Golf R; Not perfect...but close video

[scanesare]

I went to the Motor Show in London at the weekend, and all this talk of the R not looking aggressive enough is, well, just talk.  It looked great, really impressed with the facelift changes.  Looked bad a$$ to me!

Having been a Geneva motor show regular for the past five years, I'd say that could be partly because it was all polished and shiny and under special lighting, they do change a car's impression a lot. In other more "daily" shots and videos it would probably look more... good-a$$ 

[CraigW]

I tend to agree that the R for me is just nowhere near aggressive enough in the looks department and having seen a clubsport in the flesh it is a far better looking car. If the price had been right I would have probably taken the plunge and gone for the CS as I love the bucket seats, rear spoiler and alcantara steering wheel. However, ive just ordered a new FL R at £4k less than I could have got a clubsport for and with 300bhp on tap at all time and awd it was a no brainer

[scanesare]

I tend to agree that the R for me is just nowhere near aggressive enough in the looks department and having seen a clubsport in the flesh it is a far better looking car. If the price had been right I would have probably taken the plunge and gone for the CS as I love the bucket seats, rear spoiler and alcantara steering wheel. However, ive just ordered a new FL R at £4k less than I could have got a clubsport for and with 300bhp on tap at all time and awd it was a no brainer

For 4k more it would be hard to opt for the Clubsport no matter how high one prioritizes dynamics and looks, it's just a lot of money for basically two variants of the same car, with the same engine turbo and gearbox that despite looking and feeling quite different to drive, they offer similar performance. That been said, Clubsport prices are very high in the UK compared to other EU countries  (or R prices are very low - probably that). I managed to buy my CS loaded with every bell and whistle with a 6% discount ending up 2K less than a similarly equipped R and similarly but inversely to your case, it was also a no brainer compared to the R.

[CraigW]

I tend to agree that the R for me is just nowhere near aggressive enough in the looks department and having seen a clubsport in the flesh it is a far better looking car. If the price had been right I would have probably taken the plunge and gone for the CS as I love the bucket seats, rear spoiler and alcantara steering wheel. However, ive just ordered a new FL R at £4k less than I could have got a clubsport for and with 300bhp on tap at all time and awd it was a no brainer

For 4k more it would be hard to opt for the Clubsport no matter how high one prioritizes dynamics and looks, it's just a lot of money for basically two variants of the same car, with the same engine turbo and gearbox that despite looking and feeling quite different to drive, they offer similar performance. That been said, Clubsport prices are very high in the UK compared to other EU countries  (or R prices are very low - probably that). I managed to buy my CS loaded with every bell and whistle with a 6% discount ending up 2K less than a similarly equipped R and similarly but inversely to your case, it was also a no brainer compared to the R.

Absolutely. Sometimes you have to put your sensible hat on and stick with your head rather than your heart. Easier said than done when your a big petrolhead. If the CS had been cheaper than the R I would have opted to go down that route

[matchboy]

Having been a Geneva motor show regular for the past five years, I'd say that could be partly because it was all polished and shiny and under special lighting, they do change a car's impression a lot. In other more "daily" shots and videos it would probably look more... good-a$$ 

I also nipped into a couple of dealers in London after, who both had a facelift R.  Looked just a bad a$$, so nothing to do with the lighting.  The changes made in and out on the facelift make it better looking than the Clubsport.  Just my opinion of course.

[scanesare]

I also nipped into a couple of dealers in London after, who both had a facelift R.  Looked just a bad a$$, so nothing to do with the lighting.  The changes made in and out on the facelift make it better looking than the Clubsport.  Just my opinion of course.

We clearly have different definitions about "better"    but by no sports car design standard imaginable (lines, angles, bodykit, interior) I can see that the 7.5R looks meaner or sportier than the Clubsport, CraigW (and hats off to him) with a 7.5R on order seems to agree as well but we can't and shouldn't all agree on that.

[scanesare]

I tend to agree that the R for me is just nowhere near aggressive enough in the looks department and having seen a clubsport in the flesh it is a far better looking car. If the price had been right I would have probably taken the plunge and gone for the CS as I love the bucket seats, rear spoiler and alcantara steering wheel. However, ive just ordered a new FL R at £4k less than I could have got a clubsport for and with 300bhp on tap at all time and awd it was a no brainer

For 4k more it would be hard to opt for the Clubsport no matter how high one prioritizes dynamics and looks, it's just a lot of money for basically two variants of the same car, with the same engine turbo and gearbox that despite looking and feeling quite different to drive, they offer similar performance. That been said, Clubsport prices are very high in the UK compared to other EU countries  (or R prices are very low - probably that). I managed to buy my CS loaded with every bell and whistle with a 6% discount ending up 2K less than a similarly equipped R and similarly but inversely to your case, it was also a no brainer compared to the R.

Absolutely. Sometimes you have to put your sensible hat on and stick with your head rather than your heart. Easier said than done when your a big petrolhead. If the CS had been cheaper than the R I would have opted to go down that route

I would be fine paying the R price after all options and discounts added as you get different things with the Clubsport that you don't in the R and for me the AWD alone had never been a pre-requisite as such, even 1k more for the exclusivity, but anything above that would feel like falling for marketing games. I am pretty sure the R will be perfect to live with as well.

PS. Speaking of exclusivity, in an ocean of GTIs and Rs around here, I see some familiar, "angry" mask filling my RVM the other day and as soon as the guy is right up my jacksy I realize "sh!t it's a CS as well!", (in 8 months I've only seen another one standing in a dealership), guy briefly flashing his lights like "hey, i know you" and as we get side by side on a free highway giving each other thumbs up with a big grin on our faces, it felt like I met a brother I didn't know I had     I know it probably is silly in its essence but I had never got such credit with any of my past, more "mass-type" performance cars.

[Exonian]

Having been a Geneva motor show regular for the past five years, I'd say that could be partly because it was all polished and shiny and under special lighting, they do change a car's impression a lot. In other more "daily" shots and videos it would probably look more... good-a$$ 

I also nipped into a couple of dealers in London after, who both had a facelift R.  Looked just a bad a$$, so nothing to do with the lighting.  The changes made in and out on the facelift make it better looking than the Clubsport.  Just my opinion of course.

I think this is is more likely the reason you like the 7.5 R than the fact you really actually like it:

Drive them both mate, see which one you like.  Personally, I'd go for the facelift GTI, but then I'm a sucker for having the latest toy/gadget etc, and the changes to the 7.5 certainly differentiate it from the 7 - but it's personal preference at the end of the day.

Kind of a bit like a woman in my office who turned up last week with her new £1200 iPad Pro and put an advert up selling her old one (less than two years old, possibly newer than that) for about £300.
"What does that do that the old one didn't?" Everyone asked.
"Dunno, better graphics I suppose"
"But you wear glasses and don't have eyesight like a hawk"

No kids, lots of money coming in so just a reason to keep herself amused for five minutes.
Modern living eh?

[matchboy]

I think this is is more likely the reason you like the 7.5 R than the fact you really actually like it:

Drive them both mate, see which one you like.  Personally, I'd go for the facelift GTI, but then I'm a sucker for having the latest toy/gadget etc, and the changes to the 7.5 certainly differentiate it from the 7 - but it's personal preference at the end of the day.

Kind of a bit like a woman in my office who turned up last week with her new £1200 iPad Pro and put an advert up selling her old one (less than two years old, possibly newer than that) for about £300.
"What does that do that the old one didn't?" Everyone asked.
"Dunno, better graphics I suppose"
"But you wear glasses and don't have eyesight like a hawk"

No kids, lots of money coming in so just a reason to keep herself amused for five minutes.
Modern living eh?

That's certainly one of the reasons yes, the facelift changes to the interior are certainly a big plus from my point of view as I like new tech, and having had a digital dash for the last 9 months I much prefer it to the old school dash.  I could list out many reasons why to differentiate myself from the lady in your office if you wish!   

However, I also like the exterior changes as well.  Don't get me wrong, the Clubsport is a nice looking car - I just think the R is better looking - but as I stated to the other person above, it really is just my opinion and if we all had the same taste the world would be a very boring place.

[Exonian]

I could list out many reasons why to differentiate myself from the lady in your office if you wish!   

However, I also like the exterior changes as well.  Don't get me wrong, the Clubsport is a nice looking car - I just think the R is better looking - but as I stated to the other person above, it really is just my opinion and if we all had the same taste the world would be a very boring place.

Yeah, you're very likely not grossly overweight and have much better eyesight! 
Plus you have a much better taste in cars!