Times Review of Golf R

[FamilyDub]

Do you know what? I think you're right. Will be phoning my dealer on Monday to see if I can change to a GTI.

Silver, have you changed your order, then?

Nope.

Fairy nuff 

[mac7]

"you can have as much fun in a stock Golf GTI and keep six grand in your pocket. "

Sums it up really, I still cant get over that price tag.

Lets be honest, you can have as much fun in a very similar second hand re-mapped Mk5 GTI for less than £12,000.

biggest bug with me is the journo's knocking 4wd.  They've done it to the R8, the new lambos and now the Golf R.  What they seem to forget is that the Top Gear way of blazing sideways around an unused airfield isn't the usual every day way of driving. In the real world, where uneven road sufaces are the norm, 4wd makes sense.

+1.

[Egbutt Wash]

He hated the manual gearbox.  As sloppy as a box that had done 150,000 miles.
He also said the three door was pointless.
I like the idea of the R but not a three door manual.

[percymon]

As usual, you pay your money and take your choice. People will always disagree.

The R is very expensive in my opinion, but hats off to those who can afford it and are willing to splash out - it's a lovely looking motor and will probably be a great ownership experience.

Personally, I can't justify the cost for what it offers over the GTI - so i'm sticking with my MK5 for now.

Excatly and if it were my £30k i'd want more than 4 pistons under the bonnet too.  Nice as the R is in the pics, better looking than the GTI IMO, its just overpriced.   No doubt many will argue all prices are rising, but only to the detriment of newcar sales - its getting like housing was 18 months ago, at some point people will say no as wages have barely moved in 2 years.

To those that have ordered their R - good luck, i hope its all you want from the car.

[SilverChariot]

Excatly and if it were my £30k i'd want more than 4 pistons under the bonnet too.

Well, you won't want the Merc C250CDI as that's a 4-pot diesel. Chug! Chug!

But seriously, the days of anthing above a 4-pot in hot hatches is pretty much over (Audi RS3 excepted - though that is likely to be a run out model). Even the next Ford Focus RS is dropping down to a 4-pot.

Rumours are Merc is developing a 3-pot petrol for the next C-class!

It's just the way the world is. And you can't change it. Sadly.

[LIVERLEGEND]

Excatly and if it were my £30k i'd want more than 4 pistons under the bonnet too.

Well, you won't want the Merc C250CDI as that's a 4-pot diesel. Chug! Chug!

I have to stick up for the C250CDI, I've got one and it's superb the torque in it is fantastic. 

[Tailpipe]

Excatly and if it were my £30k i'd want more than 4 pistons under the bonnet too.

Well, you won't want the Merc C250CDI as that's a 4-pot diesel. Chug! Chug!

I have to stick up for the C250CDI, I've got one and it's superb the torque in it is fantastic. 

I have to stick up for the R. The 2.0-litre L4 is lighter than the V6 lump so it handles better than an R32 while going faster. When you've had a BMW E46 M3 in-line 6 developing 343 bhp, then the VR6 feels puny anyway. From what I've seen of the Golf R, it is properly quick and beautifully built.

My problem is that the wife is not keen on me getting an S5 or new M3 coupe. Thinks we should get something practical - like a Golf. So be it. I love the fact that the R is so Q. (Just wait till she finds out its got 265 bhp!)

[SilverChariot]

Excatly and if it were my £30k i'd want more than 4 pistons under the bonnet too.

Well, you won't want the Merc C250CDI as that's a 4-pot diesel. Chug! Chug!

I have to stick up for the C250CDI, I've got one and it's superb the torque in it is fantastic. 

I'll let you know - my wife has a C250CDI Sport Auto. True - it goes welll enough. But, I don't think it has the same sense of occasion as the R.

[am1w]

Too expensive and looks more like a boy racer's car.

I don't know what you've been sniffing, but the R is the least 'boy racer' looking hot hatch on the market.  As all the reviews so far say its a wolf in sheeps clothing - ie. very discreet about what its hiding underneath

Seems I have struck a nerve!
Ok: the Golf R is more 'boy racer' looking than the Golf GTi and less 'boy racer' looking than a Ford Focus RS.
A wolf in sheep's clothing? Naah!
More like mutton dressed up as lamb!

[evo1986]

We have a New golf r 5 door dsg at Cheltenham VW rising blue. First one anywhere!