Josh's Australian MK 7 Golf R

[Josh84]

Hi everyone

Thought it would be an opportune time to start a new build thread for my latest purchase: a 2014 Golf R. I currently have a tuned Scirocco R as a daily ( build thread is on this forum) and an untouched Porsche Cayenne GTS for the wife.

After test driving the A45 AMG and Audi S3, I found the Golf R to have impeccable handling and it felt less muted than the Audi S3 in terms of driver feedback. The A45 is a brilliant car but the rear headroom was a problem for me and with a baby seat in the rear( I have a 8 month old) , it felt rather cramped. The Golf R provided that extra predictability with its Haldex system which I really wanted for wet seasons.

Really enjoying the car at the moment. It is has been tuned by REVO who have claimed that it would do a 3.7 second run to 60 (I'd take it with a pinch of salt). It does genuinely feel faster than my APR tuned Stage 3 Scirocco with 405hp. It's sits on KW DDC electronic damping suspension(with wifi) and I am currently running OZ Racing Ultraleggera HLT wheels. More updates to come soon.

Thanks very much for reading.

[Josh84]

Thanks very much guys. The wheels are 19" x 8.5

I test drove the A45 AMG and found the ride rather harsh and rear headroom proved to be quite tight which didn't suit my needs. The A45 is a brilliant car but I can't justify paying that much for a 4 cylinder hatchback.

[Josh84]

Thanks very much guys. Black on black is an overused scheme but I've always liked the look.

One thing I don't like about the new R are the 4 exhaust tail-pipes.....a tad overstated in my opinion for a humble hot hatch.



What do you all think?

[Josh84]

Thanks for the input lads. Really enjoying the car at the moment. The tune has certainly made the car much quicker. Clocked a 0-60 time of 3.9seconds today using Launch Control with the ESC switched off completely. Not groundbreaking but decent enough for a Golf I reckon.

More pics soon once we get some sunny weather.

[Josh84]

The A45 costs about 20000 AUD more than the Golf R here in Australia. If I wanted an AMG I would have probably gone for a second hand C63.

I'm not running wheel spacers at the moment. Wheels are 19x8.5 ET45

I chose the Golf because it seemed to me to be a nice little weekend car to drive my family in. The Porsche is a great ride but ultimately it's a daily for my wife and for everyday errands.

[Josh84]

[Josh84]

Cheers! Yeah hopefully there will be an aftermarket option soon for twin exhausts.

For those interested, this is a video of a 7R tuned by Revo : http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PsMwbwspLKk

[Josh84]

Thanks guys. Both cars drive differently. My stage 3 scirocco with 404hp and a custom LSD provides raw thrills that the predictable golf can't match.

I will be selling the Rocco in the next couple of months to make way for a BMW M3... If all goes to plan


Meanwhile here's another rear shot of the Golf R

[Josh84]

Thanks very much guys. I am hoping there will be an aftermarket addition that allows for just 2 exhaust outlets....4 is just an embarrassing overkill.

I took it for a 0-60 timed run with VBox this morning and it pulled a 3.9 sec timing which is amazing for a normal Golf! Lol the REVO tune has changed the general character of the car completely. I like the whole "sleeper" thing too! The Haldex system on the Golf may have a front wheel bias but it does its job well

[Josh84]

I definitely have to agree that the A45 AMG is a cosmetically beautiful car! Definitely bolder in its design cues than the restrained aesthetics of the Golf R. If I didn't have to fit a baby seat in the car, I would have given the A45 more serious thought. It is an AMG car after all so power is its middle name. hehe I wonder how the A45 would fair against a c63. that would be interesting.

Quite surprised that the Golf managed to keep up with the tuned A45...that is quite heartening. The Golf R has certain exceeded all my expectations. Who would have thought the simple "people's car" would provide some decent power? haha

[Josh84]

Update: Just ordered this:

[Josh84]

Finally got the whole car fully Nanolex protected - both interior and exterior!

[Josh84]

Fitted my spoiler today. Better pics to come soon. Fitment is top-notch, best I've ever seen from an aftermarket product.

[Josh84]

Tom911 said:

Best Golf R I've seen! so mean looking

Thanks mate. The black metallic paint does add to its overall aggressiveness I'd assume.

[Josh84]

Thanks guys. Well, the normal Golf is quite a popular car in Australia (one of the best selling), the R variant is not as common but it is increasingly receiving the attention of performance car enthusiasts. A simple REVO tune has changed the car completely in terms of performance figures.

The Australian media seem to portray the Golf R as a (cheaper) and equally enjoyable alternative to the more expansive A45 AMG. I test drove the A45 and found the ride too harsh for everyday commutes but it could just be me. lol

A friend in the UK was telling me that Golfs' are a dime and a dozen over there. Is this true? Is the Golf R receiving good press or is too ordinary for the average car enthusiast?


On a semi-related note:

I've recently installed the OSIR Golf R spoiler to the car. Not everyone's cup of tea but I wanted to try out a bolder look and see if it grows on me.

[Josh84]

Haha cheers guys. This car keeps impressing me every time I take it out for a drive. Impeccable handling ....it just grips throughout the power band. There are some very clever people at VW . It's a Golf that doesn't feel like a Golf.

[Josh84]

Thanks very much guys.

To be honest the black on black theme has been done to death but I am hoping this would be an example of restrain even with that spoiler! lol

The spoiler does flow with the car's lines rather well so it does not really appear (at least in person) to be an ill-placed modification.

As for my cars, ...well, the Scirocco R is my daily drive to and from work and the Golf R is a purely weekend car for the family with just over 1000ks. We have a Porsche Cayenne GTS which is the everyday family/baby/dog hauler.

Both the Scirocco R and Golf R offer very different driving experiences so much so that its sometimes hard to believe that they are from the same make. If I had to pick a car to live with for the rest of my life it will be the Golf R - it has a certain elegance and poise about the way it puts power to the ground and tackles those meandering bends. Quite a work of art really ....all compressed in a compact and economical package.

[Josh84]

There are quite a few A45s here in Melbourne as well. Popular cars but not for me.

....
My wife made a custom head rest cover with the R logo. It is not clear at all in the pics but thats the best I have at the moment.

[Josh84]

More pics!

[Josh84]

Thanks very much guys. I'm going for a subtle and understated form of aggressiveness. Waiting on quite a few performance parts at the moment including a 6-piston Big Brake Kit.