying into the turns that are also part of the Corporate Hill course felt very similar to the GTI, its just that he was braking later (his ability let him) and getting on the power sooner (his ability plus the AWD at work).

The R only had 700kms on it, so much for the careful run in period.

[iBoost]

Yeah who cares really? If your budget stretches to the R, then go for it. As I've already said, for 90% of the time the GTI is just as good, but if you can stretch to the R then of course it is ultimately the more capable car.

It comes down to how much you want to spend really, where do you stop? You buy the R then someone pulls up next to you in a 135i or M3 and you'll wish you spent more on that. I buy and enjoy my cars for me, not for what anyone else thinks, but hey I think MX5s are fun cars as well.

[G-rig]

Yeah who cares really? If your budget stretches to the R, then go for it. As I've already said, for 90% of the time the GTI is just as good, but if you can stretch to the R then of course it is ultimately the more capable car.

Exactly.

It comes down to how much you want to spend really, where do you stop? You buy the R then someone pulls up next to you in a 135i or M3 and you'll wish you spent more on that. I buy and enjoy my cars for me, not for what anyone else thinks, but hey I think MX5s are fun cars as well.

Yeah, or if a motorbike pulls up next to you and it would blow your doors off... always something faster out there so you have to stop somewhere.

[Lima]

Yeah, or if a motorbike pulls up next to you and it would blow your doors off...

Until you get to a twisty mountain pass.

[dave_r]

Haven't read it, but 7 pages of GTI vs R I can imagine what has been said. Buy what you like and can afford. Some people can accept this, some people cannot. Some will belittle others for their purchase regardless of what it is, so be it.

I can afford both, but chose the one that *I* like/want/need and that's all that matters!

[REXman]

Maybe you should spend some time researching the things you claim to know "for a fact"

So .... 210kw/420NM AWD Tiguan against a 188kw/330NM AWD R .... ???? .... with similar weights ..... smell those Tiguan rear lights .....

or a peaky pre 2009 169kw/320NM WRX and even late 195kw/340NM WRX .... ???

Since when will lesser power and similar weight & traction beat superior power .... ??? LMAO ... I mean against 210kw/420NM from an EA888 GTI engine .... really LMAO

Next time .... do a bit of research before you shoot down anything you don't know .... bet you didn't even know the difference between the R and GTI engines until a knowledgable person like WJ pointed it out ....

An MY09 WRX does 0-100 in 5.1 - 5.5 secs depending on the tester. And it does a solid low to mid 13s quarter. So really what are you talking about.

But its ok. Sounds like we both got it out whatever it was.

[Corey_R]

Okay REXman and Sharkie, just agree to disagree on the Tiguan vs GTI vs R and move along please. Any further back and forth between you two on this topic may result in infractions :/


On another note. Having had the chance to drive the GTI around Eastern Creek today, and be driven around Eastern Creek in the R, I'd have to say that they are both very competent cars which will put a grin on your face. However, the R is just that next level of balance, composure, and power, whether turning, accelerating, braking, or two of the three at once. And this is really what you'd expect given the larger turbo and uprated internals in the engine, AWD, better suspension and better brakes, and a better front/rear weight distribution.

[dave_r]

On another note. Having had the chance to drive the GTI around Eastern Creek today, and be driven around Eastern Creek in the R

Whats this eastern creek stuff you bastards are getting in on? Do I need to harass my dealer for some special 1 on 1 time lol?

[Corey_R]

Volkswagen arranged a special 'half day' version of their Advanced Driving Course out at Eastern Creek. They bought out the new GTD and R, as well as GTI, Jetta, Tiguan, and Passat. It was a great experience.

Unfortuantely all dates in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are full

[dave_r]

Volkswagen arranged a special 'half day' version of their Advanced Driving Course out at Eastern Creek.

Just sent a "thanks for the invite, you bastards" email to my dealer lol

[Corey_R]

In fairness, even my dealer didn't tell me about it. I saw it in a thread in one of the other sections on these forums. Most of the places were gone pretty quickly!
I'm sure they'll have other ones during the year though

[dave_r]

In fairness, even my dealer didn't tell me about it. I saw it in a thread in one of the other sections on these forums. Most of the places were gone pretty quickly!
I'm sure they'll have other ones during the year though

Yeah im sure, just having a joke around with them.

[amrjon]

.............it is easy to follow, but can't help but form the opinion that it is more about justifying his GTI than reviewing the R!

I always enjoy WJ's posts, this one included, thanks for sharing.
I do agree with the post above though. The tests did go to some lengths to highlight 'differences' as 'weaknesses'. Of course that's fine, everyone has a different focus, budget, values and opinions.

I appreciate and respect WJ's post, but he does only say 'would I buy ....' and the conclusions are only his own. Not fact, and it certainly not automatically right or valid for everyone else.

hooba's test drive notes are a good counterpoint, where I read that he was impressed by the R's differences, and gives more credit where it performs more strongly.

Drive's review is similar.

Motor are set to test the R next issue too.

Just read any of them as one mans opion on things, enjoy the read, make whatever you like of the views expressed then make up your own mind.

Looking forward to a drive of the R myself.

[WhiteJames]

Golf R -v- Golf GTI: Exhaust Sound

Here's some youtube video footage of the Eastern Creek Volkswagen Driver Training Day courtesy of Tippah:

VW DRIVER TRAINING EASTERN CREEK AUSTRALIA WITH GOLF R HOT LAPS - VW GTI MKVI Forum / VW Golf MKVI Forum / VW R20 Forum / VW GTI Forum - Golfmk6.com

Highlights the difference exhaust sound of the Golf R -v- Golf GTI.

Cheers.
WJ

[G-rig]

Can't hear much from those samples