I'm going to be controversial and go for 36 - always liked that yellow on the Mk3 Colour Concept.
As for the R, it really is a beautiful car,especially in Rising Blue. Every time I go to a show I start hankering for the Mk4 or Mk5 R32s in that colour as there's always loads of them. I even said to our lass I fancied selling my Mk6 so I could get an R but she was having none of it. So I'm just going to have to mod it. The barstewards at Admiral told me the other day they wouldn't insure a modified GTi so I either don't tell them or wait til after 30th September when the insurance runs out and change my insurer to someone who will cover the mods.
The Mk6 R is out of my price range unfortunately, and, as discussed on here before, at £30k plus I think I'd be in the BMW dealer at that price.