Clubsport or R, your choice?

[Exonian]

He seems to prefer smaller and lighter unless he’s in an Audi V8 Quattro barge kind of mood.
He likes his all wheel drive four ring leviathans as much as his Golfs.

Fair point made in the vid that the R was mainstream and therefore going to be done to death by the mass market car “influencers” (I detest that term despite its accuracy) who can drift mode around private circuits on bigger budgets.
Andrew’s market being 99% VW group die-hard enthusiasts brings in different parameters, he’s been around a good long while and was good friends with Neil Birkitt so is well tuned in. Feedback from social media probably steers him quite a bit too.

[Wide]

Is this not a money isue only?   

Will the CS be better and faster than the R in some point?. I know the CS used to be the better trackcar...But that seems not be the case now?!..

Or?...

But the CS is a awesome bangs for buck!, and have the best interior seats!!

[fredgroves]

4wd is not without its downsides.

As volkswizard correctly points out, once moving there is very little performance difference difference and you need to spend even more to get the big willy spoiler on the R.

I think as much as the clubby puts a question mark over the gti, i think it does to the R too.

[Exonian]

Is this not a money isue only?   

Will the CS be better and faster than the R in some point?. I know the CS used to be the better trackcar...But that seems not be the case now?!..

Or?...

But the CS is a awesome bangs for buck!, and have the best interior seats!!

The money difference isn’t huge aside from the fact you need to spend a lot on extras for the R to make it the car you’d want it to be.

Fastest when the speed limit is 70mph is a little irrelevant in the UK. 

I’m sure with torque vectoring on the rear the R will be quicker round a track if that’s your thing.
With drift mode it’ll be great for the late night car park crew.
And from the traffic lights the R will always be top dog by a big margin.

So 3/3 for the R.

Trouble is not everyone wants the range topper just because it has the best spec sheet and the most exhaust tips.

How about most fun at sensible fairly legal speeds and a modicum of skill needed to drive it?

Maybe the 8R will win that one too, I for sure have no idea.
In fact at those speeds I’m sure the regular 245 GTI would be just as good.

Not everyone *wants* an R

Personally I think if you want a Clubsport you ought to keep the spec fairly simple (it’s hardly lacking as standard) because once you get into R money then you really need to ask yourself the question.

[ub7rm]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znpbth3CPJo

Blimey. What a machine.

[Exonian]

They’ll sell by the bucketload with all the positive reviews. Imagine what a stage 1 R will be like!
VW did a customer feedback panel with R owners via marketing agencies a couple years ago surrounding mk8 R development, the hints at the time (via the agency) were it would have around 360PS. We assumed back then it might be hybrid, seems they don’t need that electrical assistance to make the numbers though... 

[Wide]

4wd is not without its downsides.

As volkswizard correctly points out, once moving there is very little performance difference difference and you need to spend even more to get the big willy spoiler on the R.

I think as much as the clubby puts a question mark over the gti, i think it does to the R too.

Yes but in this case have realy the R any downsides to the GTI?...haven´t seen any yet..All that have driven both says that the R is sick..

And yes i have a 7.5 GTI and soon a Mk8R...and still think the  CS intead of the R in the mk8 is the money...the R seems sick   

[Wide]

Is this not a money isue only?   

Will the CS be better and faster than the R in some point?. I know the CS used to be the better trackcar...But that seems not be the case now?!..

Or?...

But the CS is a awesome bangs for buck!, and have the best interior seats!!

The money difference isn’t huge aside from the fact you need to spend a lot on extras for the R to make it the car you’d want it to be.

Fastest when the speed limit is 70mph is a little irrelevant in the UK. 

I’m sure with torque vectoring on the rear the R will be quicker round a track if that’s your thing.
With drift mode it’ll be great for the late night car park crew.
And from the traffic lights the R will always be top dog by a big margin.

So 3/3 for the R.

Trouble is not everyone wants the range topper just because it has the best spec sheet and the most exhaust tips.

How about most fun at sensible fairly legal speeds and a modicum of skill needed to drive it?

Maybe the 8R will win that one too, I for sure have no idea.
In fact at those speeds I’m sure the regular 245 GTI would be just as good.

Not everyone *wants* an R

Personally I think if you want a Clubsport you ought to keep the spec fairly simple (it’s hardly lacking as standard) because once you get into R money then you really need to ask yourself the question.

But still just a money isue?, a bit disapointed that the CS didn´t offer something that the R already has..

But is a bargain! 

[fredgroves]

The clubby has several things the R doesn't have....different front end geometry and a 80kg crash diet for a start. Oh and a wing that you have to pay for on the R.

The R you are paying heavily for heavy awd and then paying on top for things they could have easily included on the base vehicle.

Vw clearly knew their audience though, no shortage of people who want the R it seems... Or are those all just YouTube comment fantasies?

[Brocky_]

Having seen the countless R drag-race videos, it is very impressive.  No doubt about that.  If I was making the choice now, would I choose the R over the ClubSport?  Na.  The weight difference speaks for itself, I like that the ClubSport appears to be going to remain the bit more exclusive car of the two and at 4-5 grand less (if you take the R Performance Pack into account) then there's not a chance in hell I would change.

Oh and red is a much better colour than blue any day of the week.