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Golf as a "Borderline Supercar"

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WNSX

New member
Location
SF Bay Area
heiney9 said:
I know we all buy cars for emotional reasons, not always practical reasons. An some people buy a car to let others know about their status or wealth in society. No judgment there as we all have varying reasons to buy what we buy. Some are just passionate about great cars. My buddy loves his NSX, he didn't buy it to flaunt anything. He bought it and modded it simply for himself. In fact he's looking at an R8 now. His NSX has peaked in appreciated value and he wants to get rid of it before the value starts dropping. He also said it's time to have another car experience.

If I was to buy one car today if I have unlimited funds it would be a late model Ferrari 246 Dino Spider w/Daytona seats. I think that it is one of the sexiest cars made. It handles perfectly and has just enough power to have loads of fun. In fact many Ferrari enthusiasts say it's the best handling Ferrari ever built.

All my friends think I'm crazy that I wouldn't get something more modern and faster. I have always been in love with the Dino, it's a rolling sculpture that I'd never get tired of looking at or driving. 20 years ago you could get a nice Dino for $65-80K. Now you can't touch one for less than $150-200K and the full frame off restoration models can hit $250K + with the right provenance. If only I had the means and could predict the future back 20 years ago or so.
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Funny this would come up, but for a long time I was considering a Gen 1 NSX as the car I always wanted. After a lot of research I just couldn't justify the purchase of a 25 year old vehicle despite the cult status and incredible build/performance for the price. The obvious choice for me was the R due to the similar understated looks compared to other new vehicles in it's class. The Honda Civic R was best described (in my opinion) by someone in another forum as a great car, but with 2 major problems. You had to look at it, or be seen in it. I don't need big wings and odd body styling for no apparent purpose other than to be odd. That's not the definition of good design. The Golf had all I needed and made sense for the right reasons, as odd it may sound, kind of like the old NSX.
 
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Al_in_Philly

Autocross Newbie
Location
Philadelphia USA
WNSX said:
Funny this would come up, but for a long time I was considering a Gen 1 NSX as the car I always wanted. After a lot of research I just couldn't justify the purchase of a 25 year old vehicle despite the cult status and incredible build/performance for the price. The obvious choice for me was the R due to the similar understated looks compared to other new vehicles in it's class. The Honda Civic R was best described (in my opinion) by someone in another forum as a great car, but with 2 major problems. You had to look at it, or be seen in it. I don't need big wings and odd body styling for no apparent purpose other than to be odd. That's not the definition of good design. The Golf had all I needed and made sense for the right reasons, as odd it may sound, kind of like the old NSX.
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If it makes you feel any better, in 1994, Car & Driver managed to get an NSX to hit 60 MPH in 5.2 seconds, .7 more than what C & D managed with a 2015 DSG R; the quarter mile in 13.7, 1/2 second more than the R; and made almost as many lateral g's on the skidpadpad as the R (.93 to .94), both with mild understeer (https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1994-acura-nsx-archived-test-review ; https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-volkswagen-golf-r-test-review ). OK, as far as sexiness goes, the NSX beats the R hands down. But still, you can just sit back knowing that you've sort of got a better performing NSX, just wrapped in a more plain-Jane body.
 
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L3it3r1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Maryland
Ok. I'm gonna take a bit of flak here.. I've been driving the car for almost a month, and I've only done a few modifications (primarily the intake and APR Stage 1 and a few key VCDS tweaks like throttle, haldex, and suspension settings - etc) but with maybe a few more HP - perhaps the stage 2 w/meth - a mount or two, and suspension (I'm going with MSS Fully adjustable Track), I think this car might be damn near supercar territory. It's unreal how fast the car is right now vs. stock. It's crazy fast. And the handling now.. I can't wait to get the MSS kit.. It's going to be insane.
 
flipflp

flipflp

Autocross Newbie
Location
PNW
Car(s)
'16 Golf R DSG
My 2 cents, if you're talking about the car stock its a hot hatch and not in super car territory in the least. It's been said in the past 4 pages but "super car" means something different to everyone, but I think some standards are:

2 seater? 2 doors? How about consideration for aerodynamics, engineered to directly compete with other similar cars in it's price range (though there is a $$$ disparity between something like the NEW NSX and say a Ferrari 488), WOW styling, NOISE, rarity (again, not a great example on something like a Corvette Z06, but the ZR1 might be a better example) and to quote Doug Demuro, a "cool factor". Also, a "super car" sharing 90% of it's parts with a 170hp and all electric variant isn't common. I'm looking at you Hellcat/Demon. :D

That's not to say the R doesn't compete with cars in it's class, or that it isn't well styled, but VW probably didn't wind tunnel test for a 190 mph top speed, in the US at least they are all 4 door, 5 seat, practical hatchbacks. And if we're honest, the noise they make isn't ever going to be confused with a Lambo or otherwise.

Now when you mod an R, how far do you think you'd have to go to get to super car levels? I don't mean just measurable performance, but the whole package? I'd be lying if I said it's possible, I don't think it is. It's just not what the platform is for.

What is possible is making a wildly fast, incredibly capable, reliable (all things considered), practical car that will dance with the best of them. It's still going to be a Golf though.
 
G

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
ElmoProjector said:
What it lacks is that special something that makes the car a sleeper.
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Well thought out article. Only thing I disagreed with is the one statement above. The Golf R is a total sleeper. For me, it is what makes it special; it is adult, incredible performance without adolescent touches of "wings" and such.

Actually the underwhelming name "Golf R" is another sleeper characteristic. Golf R and "Golfer" never entered my head.... thanks to you, now I want it out of my head.:)
 
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annoyingmouse

New member
Location
down south
When I was a kid, I had a "supercar" calender that had a 911 (first watercooled, I believe) that had 290Hp and did 0 - 60 in about 5 seconds. Of course, "super cars" now are sub 4, and sometimes sub 3, but it still felt great the first time I gunned the new R.
 
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