Performance compared to Golf GTI

[insanekiwi]

Hi guys, I had a question on people who raced chipped Golf GTI (MK5) at race tracks with their modified Polo GTIs.

How does the Polo GTI stand against its big brother?
Obviously driver difference is huge... I just want to compare its 'real' performance on track. Obviously Golfs make more power, but Polo is much lighter by at least 300kg.

[noone]

but Polo is much lighter by at least 300kg.

Its lighter, but I doubt by 300kgs.

One site has the Golf V GTI at 1364 kgs and the Polo at 1164 kgs (200kg on the nose).

Obviously by the time you remove the spare and back seats, the Polo weighs less, but I'm sure you can strip some weight from the Golf too...

Cant comment about Golf GTI, I was at a track day with Ian at Rennhaus, but that was a nicely modded R32...

[break]

Which 'track' are you referring to? 1/4 mile or a circuit?

The 1/4 mile well and truly goes to the Golf, but on a tight/twisty track I'd expect they'd be fairly level.

The Polo is lighter, sure, but it has more of its weight (%) higher, which moves its center of gravity up a bit over the Golf. I think comparing both with the same driver would be fairly similar in the twisty bits.

[noone]

I think comparing both with the same driver would be fairly similar in the twisty bits.

I think the Golf would be faster stock vs stock and chipped vs chipped. With some decent suspension, the Polo starts to hold the road, then it has a chance of carrying speed through the corners.

[insanekiwi]

We are talking tracks, not drag strips. True, I guess mine has suspension upgrades....

[philthy]

I'm about to go out so don't have time, but do some searching on Guy Harding's polo. He posted some track times, from memory it was a bit of a weapon.

[Buller_Scott]

didnt that have a k04?

[bfeboi]

It would also depends on how they setup the suspension on either cars.

[Buller_Scott]

and how fat the driver is.

i weigh as much as two people, which didnt bode well for all the locals i crashed in to when i was snowboarding in japan (where i weigh as much as 3-4 people)

[DeanB]

Also a 5dr Golf GTI will weigh in heavier again .... these seem to be more than Corolla's in my area lately .... gee people snapped them up !

2 more doors and fittings would be about 100kg ?

[seangti]

I think the Golf would be faster stock vs stock and chipped vs chipped. With some decent suspension, the Polo starts to hold the road, then it has a chance of carrying speed through the corners.

spot on, the polo needs suspension work to be able to stay with the golf. Whilst the polo is adjustable mid corner, it just doesn't have the outright grip of the golf. I think suspension will be worth at least 2 secs on most tracks (well QR and Lake side).

In qld at least, there's not many polo's or golfs that get to the track. In the 15+ sprints i've done in the last couple of years, yet to see a golf and another polo on track.

As a point of reference, my best times in a stock polo are around 3seconds a lap slower at QR than integra type R's and the clio sports (when driven well). 3 seconds is quite a flogging. bring on suspension and tune

[noone]

My last experience at Wakefield left me feeling a bit lost with my suspension

With H&R springs, stock shocks and a RSB, the car did not grip through the corners. Personally I don't think a lot of the Stock CCS2 tyres and Bfeboi who had stock suspension, RSB but good tyres was carrying more speed through the corners.

That should all be a thing of the past now, just need to get some spare wheels with some sticky rubber and I should be ready for some proper driving.

[break]

My last experience at Wakefield left me feeling a bit lost with my suspension

With H&R springs, stock shocks and a RSB, the car did not grip through the corners. Personally I don't think a lot of the Stock CCS2 tyres and Bfeboi who had stock suspension, RSB but good tyres was carrying more speed through the corners.

That should all be a thing of the past now, just need to get some spare wheels with some sticky rubber and I should be ready for some proper driving.

The problem I see there is the fact you've done the springs but not the shocks.

I'd be replacing the shocks before I'd be replacing the tyres in your setup.

[noone]

The problem I see there is the fact you've done the springs but not the shocks.

Yeah, I've changed a lot of gear since then... Had assumed you would have seen one of my many-many-many posts where I've talked about various bits of work I'd done.

- AP Coilovers
- 312's up the front
- Whiteline Control arm bushes
- Front sway added
- 17's with Kuhmo

Don't think my street tyres would be spectacular on the track, will need to fins something grippy but cost effective.

[break]

Yeah, I've changed a lot of gear since then... Had assumed you would have seen one of my many-many-many posts where I've talked about various bits of work I'd done.

- AP Coilovers
- 312's up the front
- Whiteline Control arm bushes
- Front sway added
- 17's with Kuhmo

Don't think my street tyres would be spectacular on the track, will need to fins something grippy but cost effective.

I lose track of who has done what to their Polo's

But yeah, for grippy/cost effective tyres you can't go past the Kumho KU36 semi's. From memory you can pick them up around the $150 mark in 215/40/17