Competition for the VW GTI & R - Pic Heavy

[Brenbo]

I have owned 4 Civic Type-R's prior to owning my GTI Performance.  Type-R's are hard to beat for reliability.  I was ecstatic to be owning a Type-R and could find nothing wrong with them while I owned them.  However after owning a GTI the quality of the interior in a Type-R although nothing shabby, in comparison to a GTI, the GTI is a league of it's own.  The buttons and dials of the Honda's are really quite fisher price and plastic.  I felt the Type-R dashboard material etc, in the last model was not as good as the model it superseded. 

I do still have a slight temptation for a new Civic Type-R, but since owning the GTI, that is all it will be. The car I am most interested in next will be either a special edition GTI, MK8 GTI / R, or most of all if reaches our shores the R400 (depending if I can save the cash in time).  I feel the R400 will be something really special when it eventually becomes reality.

[Poached]

But now that Honda is turbocharging, will it remain the paragon of reliability?

[Brenbo]

Unsure?  So far as I believe, this is the first Type-R to be Turbo Charged.  They do not have much heritage when it comes to turbo charged performance cars and hot hatches. I am also unsure if it is really a Type-R if it is not naturally aspirated as this is one of the philosphies Type-R follows.  I suppose it is a case of 'what is the point of rules if they are not broken'.  Anyway getting back to VW, I was a die hard Type-R fan, but I have now grown up and look for something more refined like my GTI and future performance Golfs I may own.   

[Poached]

It will be interesting, Honda have been selling turbo diesels for a few years now.

[Brenbo]

i have read one of things the new Type-R will have to make it handle the torque steer and go round corners sharper is front & rear wheel steering on a FWD car.  I believe they have tried this before.  I am told it was on a prelude, but I may be wrong?  However  if it has almost 300bhp, why don't they just do it like the german manufacturers and give it a 4 wheel drive system like the Golf R or a decent e-diff like the GTI PP? I have a lot of faith Honda will pull it off, but why struggle with FWD when you can just fit a 4WD system to put all the power down on to the road.