Test drive day!
Choosing my GTD was easy - I needed a lot of practicality whilst maintaining some sportiness and the driving experience, wanted low running costs and planned on eating a lot of miles. It was a perfect compromise, and I didn't at the time think anything else came close (1 series remains on the ugly shelf for me).
Now that I am thinking of doing low miles and switching to a petrol, it's a bit tougher and slightly dangerous...
I went out to drive a GTI today (booked with local dealer), and decided to drop in on BMW and Jaguar to compare their higher end petrol offerings (which with discounts are R money near enough).
GTI Manual, Non-PP
The biggest difference for me against my GTD (with DTUK), was that sweet revving engine. It was really good, as many of you obviously know! The car felt at times quicker but at times like I had caught it off guard - but this is simply learning a different driving style and nothing more. On one occasion I slipped past a slow vehicle on a 2 lane motorway joining ramp, and slipping from 2nd to 3rd gear and revving to the redline was very sweet and smooth - grin inducing indeed. Also, accelerating through the gears from 1st-4th is very smooth with a much more linear feel than the GTD, which is likely as quick with the DTUK - but the GTI felt quicker as the linear and high revving engine just provided a bit more drama. This was in normal mode too, so soundakter was off.
If I went for a GTI I think I would be tempted to go for a PP manual and quite possibly a DTUK box (I would no doubt be re-reading some threads on here / bugging people for their recent experiences with this combo!)
The roads were damp today but traction was ok for me, I'm aware traction could be an issue with the above - but I'm not too worried about this, I'm used to being a little careful with the current car in the wet (for 1st and 2nd gear), and hopefully I would get decent tyres from the factory (not sure what is being shipped currently?)
I love the heritage of the GTI, I haven't owned one but I was bought up in a house with my Dad going through a series of Peugeot GTI 205 1.9's and the idea of continuing the tradition in all but marque is very appealing!
R Manual
This was a last minute decision, but they had one and it would have been rude not to? Driving the GTI felt like my car in all but the engine, just driving through the carpark in the R and the car felt different (unless this was just the turning circle!) you could tell something was going on with the 4 corners - and it felt awesome. I did the exact same route as the GTI - 10 miles of dual carriageway and A roads.
This car is an animal 
As I think Monkeyhanger said somewhere, there's initially not a lot under 4000rpm (felt quite flat to me when I first prodded the gas after getting an oil temp), but once going it is amazingly fast. Red lining and then changing gear takes your breath away a little, as the next gear just eats up the road in front of you. I reached very naughty speeds very quickly.
In traffic and driving sedately it feels just like another Golf, so it really does provide the best of both worlds and I can see it's great appeal to the many converts here.
For me, I'm not sure - it almost felt too fast for me. Is that possible, I don't know. But I guess it's the fastest car I have ever driven, so would probably need a longer drive to come to a real conclusion about owning one.
Everything you describe about a free revving engine is fairly understandable coming from a diesel, the GTi engine isn't really that special but it performs well with the level of usable torque.
You mentioned the pace of the R and also whether it was too fast. It is possibly too fast for having fun on UK roads at legal speeds and accomplished cars do this. but accomplished in terms of pace doesn't suit everyone, If everyone only wanted grip/pace and nothing else the MX5, GT86 wouldn't be made. Thankfully some manufacturers offer something different than the ever increasing Uber German thrust for all out power beyond all other considerations.
I went from faster cars to the GTi as I was bored of driving at normal speeds with a cars that could do 2 1/2 times the speed limit. I started to resent the cars as I could only get them to come alive on track days or at life changing speeds on the road. sprinting up a slip road and backing off to join traffic is not my idea of fun driving in any car anymore and the R would have been the same to me. If you think you would want the R, seriously look into it, it has the pace and the VW badge that Ford and Renault desire. if you want a little balance then the GTi might be a good option between your existing GTD and the R.
I guess most will say the R but i just want to add some balance
