RE: Volkswagen Golf R: Review

RE: Volkswagen Golf R: Review

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Discussion

Clivey

5,108 posts

203 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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scherzkeks said:
Comments from rep. mobile drivers
laugh So what is an S4 if not a glorified "rep mobile"? Pot/kettle.

You're trying waaay too hard. Next.

bodhi

10,333 posts

228 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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scherzkeks said:
In this context it is. A 150 hp 6 doesn't interest me. Comments from rep. mobile drivers about how many exhausts a car is allowed to have do interest me though. All in good fun of course.
Hmmm. Out of interest what would you class an S4 Estate as, other than a hotted up repmobile (with too many exhausts)?

menousername

2,107 posts

141 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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Was it the mk6 or mk7 GTI that started having the twin tail pipes split out towardss the outside of the car rather than together on one side? So they "need" 4 now to separate the R out from the GTI

if they had kept them in mk5 mode, together to one side, the R could have retained the central tailpipe layout as per mk5 r32 and and mk6 R, which look great.

re. "involving" thats quite simple. Its just the subjective feel of the car. Does a small, relatively heavy, 4wd hatchback give you the feedback and the precision of a balanced, light, rwd car? Course not.


Clivey

5,108 posts

203 months

Friday 9th May 2014
quotequote all
menousername said:
Was it the mk6 or mk7 GTI that started having the twin tail pipes split out towardss the outside of the car rather than together on one side? So they "need" 4 now to separate the R out from the GTI

if they had kept them in mk5 mode, together to one side, the R could have retained the central tailpipe layout as per mk5 r32 and and mk6 R, which look great.
This applies to pretty much every manufacturer these days but I just don't understand the "need" to differentiate between models using the number / configuration of exhaust pipes. - It's not even willy waving in this case because any more than a single is unnecessary...they're more like the fake breasts of the car world (you'd look like a right tit with a quad exhaust on a 4-pot). hehe

SuperchargedVR6

3,138 posts

219 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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Johnnytheboy said:
bodhi said:
It has a 4 cylinder engine. No harm in that (for most people), but why the fk has it got 4 tailpipes? Does it really need 1 tailpipe per cylinder? If it had an engine with the correct compliment of cylinders I could see the point, but for a 4 banger? No VAG, let's not be silly now.
Exhaust pipe number seems to be turning into a pissing contest, along with wheel size.
At least all 4 pipes actually have gases coming out of them.

There are so many hatchbacks around now with a pair of fake tailpipes in the rear valance, with the actual outlet being a downturned peashooter on one side. I don't think I could suffer the embarrassment in the winter with steam coming from under the car instead of the trendy 'tailpipes'.

I agree 4 outlets is excessive but it's clearly what people want. For 90% of the motoring population, cars are style over substance.

Actus Reus

4,229 posts

154 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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Absolutely - look at the Merc E-class 220CDi - it has twin exhausts that wouldn't look out of place on a marine diesel.

Having 4 exhausts is no more ridiculous than applying some sort of arbitrary rule to the power or displacement ratio to the number of pipes. What next - a minimum size of brake disc relative to the brake duct?

HJMS123

988 posts

132 months

Friday 9th May 2014
quotequote all
menousername said:
Was it the mk6 or mk7 GTI that started having the twin tail pipes split out towardss the outside of the car rather than together on one side? So they "need" 4 now to separate the R out from the GTI

if they had kept them in mk5 mode, together to one side, the R could have retained the central tailpipe layout as per mk5 r32 and and mk6 R, which look great.
mk6 GTI started with the single pipe either side and I completely agree about the older R's tailpipes looking great

Clivey

5,108 posts

203 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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SuperchargedVR6 said:
For 90% of the motoring population, cars are style over substance.
Nail + Head. I wonder what proportion of "performance" cars are actually driven with any kind of conviction - it certainly seems as if they're increasingly being diluted to try to appeal to everyone and their dog.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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Car makers want to sell more cars.

SuperchargedVR6

3,138 posts

219 months

Friday 9th May 2014
quotequote all
Actus Reus said:
Absolutely - look at the Merc E-class 220CDi - it has twin exhausts that wouldn't look out of place on a marine diesel.

Having 4 exhausts is no more ridiculous than applying some sort of arbitrary rule to the power or displacement ratio to the number of pipes. What next - a minimum size of brake disc relative to the brake duct?
There should be a minimum brake size to wheel diameter though because saucer sized brake discs behind 20" wheels offends my eyes!




Tomatogti

362 posts

168 months

Friday 9th May 2014
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dele said:
Bash Brannigan said:
If you're going to go down the second-hand route then you'll have to consider the S4
For me a year old S4 would just be too tempting over this Golf, granted everyone seems to have different reasons/needs and its obviously going to sell otherwise they wouldn't have made it

Someone also asked why this car is getting a luke warm reception and I think its mostly (if not all) down badge snobbery, I admit that I cant get my head around a £30k Volkswagen Golf but show me the Audi equivalent and I'm not that surprised as its price just because it has four rings on its grill.
S4 is a too different to a golf to be comparable IMHO. S4 isn't designed to have same sporty edge as hot golfs or hot hatches in general. It's an effortless and fast family car.

Jazzer

1,665 posts

203 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
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My other half has now got one. It's very quick, surprisingly so, it's quite something, with very sharp handling. I find there to be not that much difference between the driving modes which, as far as I can tell so far, can only be changed via the button by the shifter.....rather irritating. Race mode is amusing.
Still getting to know it. I hate those quad pipes and the naff soundtrack compared to the R32, which had loads of character.
I also find the brakes to be a bit snatchy, but we'll see how things progress with a few miles under the belt.
She's delighted with it, that's the main thing I suppose. Her choice of red with standard wheels was a good one, I think it looks better than the blue with 19s!

ORD

18,086 posts

126 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
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What was the R32 like overall, mate? I'm quite tempted by one.

Jazzer

1,665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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ORD said:
What was the R32 like overall, mate? I'm quite tempted by one.
Sorry, just seen this!

The Mk 5 R32 has a creamy smooth V6, still one of the very best sounding cars out there.

DSG is fab, especially around town.

The car can feel a bit heavy and will understeer initially, until you learn to stay brave and keep your foot down....the haldex system shifts the torque rearwards, pulling the car round nicely....quite satisfying when you get it right.

It's a quickish car, rather than a fast one, but is a class apart from other hatches, a great all rounder.....just make sure you can live with the fuel consumption!!

ORD

18,086 posts

126 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, mate.

Hmmmmm, the old-school Haldex might put me off. The whole point of a hatch, in my opinion, is to be agile and relatively "pointy" and chuckable.

Dr Interceptor

7,743 posts

195 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
ORD said:
Thanks, mate.

Hmmmmm, the old-school Haldex might put me off. The whole point of a hatch, in my opinion, is to be agile and relatively "pointy" and chuckable.
Try one for sure. I've had mine for coming up four months now, and it doesn't feel like an 'old school' haldex. I've driven a MK5 R32, but the MK7 feels totally different.

scherzkeks

4,460 posts

133 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
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Dr Interceptor said:
Try one for sure. I've had mine for coming up four months now, and it doesn't feel like an 'old school' haldex. I've driven a MK5 R32, but the MK7 feels totally different.
Indeed. My facelift S3 Sportback (Haldex 4) was a pretty neutral car, and was fairly easy to coax into a 4-wheel drift with ESC off -- I even managed it with ESC on a few times too. That car was a lot more chuckable than the S4 or C350 I now have.

ORD

18,086 posts

126 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Dr Interceptor said:
ORD said:
Thanks, mate.

Hmmmmm, the old-school Haldex might put me off. The whole point of a hatch, in my opinion, is to be agile and relatively "pointy" and chuckable.
Try one for sure. I've had mine for coming up four months now, and it doesn't feel like an 'old school' haldex. I've driven a MK5 R32, but the MK7 feels totally different.
I've no interest at all in the R, I am afraid. It's only a person thing, but I don't see the point in fast cars with turbo 4 pots. I think of them as the automotive equivalent of a cyborg lover - perhaps as or more capable but ultimately a bit synthetic.

Dr Interceptor

7,743 posts

195 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
ORD said:
Dr Interceptor said:
ORD said:
Thanks, mate.

Hmmmmm, the old-school Haldex might put me off. The whole point of a hatch, in my opinion, is to be agile and relatively "pointy" and chuckable.
Try one for sure. I've had mine for coming up four months now, and it doesn't feel like an 'old school' haldex. I've driven a MK5 R32, but the MK7 feels totally different.
I've no interest at all in the R, I am afraid. It's only a person thing, but I don't see the point in fast cars with turbo 4 pots. I think of them as the automotive equivalent of a cyborg lover - perhaps as or more capable but ultimately a bit synthetic.
Fair enough, and I know what you mean... Having a synthetic daily isn't a worry for me with the classics tucked in the garage for a proper driving experience smile

For me it's the best of both worlds... performance of a larger 3.0 ish V6, practicality for work, and 4 pot fuel consumption when you need it.

ORD

18,086 posts

126 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Dr Interceptor said:
Fair enough, and I know what you mean... Having a synthetic daily isn't a worry for me with the classics tucked in the garage for a proper driving experience smile

For me it's the best of both worlds... performance of a larger 3.0 ish V6, practicality for work, and 4 pot fuel consumption when you need it.
I can see all of that, although I would question the fuel economy figures for anything but town driving (where I don't doubt that a turbo 4 will outperform a 6).

I also cant (from my own needs and wants) see much point in extremely fast "everyday" cars. I think a GTI is the fastest normal car I would ever want/need, if you see what I mean. I can well imagine wanting a 400bhp weekend car, but I don't see myself taking the kids to their gran's or a friend's party in a 300bhp hatch.

The R is probably an incredibly good choice for a 1-car household, though.