R reviews

[HA54SYM`]

Sounds good so far - actually having allocation is a good sign!

What colour have you gone for?

It’s really interesting to see you’ve gone for an R over a 45 which speaks volumes as you’re an actual enthusiast who can properly drive as opposed to someone promoting themselves on video or published text. 

The colour is a debate, which I need to make my mind up on pronto, either Lapiz a signature R colour or White which can blend in a little more, not sure yet?

Thanks for the praise, I was racing at Brands this weekend so the R will be the off circuit car but still vary capable.

[HA54SYM`]

I concur with the look and general idea of the R over the CS, while the Ed45, appears nothing more than a slight make over on what we know up to now?

I'm not sure I follow that a concern over depreciation on a well specced Ed40 can be answered by purchasing a new mk8 R?

I honestly believe my well specced Ed40 will lose less money than a new mk8 R over the next 2-3 years?

Its man maths  but its an outright purchase so want to keep good equity in it, rather than let it depreciate to nothing, but you are right they are slow deprecation on the Edition models so its been good for that. Not sure I will get the same on the R, but lets see, spec is always critical as I will sell on again private.

One thing that bugged me with the Clubsport and ED45 no gloss black on the bumper plastics and no GTI logos inside, the ED40 was a real standout model.

[clubsport]

I agreee spec is crucial on these cars for resale, man maths aside there is always the new car experience, an 8 R will, literally be as quick as almost any car you encounter on a public road due to competence & size.

You mentioned Brands, I am 15 mins frpm there and know it well, I wondered what time a Tomcat race car laps the indy in & obvioulsy what rubber you run?

Look forward to hearing real time reviews of your new R!

[HA54SYM`]

I agreee spec is crucial on these cars for resale, man maths aside there is always the new car experience, an 8 R will, literally be as quick as almost any car you encounter on a public road due to competence & size.

You mentioned Brands, I am 15 mins frpm there and know it well, I wondered what time a Tomcat race car laps the indy in & obvioulsy what rubber you run?

Look forward to hearing real time reviews of your new R!

Yes no problem will keep you posted on the R.

I wish I was closer to Brands but Donington is my local circuit, it was my first time ever at Brands this Sunday and going into Paddock Hill bend in qualy for the first time was interesting  great circuit and very technical too.

I managed to get into the mid 58's race 2 and a good time in the Tomcat is low 57's. Class leaders are 1.8 Metros running low 56's. We have to run list 1B control tyres so Toyo R888's etc and the cars run factory road car ECU's (from the 1990s)

Lots of drama as first race of the season, I managed to get a run on the camera car here going into Druids before we got red flagged on race 1. https://youtu.be/jgOpJjTWGYw my Tomcat is number 54 white and blue.

Looking forward to coming again and learning more!

What car you run around Brands?

[clubsport]

Nice video!

I know what a Rover Tomcat is, it took a lap for me to see the reg plate and realise you weren't in the yellow roadster!

The Tomcat certainly pulls well!

You're right on the indy being a technical track.
As you mentioned it's your first visit, people often think a lap time is made up of a blat down the straight, but as you know you can only enter Paddock Hill, so fast within the capabilities of your car.

The best way to a fast lap that is often overlooked, is drive through Surtees flat, brake to stabilise the car through Mclaren and get the power on as soon as you can for Clearways through Clark curve. Many drivers seem to hang on the brakes through there!
I am sure you are watching a few videos, see what you make of that part of the circuit, now i have mentioned it?

If you ever get the chance to drive the Brands GP, just do it, my favourite UK circuit, even though they changed Dingle Dell so you can't get air now ?!

I was expecting 56-7 secs from a Tomcat on sticky tyres, so that's all good...it's going to be hard to eke out seconds from there.

I have mostly run various 911 lightweight & RS-CS round there and borrowed a few Turbo & GT3 from  mates... so slightly different times, especially after intense instruction from Pork Cup drivers on test days.... not by much though !

Good luck for the season!

[jaceyboy]

I drove the Club Sport and R back to back today, both are cracking cars, the Club Sport didn't feel too much slower if not the same power if I'm honest, but one thing I didn't like the way was the CS dropped down in manual mode (kick down) which I hate, the R didn't do this for some reason?, also the R sounded much better (the CS did sound nice though), some good pops etc, it also felt much more planted but less engaged as the CS, the paddles are very nice in the R, rubbish in the CS but I'm sure these could be changed after market.

I didn't like the slow infotainment system, took forever to turn on, not easy to navigate at all and very fiddly, and the interior feels very cheap in plastic materials etc, are they worth £40k?, well my answer is no, I got back in our mapped GTi MK7 and it still felt great and much more premium in quality than the MK8.

Some pics of the R, I didn't manage to take any of the CS but it was a Moonstone car with standard wheels

[king monkey]

Sounds like the age old gti v R dilemma then. New generation but same pluses ans minuses.

[jaceyboy]

Sounds like the age old gti v R dilemma then. New generation but same pluses and minuses.

100%, depends what you want I guess, the R is going to be the quicker car in the wet (which we get lots of) and dry but I think the CS will be more rewarding day to day, both cars are brilliant at what they do, I still think the CS looks better to, the blue seats in the R and  especially the rear headrests

[king monkey]

I went for an R in the 7.5 because I’d never had one before and I had an S3 at the time. I’d also had a number of gtis. Whichever one you opt for it’ll be awesome. I agree that the CS looks better though. That’s where I’d put my money.

[Exonian]

Nice one jaceyboy  good to see you tested one in a decent colour too 
Do I take it the R has lots of proper exhaust noise?
I actually quite like the standard R interior, but I’m weird and like the Clubsport side stickers too, and you should hear my musical tastes 

But yeah, neither would be as much fun to drive as a modded mk7 which doesn’t have door cards that feel like they share the same plastic as a Crafter van’s. But to be fair, after the first week you take zero notice of the interior plastics and reserve your wrath for the infotainment system’s erratic blips.