on paper I just couldn't choose a TCR over an R, pay a grand more and not feel a bit short-changed.
That TCR better drive magically to be worth the difference.
The TCR is one of those cars that are nigh on impossible to justify on paper without really going into fine details.
There has been no official mention of it but to me it feels like a lot of the Clubsport and CSS suspension development has gone into the TCR.
I wouldn’t mind betting the springs are almost identical to the Ed40 CS having gone from one straight into the other (fractionally harder than regular GTI but still fine sans DCC)
In all ‘sensible’ comparisons the R would win over the TCR, no question of that. The R has the traction, ride quality and maturity along with better drag race launch control times. And I’m sure that point to point flat out the R would arrive home quickest.
Unlike the Ed40 I’m sure the R will hold value better than a TCR too.
But...
The TCR has some aces up its sleeve. It feels like a hot hatch, it sounds like a hot hatch, it looks like a hot hatch and it drives like an incredibly accomplished hot hatch. It’s a bit of an odd car to be blunt but it’s huge fun on the right roads driving solo.
Very unlikely anyone would be able to plumb its depths on a test drive, and on mine I was a little disappointed coming straight from the Ed40. But there was something nagging at me and certain reviewers who were clued up heaped praise on it. Once I had the keys in my grasp for a few days I gradually realised why.
It’s a GTI for people that want a bit more than a standard GTI PP but don’t really want an R. Damned if I would ever recommend someone to buy one over an R but I don’t think many would regret it if they did.