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Differing Weights
In reference to the Top Gear Australia (TGA) Magazine “Long-Termer” Golf R that replaced their previous long-term GTI (see latest Oct issue). TGA went out of their way to put a manual GTI and manual Golf R back to back via the Royal National Park (RNP). The GTI did not have Dynamic Chassis Control in the TGA review – just standard suspension. TGA crew travelled the entire length of the RNP between Sydney and North Wollongong – this includes faster flowing southern sections of this route.
There are three important points to mention between TGA and our back to back drives:
(1) Our drive was only on a short challenging part of the RNP from North entry to the Boat Shed & return which is about 1/10th the distance of the RNP with very steep & winding low speed corners & unsettling features around corners that makes it a greater challenge – it separates the men from the boys when it comes to chassis tune;
(2) Both our Golf’s had DSG – imo DSG in the GTI appears to have firmer front end springs to compensate for the added weight of the DSG gearbox which improves handling but introduces a tad more understeer over the Manual GTI TGA used on their driver review (not sure about the MT Golf R in terms of spring rate);
(3) Ray and I went out of our way to compare Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) equipped GTI and Golf R. Well, Ray would be going for a DSG with DCC in either GTI or Golf R.
I agree with the findings made in TGA that without DCC on Golf GTI and Golf R, the Golf R would be the pick for a drive on this route. I’d be going for the Golf R due to its firmer suspension, improved chassis control, better suspension bump absorbency offering a more fluid drive experience. The lighter weight of the GTI in concert with underdamped non-DCC standard suspension quickly shows its fallibilities in terms of suspension compliance and ride control in relative to the Golf R on these types of rugged roadways. This short route really does separate the men from the boys regarding suspension compliance and control. Ride height also plays a role as the GTI can never lose that higher spring travel feel, which detracts from chassis control to a degree. We encountered similar results to what TGA are claiming, with exception of their penchant for the Manual Transmission (MT).
MT is good for the southern flowing sections of the roadway, which is about 2/3rds of the route. The northern boat shed 6 km drive is more akin to a hill climb for the majority of the driver - the MT throw is too long and front springs too soft in the Manual GTI. The softer MT front springs only exacerbate the lack of chassis control in the GTI with standard suspension on this dynamically challenging route. So my opinion on manual gearbox as not being the pick as a driver vehicle differs from TGA advice to go with the manual trannie for an engaging drive. Stick with DSG for the hill climbs, I say.
The extra weight of the Golf R comes in handy for soaking up the bumps – whether they be small, medium or large compression hits. The GTI tends to bounce over these same bumps as described in our short “boat-shed’ test drive review - even with DCC in Sport, the GTI’s bounciness cannot be completely eliminated due to the lighter weight of the GTI and taller springs. The negative aspect of the lighter weight of the Golf GTI is detrimental to filtering out the small to medium roadway undulations, but a positive in the short, sharp and narrow twisties where less weight is a definite advantage in terms of motor vehicle agility – especially on initial turn-in and around the apex or when altering the vehicle trajectory mid corner. XDS also helps in a sterile kind of way. There is an important condition that has to be satisfied with the Golf GTI – that is that the DCC option must be ticked and DCC must be in ‘SPORT’ for the GTI to offer comparable ride & handling mix when pitched against the Golf R.
The differing weights of the GTI and Golf R are their strengths and weaknesses – the principle factor being type & quality of roadway traversed. RNP offers a variety of roadway types and conditions, so it likely that GTI with DCC in Sport will perform better in certain areas, the Golf R in other areas. We found that DCC in Sport in the GTI really improved the handling and ride control of the GTI chassis over a non-DCC standard GTI. TGA didn’t comment on the Golf GTI fitted with DCC or its different modes.
Further down into the park, where speed limits are higher and the roadway can be rougher in texture - the better balanced chassis, the firmer dampers/springs and extra weight of the Golf R will have the Golf R as the preferred drive as a Grand Tourer type of ride. At the end of the day – you as the driver have to decide if you want (1) Light and Nimble GTI; or (2) Controlled and Balanced Golf R.
Cheers
WJ
In reference to the Top Gear Australia (TGA) Magazine “Long-Termer” Golf R that replaced their previous long-term GTI (see latest Oct issue). TGA went out of their way to put a manual GTI and manual Golf R back to back via the Royal National Park (RNP). The GTI did not have Dynamic Chassis Control in the TGA review – just standard suspension. TGA crew travelled the entire length of the RNP between Sydney and North Wollongong – this includes faster flowing southern sections of this route.
There are three important points to mention between TGA and our back to back drives:
(1) Our drive was only on a short challenging part of the RNP from North entry to the Boat Shed & return which is about 1/10th the distance of the RNP with very steep & winding low speed corners & unsettling features around corners that makes it a greater challenge – it separates the men from the boys when it comes to chassis tune;
(2) Both our Golf’s had DSG – imo DSG in the GTI appears to have firmer front end springs to compensate for the added weight of the DSG gearbox which improves handling but introduces a tad more understeer over the Manual GTI TGA used on their driver review (not sure about the MT Golf R in terms of spring rate);
(3) Ray and I went out of our way to compare Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) equipped GTI and Golf R. Well, Ray would be going for a DSG with DCC in either GTI or Golf R.
I agree with the findings made in TGA that without DCC on Golf GTI and Golf R, the Golf R would be the pick for a drive on this route. I’d be going for the Golf R due to its firmer suspension, improved chassis control, better suspension bump absorbency offering a more fluid drive experience. The lighter weight of the GTI in concert with underdamped non-DCC standard suspension quickly shows its fallibilities in terms of suspension compliance and ride control in relative to the Golf R on these types of rugged roadways. This short route really does separate the men from the boys regarding suspension compliance and control. Ride height also plays a role as the GTI can never lose that higher spring travel feel, which detracts from chassis control to a degree. We encountered similar results to what TGA are claiming, with exception of their penchant for the Manual Transmission (MT).
MT is good for the southern flowing sections of the roadway, which is about 2/3rds of the route. The northern boat shed 6 km drive is more akin to a hill climb for the majority of the driver - the MT throw is too long and front springs too soft in the Manual GTI. The softer MT front springs only exacerbate the lack of chassis control in the GTI with standard suspension on this dynamically challenging route. So my opinion on manual gearbox as not being the pick as a driver vehicle differs from TGA advice to go with the manual trannie for an engaging drive. Stick with DSG for the hill climbs, I say.
The extra weight of the Golf R comes in handy for soaking up the bumps – whether they be small, medium or large compression hits. The GTI tends to bounce over these same bumps as described in our short “boat-shed’ test drive review - even with DCC in Sport, the GTI’s bounciness cannot be completely eliminated due to the lighter weight of the GTI and taller springs. The negative aspect of the lighter weight of the Golf GTI is detrimental to filtering out the small to medium roadway undulations, but a positive in the short, sharp and narrow twisties where less weight is a definite advantage in terms of motor vehicle agility – especially on initial turn-in and around the apex or when altering the vehicle trajectory mid corner. XDS also helps in a sterile kind of way. There is an important condition that has to be satisfied with the Golf GTI – that is that the DCC option must be ticked and DCC must be in ‘SPORT’ for the GTI to offer comparable ride & handling mix when pitched against the Golf R.
The differing weights of the GTI and Golf R are their strengths and weaknesses – the principle factor being type & quality of roadway traversed. RNP offers a variety of roadway types and conditions, so it likely that GTI with DCC in Sport will perform better in certain areas, the Golf R in other areas. We found that DCC in Sport in the GTI really improved the handling and ride control of the GTI chassis over a non-DCC standard GTI. TGA didn’t comment on the Golf GTI fitted with DCC or its different modes.
Further down into the park, where speed limits are higher and the roadway can be rougher in texture - the better balanced chassis, the firmer dampers/springs and extra weight of the Golf R will have the Golf R as the preferred drive as a Grand Tourer type of ride. At the end of the day – you as the driver have to decide if you want (1) Light and Nimble GTI; or (2) Controlled and Balanced Golf R.
Cheers
WJ
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