Thursday 20th March 2003

VW Golf R32

Robert Farago gets behind the wheel of the amazing R32

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[clubsport]

Like a Carrera 4 only smaller....huh!? Assuming you are talking about the 996,,,isn't this Golf actually heavier than the Porsche?
I am sure there will be quite a lot of difference in cornering & handling of the two cars...Golf is good but why not compare it to a Scooby WRX for a more real world comparison?

[marki]

I know the Danish importer for Porcshe ,when i brought my Golf 4motion here described it in the same terms , so unusually i am with Mr. F on this .

[PetrolTed]

I think Mr F was trying to convey the sensation of driving the car, not just doing a comparison with its nearest competitor.

[Alex]

"In short, to say that “The R32 handles rather well” is like saying “The aft deck of a 135” Sunseeker yacht is a nice place to drink a gin and tonic.”"

Please, leave it to Clarkson!

So you liked it then?

[PetrolTed]

That's the trouble with writing these days - make a comparison and everyone accuses you of trying to be Clarkson

[Fatboy]

Nice review, liked it.

[Dodge]

But can you heel'n'toe in it without the ECU cutting the throttle? eh? EH?

[james]

I must say, it was nice to read a review by Mr. F which actually said something about the car on test, and wasn't just trying to be clever.

A few more reviews like this, and I might be convinced that he's a real journalist.

[manek]

So VW at last replaces the Corrado...

PS: Ted -- need more reviewers?

[markoso]

Nice if it said a)roughly how much it will cost b)how it compares with competing stuff e.g. 330, evo ,wrx.

[PetrolTed]

markoso said: Nice if it said a)roughly how much it will cost b)how it compares with competing stuff e.g. 330, evo ,wrx.

That's a good point. I'll try to do that in future.

The R32 costs R32 £22,340 for the 3 door and £22,960 for the five door.

[JonRB]

manek said:So VW at last replaces the Corrado.

Shame they couldn't better its 0-60 time though, even with all that extra power and tranction.

With the advent of the V6-powered Audi TT I'm beginning to think that it, rather than the R32, is the spiritual successor to the Corrado VR6.

Still, the fact that it can even be mentioned in teh same breath says something for a car that ceased production 6 years ago.

[corcoran]

*Shaking head*
i'm ashamed to admit that whilst usually i'd take a leek on a Golf GTi if it were parked too close to the pub, the R32 is soooo sexy.

damnit..

[manek]

JonRB said:

manek said:So VW at last replaces the Corrado.

Shame they couldn't better its 0-60 time though, even with all that extra power and tranction.

With the advent of the V6-powered Audi TT I'm beginning to think that it, rather than the R32, is the spiritual successor to the Corrado VR6.

Still, the fact that it can even be mentioned in teh same breath says something for a car that ceased production 6 years ago.

...even though both are probably heavier than the Corrado, I'd still say the Golf has more of the Corrado's DNA.

[kevinday]

The report is a bit short on facts, such as power output, weight etc. I would like to see these in any report on a performance type car.

[sneakybastard]

Still an overweight fat B**tard though. Give me a mk2 anyday especially if you can drop that v6 in it

[AlanN]

Well I drove one this morning and this afternoon have bought one

Excellent, excellent car IMHO.

Alan.

[AlanN]

Oh I forgot to say that I had a Scooby WRX until last December (new one, had it for 8 months, this was all I could stand) and IMHO it was the most overrated car I've ever driven, doesn't hold a candle to the R32.

Alan.

[marki]

Good stuff mate as i said they are great cars ,how long before you get it

[manek]

AlanN said: Oh I forgot to say that I had a Scooby WRX until last December (new one, had it for 8 months, this was all I could stand) and IMHO it was the most overrated car I've ever driven, doesn't hold a candle to the R32.

Alan.

Interested to hear what you liked/disliked about it -- purely for academic purposes since I can't see myself ever wanting to drive a car that ugly, but especially since oyu never hear anyone say a bad word about them. Apart from the occasional mention about ugly they are but it doesn't matter.