Pics of R20.....

[Top Cat]

^^^^
I'd still buy the Golf R rather than the S3. The R has far more style.

A RS3 Sportback S-tronic might make me rethink though.

I think you may have to rethink your rethink when you see how much a reasonably specced S-Tronic RS3 Sportback will be though Red..   Dare I say about 3-4 times what your current car would be worth... 

Ben were can you purchase a new RS3 for 18,000..     

[Sunglasses Ron]

^^^^
I'd still buy the Golf R rather than the S3. The R has far more style.

A RS3 Sportback S-tronic might make me rethink though.

I think you may have to rethink your rethink when you see how much a reasonably specced S-Tronic RS3 Sportback will be though Red..   Dare I say about 3-4 times what your current car would be worth... 

Ben were can you purchase a new RS3 for 18,000..     

 

[Hurdy]

Just read the review in CAR magazine. VW are punting the R20 as a more upmarket "GT" rather than an out and out sports car. In their words " The suspension will be ultimately softer than that of the sport mode on the GTI"....WTF....I want something a little more hardcore than that. The sport setting on the MKVI GTI isn't all that hard either!!!!
Another quote is "similar to the S3"...so disappointing again

Good point was that the car in 3dr manual mode will squeeze under 1400kg by 1 kg. DSG will add approx 30kg to that going by the MKV.

[Oli]

For anyone who was considering the Golf R



Sod That! S3 (gen4 haldex - same as the golf R) S3 engine (same as the golf R) with a saving of £10k........hard one that 

Ever driven an S3 with it's lack of steering feel?? I guess not with that comment. If the Golf R drives as well as the other performance golfs, but better, there will be no question, of R20 vs S3.  

I'm looking forward to speccing mine up.........

[RedRobin]

Just read the review in CAR magazine. VW are punting the R20 as a more upmarket "GT" rather than an out and out sports car. In their words " The suspension will be ultimately softer than that of the sport mode on the GTI"....WTF....I want something a little more hardcore than that. The sport setting on the MKVI GTI isn't all that hard either!!!!

....This seems to contradict VW being reported as saying that the ECU has a driver actioned setting to allow less intrusion especially for trackdays.

[warren_cox]

Ever driven an S3 with it's lack of steering feel??

You're right, it's pitiful, and one of the worst points of the car. I hate the lightweight and numb steering.

All this crap VAG seem so obsessed by when they develop a car and then build in it's tendencies (to reflect the right marketing hierarchy sector for buyers) seems to result in nothing more than robbing VAG owners of a true driver focussed car. The Golf Mk5 is a monumental car, but in 200PS spec it lacked grunt. The Ed30 put so much of this right, but by the time you had upgraded the power to the levels you can, you were into the territory where Haldex might have been a useful underpinning for the 190 wet days you get in Blighty.

Will be very interested to drive this Golf R to see what it's like, but I have to say I'm right at the point of moving away from VAG (after a 16 year allegiance) and going for an M3 V8 or a Porsche 996/7. Even if an RS3 emerged, I'm not sure I want a £14k hatchback with £30k of add ons as you still can't forget it's humble platform. At least the M3 shell is bespoke, and isn't a humble 320 which is gifted the chance to drive through the M department's parts bins for an upgrade.

AND, can you imagine VW actually condoning a trackday in the Golf R despite suggesting their car settings supporting it?!?!?! Makes me laugh how disconnecting the marketing is from the reality of aftercare / service.

[Deako]

f*ck me. Thats £32k in standard trim.

[wigit]

lets not get carried away, whsilt the price is euros taxation levied accross europe varies massively depending on which country as they get hit with emiisions taxes etc

[Sunglasses Ron]

lets not get carried away, whsilt the price is euros taxation levied accross europe varies massively depending on which country as they get hit with emiisions taxes etc

This is very true mate, just ask Peskarik 

[Sunglasses Ron]

Just read the review in CAR magazine. VW are punting the R20 as a more upmarket "GT" rather than an out and out sports car. In their words " The suspension will be ultimately softer than that of the sport mode on the GTI"....WTF....I want something a little more hardcore than that. The sport setting on the MKVI GTI isn't all that hard either!!!!
Another quote is "similar to the S3"...so disappointing again

Good point was that the car in 3dr manual mode will squeeze under 1400kg by 1 kg. DSG will add approx 30kg to that going by the MKV.

Mmmm interesting that.. Not as big a bloater as I thought it would be then. Gives it a power/weight of 192bhp/tonne which isn't far off the standard RS. But more importantly 257bhp/tonne when Stage 2+  .
Although when you look at the Scirocco R it's even better, 276bhp/tonne  
When I had mine weighed (DSG) it was 1356kgs, so not to much of a jump in weight considering it's got 4WD now..

[Peskarik]

New S3, if it gets 2.5 liter turbo, will be expensive. A new TTRS costs here over 100000 swiss franks. You can get a year old GTR for 114000. S3 costs about 65-70000 new.

[Peskarik]

Just read the review in CAR magazine. VW are punting the R20 as a more upmarket "GT" rather than an out and out sports car. In their words " The suspension will be ultimately softer than that of the sport mode on the GTI"....WTF....I want something a little more hardcore than that. The sport setting on the MKVI GTI isn't all that hard either!!!!
Another quote is "similar to the S3"...so disappointing again

C'mon, John. You know that once you get the car the factory suspension will go into wastebasket. On the double. Along with the wheels, exhaust, intake.... So let them put whatever they want at the factory, the cheaper the better.  

[Peskarik]

^^^^
I'd still buy the Golf R rather than the S3. The R has far more style.

I agree. I don't know what it is but I feel respect for nice girls in GTIs.  
I guess the same will apply to GolfR, since it looks so cool and is cool. (Mk5 R32 is not my cup of tea, but Mk4 R32 is übercool!)

[Peskarik]

The price of these new 'super hatches' are silly

they are competing against things like this with a few miles on them

http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1251583.htm
http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1162039.htm
http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1256517.htm
http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1245024.htm

+1

though keeping Ferro in shape will cost a fortune, while keeping Golf in shape will be small money

[Peskarik]

^^^^
I'd still buy the Golf R rather than the S3. The R has far more style.

As long as you don't sit in it!

My wife had a Mk6 Golf diesel pool car the other week and the interior felt dreary and a bit cheap to be honest. Since I'm sat on the inside of the car more than the outside I'm beginning to value cabin quality (at my ripe old age!).

....At my ripe old age of 62yo I don't like the Mk6 interior much either - It's too Audi-esque with the silver bits for my taste. Though I appreciate the quality of Audi interiors it's simply not what I want in a car - I personally prefer it more funky and less of a luxury caccoon detaching you from the road.

Mk6 interior may be quality (compared to mine, which rattles here and there), but it looks too bling to me.